India's First Planned City | JAIPUR 1727
Summary
TLDRJaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, was meticulously planned in 1727 by King Jai Singh II to serve as a new capital and economic hub. The city, designed with cultural heritage in mind, followed ancient architectural principles and was divided into a grid pattern with wide streets and residential quarters. It has grown into a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known as the 'Pink City' for its red-painted buildings, showcasing a well-organized urban expansion that offers lessons for modern city planning.
Takeaways
- ποΈ Jaipur is a well-planned city designed to accommodate a growing population and support economic growth, with a rich cultural heritage that attracts millions of tourists annually.
- π° Jaipur was founded by King Jai Singh II in 1727 as a new capital for his kingdom of Dunder, which later became part of the state of Rajasthan.
- π The city's layout was carefully planned based on ancient principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, with a grid of streets and a central axis.
- π The planning included leveling the land, utilizing abundant local resources, and diverting water from the Jordawada River to the city for sustainability.
- π° The city was fortified with high walls and had seven entrance gates, reflecting the social and political hierarchy of the time.
- π£οΈ Streets in Jaipur were designed with specific widths according to Shilpa Shastra, ensuring orderly urban development.
- π The central temple and other monuments like Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar were strategically placed along the city's central axis.
- ποΈ Residential quarters were allocated among communities based on caste, subcast, or profession, with varying sizes of blocks to accommodate different social hierarchies.
- π Jaipur was intended to be an economic hub, with streets allocated for bazaars and shops to encourage trade and commerce.
- ποΈ The city's preservation efforts have been significant, maintaining its aesthetic and cultural heritage, which led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019.
- π¦ Despite being centuries old, Jaipur's city planning is an example of how wide roads can still accommodate modern traffic without congestion.
Q & A
What principles are considered when planning cities today?
-Cities today are planned based on principles such as providing space for a growing population, allowing economic growth, and building proper infrastructure.
Why was Jaipur founded, and by whom?
-Jaipur was founded by King Jai Singh II in 1727 to establish a new capital for his kingdom of Dhundar, as the existing capital, Amer, faced space constraints and water scarcity.
What ancient principles were used in the planning of Jaipur?
-The planning of Jaipur was based on the ancient principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, which provide guidelines for architecture and city planning.
What was the layout of Jaipur, and how was it unique?
-Jaipur was designed with a grid pattern divided into nine blocks known as 'chakras'. The plan was aligned 15 degrees clockwise, with an additional block added in the southeast direction due to the presence of hills in the northwest.
What was the significance of the central axis in Jaipur's design?
-The central axis of Jaipur passed between the 'Suraj Pol' (Gate of the Sun) in the east and the 'Chand Pol' (Gate of the Moon) in the west, signifying the importance of cosmic orientation in the city's layout.
How were the streets of Jaipur designed according to Shilpa Shastra?
-The streets were designed with fixed widths according to Shilpa Shastra principles: 111 feet for primary streets, 55 feet for secondary streets, and 27 feet for smaller lanes.
What role did Havelis play in the residential quarters of Jaipur?
-Havelis were traditional courtyard houses that served as residential units in Jaipur. Their size varied according to social hierarchy, with larger Havelis reserved for ranking officials and important figures.
How did Jaipur's design accommodate economic growth?
-Jaipur was planned as an economic hub with dedicated areas for traders and artisans. The king invited traders from various regions, provided tax incentives, and allocated uniformly sized shops along the cardinal roads to boost trade.
What measures were taken to preserve Jaipur's cultural and architectural heritage?
-Various conservation efforts have been made to preserve Jaipur's tangible heritage, such as crafts and monuments, as well as intangible heritage, like traditions, art, and culture. Guidelines are in place for architectural and cultural preservation, and the city is regularly surveyed to maintain its heritage.
What impact did Jaipur's recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site have?
-Jaipur's recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019 elevated the city's preservation efforts to an international level, ensuring better coordination with local bodies and a more critical approach to maintaining its cultural and architectural significance.
Outlines
ποΈ Jaipur: A Planned Heritage City
The first paragraph discusses the principles of city planning, with a focus on Jaipur, India. Jaipur, the current capital of Rajasthan, was built from scratch with a purpose. Founded by King Jai Singh II in 1727, it was designed to serve as a new capital and to assert his power against Mughal Delhi. The city's layout was meticulously planned using ancient architectural principles, including the Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, and was divided into a grid of nine sectors, or 'chakras.' The central axis featured significant gates, and the city was fortified with high walls and gates. Streets were designed with specific widths, and residential quarters were allocated based on social hierarchy. The city's planning was revolutionary for its time, with an estimated initial population of 50,000, which grew to 125,000 by 1881. The paragraph also touches on the city's economic planning, aiming to attract traders and establish a thriving market.
