OLD POSTCARD SERIES

milk man

1915

OLD Postcards Series

1910

OLD Postcards Series

No. 1

1915

JAIPUR

The historic city of Jaipur (The City of Victory) was founded in 1727 A.D. by the great Kachhawah ruler Sawai Jai Singh II (1700 - 1747 A.D.). The monarch was not only a great builder but also a great poet and an astronomer. Under his aegis, the city was designed by his talented architect Vidyadhar, who gave shape to the creative aspirations of Sawai Jai Singh in the form of the dream city of Jaipur.

Jai Singh II was supremely talented - politically, intellectually and also on the battlefield, He was also known as the warrior-astronomer. In 1696 he had earned the title of ‘ Sawai ’ meaning ' One and a Quarter' (Intelligence) from emperor Aurangzeb after the emperor was impressed by his wit and pluck, a title which was proudly borne by all of Jai Singh's descendants. The Kingdom of Kachhawahas spread a lot in the entire sphere, eventually encompassing a large area which abutted the kingdoms of Mewar (Udaipur region) and Marwar (Jodhpur region). The history of Kachhawahas can be traced back to Duleh Rai, son of Sodh Dev, the Kachhawaha of ruler of Narwar (Near Gwalior), migrated to Dausa.

Duleh Rai was a Kachhawahas who could trace his lineage to Rama, hero of the sun-born dynasty immortalized in Ramayana. He was married to the daughter of Chauhans of Ajmer. Duleh Rai’s also known as ' Tej Karan', his son Kabil Dev is known to have established dynastic rule in Amber which was the most important stronghold of the Minas.

Amber is situated 11 kms out of Jaipur in the route of Delhi. The Kachhawahas originally hailed from Narwar (Near Gwalior) where they reigned for over 800 years. A martial alliance between to Kachhawahas prince, Tej Karan, and to Rajput princess of Chauhans of Ajmer resulted in the capturing of the region of Dausa. Tej Karan was able to defeat the Bargujras who ruled half of Dausa, the other half being under the dominance of the Chauhans.
Tej Karan's descendants converted the hill top on which Fort Amber was later built, recognizing its Virtue as a potential military stronghold. The original Site was eventually princed from its inhabitants, the susawat Minas, and the Minas were granted guardship of the Kachhawahas treasury in return.

The Kachhawahas, despite being devout Hindu belonging to the Kshatriya (warrior) caste, recognized the expediency of aligning themselves with the powerful Mughal Empire. They paid homage at the Mughal court, and cemented the relationship with marital alliances. They were handsomely rewarded for their bravery defending the mughals in their various skirmishes. With war loots they were able to finance construction of the fortress palace at Amber, which began in 1592 by Maharaja Man Singh, the Rajput commander of Akbar's Army. Man Singh was known to be a navratna (One of the Nine Jewels) in the court of Akbar.

Maharaja Man Singh
He ruled from 1590-1619 had a multi-faceted personality with varied interests. He started workshops and departments devoted to art, crafts, literature and the performing arts. Some of the Crafts Traditions for which Jaipur is famous for are like Minachari, paper mashing and carpet weaving, were introduced by him with craftsmen being brought in from Lahore, Sialkot, and Gujarat. He patronized many poets, authors, and scholars at his court and was fond of dance, music and drama.

Raja Man Singh is known to have brought these three deities of "Sangamar ka Sanga Baba / Jaipur Ka Hanuman / Amber ki Shila Devi" as said in the above popular saying. The sect of Sangababa is in Sanganer, the image of Hanuman at the entrance of the gate of Chand pol bazar and the idol of Shila Devi is at Amber.

Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II
He had earned both the title of Maharaja in 1707 and Sawai in 1713. The Kachhawahas recognized the expediency of aligning themselves with the powerful mughal emperor. However Jai Singh incurred the displeasure of Aurangzeb successor of Bahadur Shah, who came in 1707.
Bahadur shah's accession which controlled by his younger brother, Azam Shah and Jai Singh unfortunately supported the younger brother's bid for power. Bahadur shah, was eventually given the Delhi throne, retaliated by invading Amber and ousting the Young Jai Singh and installing younger Vijay Singh into his place. He regained the capital with the help of Udaipur and Jodhpur (marrying one princes each form the states) in 1708, and eventually reconsolidate his rule.