ποΈ Economic Growth and Cultural Preservation in Jaipur
The second paragraph delves into Jaipur's economic planning and its evolution into a trade hub. The king invited traders from various regions, offering them incentives such as tax benefits and land. The city's cardinal roads were designated for bazaars, with shops allocated to both local and new settlers. Initially, 1362 shops were constructed, with additional stories added later to accommodate growth. The city's expansion was primarily to the south, maintaining the original city's identity as the 'Pink City.' Conservation efforts have been significant, focusing on both tangible and intangible heritage, including crafts, monuments, and traditions. The uniform architectural and cultural guidelines have helped preserve the city's aesthetics. In 2019, Jaipur was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is expected to elevate conservation efforts. The paragraph concludes by highlighting the city's well-planned roads that still efficiently handle traffic, serving as an example for modern city planning.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Urban Planning
π‘Cultural Heritage
π‘Infrastructure
π‘Economic Growth
π‘Vastu Shastra
π‘Shilpa Shastra
π‘Historical Preservation
π‘World Heritage Site
π‘Economic Zone
π‘Architectural Conservation
π‘Urban Expansion
Highlights
Cities are planned based on various principles, including space for a growing population and economic growth.
Jaipur was built as a new capital with a unique cultural heritage, attracting millions of tourists annually.
Jaipur's foundation by King Jai Singh II in 1727 aimed to establish a new capital for his kingdom of Dunder.
The city of Amir, with its palace and dwellings, was based on social and political hierarchy for defense but faced space constraints.
King Jai Singh envisioned a new city to empower his status against Mughal Delhi, selecting a site 11 km south of the Yamae fort.
Jaipur's layout was planned using ancient principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra, with a grid of nine squares.
The city's central axis features gates of the Sun and Moon, with construction beginning after leveling the area and resource availability.
Jaipur was designed with high walls and gates, primary streets of 111 feet width, and a central temple in the Brahmasthan block.
The city was planned for an estimated population of 50,000, which grew to 125,000 by 1881.
Residential quarters were allocated among communities of the same caste, subcast, or profession, with varying block sizes.
Haveli, a traditional Rajasthani housing typology, was used due to the hot and arid climate, with central open spaces and dwelling units.
Jaipur was planned as an economic hub, inviting traders with incentives like tax benefits and land for workshops and homes.
The city had 1362 shops in its initial phase, with streets designed for uniform side shops forming bazaars.
Jaipur's expansion was limited to the south, with the original city still identifiable as the Pink City.
The Pink City is known for its red-painted buildings with white ornamentation and calligraphy, reflecting conservation efforts.
Jaipur, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, has ongoing efforts for heritage preservation and management.
The city's wide roads are an example of organized planning and expansion, catering to modern traffic without congestion.
Transcripts
our cities are planned today based on
various principles
they are designed keeping in mind the
status quo we build them for providing
space for a growing population allowing
economic growth or building a proper
infrastructure
there have been examples through
millennia and are happening today
some are expansions to the existing ones
while some are built from scratch
jaipur was built completely new for a
purpose of a new capital and
is currently the capital of rajasthan
jaipur is uniquely rich city in terms of
cultural heritage
and attracts millions of domestic and
international tourists every year
like many cities in india jaipur stands
the test of time and its heart still
lies where it was founded
jaipur was founded by king jaisen ii in
1727
with a motive to establish a new capital
for his kingdom of dunder
it was one of the kingdoms along with
others which share a similar identity to
form a combined state of rajasthan today
nundar was ruled from amir which was
like any other contemporary city of the
time
with palace built on the top and
dwellings down the hill
this was based on social and political
hierarchy
this ensured a defense for the city but
with time providing space for the
growing population was not possible
at the same time amir was facing a
problem of what is car city
he envisioned to establish a new city
which could empower his status against
mughal delhi
the side was selected 11 kilometers
south to the yamae fort on the plane
surrounded by hills on the three sides
east west and the north
king jai singh consulted several books
and architecture and architects while
planning the layout of jaipur and hired
with dedhar bhattacharya a bengali
scholar in the field to design the plan
for the new city
the city was planned on the ancient
principles of foster sastra and shilpa
shastra
which have rules and guidelines for
architecture the plan was divided into a
grade of three by three known as chakras
and align 15 degree clockwise
the mandela however could not be formed
in the north west direction due to the
existing hill so an additional block was
added in the southeast direction
the central axis of the city passed
between gate of the sun in the east
known as suros pole and gate of the moon
in the waste known as chan pool
before starting the construction of
jaipur city the selected area was
leveled up by removing unwanted
soil shrubs sand dunes and gullies
the material resources was also
abundantly available and stones could be
faced from the nearest hills
a pre-commissioned project in 1726 where
water from jordawada river was diverted
to the city
the planning was revolutionary for an
indian city which
followed a great iron pattern unlike
other cities of the time which grew more
organically
the town was fortified with 25 feet high
and nine feet thick walls along the
periphery with seven entrance gates
out of the nine greats two were
dedicated for the palace
the streets were designed according to
the fixed principle of shilpa shastra
with primary streets having 111 feet
width
55 feet for the secondary and smaller
lanes with 27 feet width
the temple was placed at the center of
the plan in the block which is
traditionally called brahmasthan in
vastu
the block was the seat of power for the
king and other famous monuments like
hawam al and jantar mantar were planned
here
along the central axis at the
intersection of north-south roads
two central squares were planned known
as buddy chopped and choti chopper
identical in size of 350 feet width
the planning was done for an estimated
population of around 50 000 people
we screwed to 1.25 lakhs by 1881.
the public area or blocks known as
chocodies were divided further into
different secondary streets
known as rasta or marg forming
neighborhoods of quarters
these residential quarters were
allocated among communities of same cars
subcast or profession
with smaller lanes known as gullies or
gear
sizes of each block was different from
another
some were big and somewhere small but
average size of residential neighborhood
was around 1.42 hectares
the residential units were known as
hawaiis a haveli is a traditional coated
house in rajasthan and several other
parts of
india this is a preferred housing
typology due to hot
and arid climate of rajasthan avails
consist of central open space with
dwelling units around it
the size of haveli varied on social
hierarchy and size of community
living with larger havailis having
multiple courtyards
larger havelies were given to ranking
officials
and important figures a trend is seen in
allocation of quarters the largest
hawaii surrounded the palace with
decreasing size
spreading outwards the units near the
palace were built as per the initial
plants
but in the farther located areas near
the boundary wall the cluster varied
from initial plant due to several
inclusions of
unplanned communities and variants in
settlement through the period of time
the new capital was also planned to be
an economic hub
and grow as a center of trade in the
region the king sent
invitations to traders from various
regions and streets to settle down and
conduct business in the city
the cardinal roads were allocated for
uniformly side shops
forming bazaars these were given to
traders merchants
bankers and artisans who were local as
well as
new settlers to establish themselves in
the city
a total of 1362 shops were constructed
in the initial phase with several new as
the city grew
the shop fronts on both sides of the
streets were designed in a way to
maintain a uniform facade throughout
initially one storage shops were built
but later his successor
added further stories to the existing
ones
to attract traders he gave away many
benefits to the settlers
they were given tax incentives for new
businesses
land for workshops homes to new settlers
security
patronage to artisans and an
administration to organize day-to-day
accounting
several fees were conducted to attract
traders from different locations
and give a boost to its marketing this
could be an
early example of special economic zone
in india
the city was surrounded in three sites
so the scope for expansion was only on
the south
which gives the current city of jaipur
the city expanded south but the original
city can
still be identified and known as pink
city
the pink city has a different vibe with
red painted buildings and structures
ornamentation and calligraphy is done in
white uniformly
lots of conservation work has been
dedicated towards preserving aesthetics
and management various efforts have been
made into preserving the tangible
heritage like crafts and monuments at
the same time
intangible heritage like traditions art
and culture
there are guidelines for every aspect
architectural or cultural
drawn by local bodies on how to achieve
that
times and on surveys are conducted to
keep a track of today
and map the past jaipur particularly
pink city is a national heritage
and now has become part of world stage
after it was declared unesco world
heritage site
in 2019 this will take the efforts to a
next level along with the coordination
with the local body in a critical
observation we can see even today
the routes of pink city are wide enough
to cater to race traffic without
congestion
which is an example how our cities can
take inspiration to plan
and expand in an organized way
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