The wealth of the kingdom increased exponentially, and this together with the need to accommodate the ever burgeoning population and paucity of water at the old capital Amber, prompted the Maharaja in 1727 to commence work on a new City he named after himself -- Jaipur.
It was a collaborative endeavor, the synthesis of union of the Maharaja and the impressive expertise of his chief architect, Vidyasagar. Jai Singh's Strong grounding in the sciences is reflected in the precise symmetry of the new city which, as appeared to the other unplanned and labyrinthine cities which predominated in North India at that time, was laid out according to the strict principles of town planning set down in the "Shilpa Shastra" an ancient Hindu creative architecture. In the year 1728 - 34 he built the Jantar Mantar (j(y)antra = instrument, device; mantra = magic formula) his open air observatory or outside astronomical instrument. In mathematics and astronomy, as in war and town- planning, Jai Singh did nothing by halves -- his scientific inventiveness were supposed to property emerged when, aged 13, he devised an irrigation system to water the hanging gardens of Amber Fort.

The most central of the seven right-angled comprises of city Palace complex, containing the Palace itself, the administrative quarters, the Jantar Mantar (Jai Singh' S remarkable observatory) and the janana mahals or the women’s Palaces, where the maharajas held dubious honor of maintaining more wives than any of his predecessors, although most of these alliances were motivated more by political expediency than by amorous compulsions.
As ardent of Vaishvanite in 1714 he reinstated the image of Govind dev, removing it from the impressive red sandstone temple built by his ancestor Raja Man Singh, at Vrindavan and later installed it in 1719 within the city Palace complex.

The City was not an first year aesthetic Triumph; its stout walls served to protect its in inhabitants from invaders, encouraged merchants and trades people to flock here and further serving to enhance -- the city' s growth and prosperity. Jai Singh’s Interest in the Arts, Sciences and Religion fostered to their development in Jaipur, and the royal court became a centre of an intellectual and artistic endeavor. As a scholar and owner of Arts, He attracted some of the most learned scholars, astronomers, teachers, writers, poets, architects, lawyers, painters and preachers to his court. An extraordinary amount of literary activities took place in his reign, surpassing in its ranges and volume any of his predecessors of successor.

Sawai Pratap Singh
Sawai Pratap Singh became the Maharaja at the Age of 14 after the death of his brother Prithivi Singh. He ruled from 1778 to 1803. His 25 year rule witnessed many spectacular achievements and strategic failures. Being constantly goaded by the Marathas and the mughals He had to face repeated threats and has heavy drainage of funds. He is known as the great ruler of Jaipur for his sincere devotion to Lord Krishna. The fountains behind the Govind Dev temple are credited to him, his poetic talent and patronage of Arts and Crafts. The finest example of his connoisseur ship is the single and unique monument of Hava Mahal--the Palace of the Winds. Writing under the penname Brijnidhi, He composed many poems and songs in broad variety of meters.

Sawai Ram Singh II
He ruled from 1835 till 1880, He was known as the colorful Maharaja, He was different from his ancestors in most regards and was an ardent Vaishaivite. He was a Shaivite, year burning devotee of Shiva. He had some very modern stretches, enjoyed photography and is the very first great premium who martyred ball room dancing. Ram Singh II was a great connoissor of Music and was adept at playing the Veena - a multi stringed instrument. He was also a reformist and it was in his reign that slavery, child infanticide and the cruel custom of Sati were officially abolished in Jaipur in 1839. The City of Jaipur benefited largely from his closed rapport with the British which constructively manifested itself in the toilets works, the gas lights, roads, Sanskrit collages as well as The Maharaja School of Arts and Crafts and the medical college. The Ram Nivas garden was laid out in his time with the Albert hall museum at its heart.

Madao Singh II
He was the next ruler after Maharaja Ram Singh II got expired in 1880 and he died heirless, as per the tradition if any King of Jaipur died heirless the adoption of the first family would be from the Thakur of Thilai. But this tradition was forsaken by ram Singh II when he chose the second so of the Thakur of Isarda. At the Time of his adoption, Kayam Singh (Later Madho Singh II) was employed in the Tonk cavalry as a sepoy. There am was about 18 years old. Madao Singh II was devoutly religious. Despite his five marriages and his 18 official mistresses, he was heirless. We can see the clothes and other items of Madho Singh II at the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II museum, one remarkable exhibit in Seth of voluminous clothes of Madho Singh II who was over two meters tall, 1.3m wide and weighed 225 kg. He had made a lot of Progress to the State of Jaipur and was rewarded by the British for his loyalty, he was made Honorary Colonel of the 13th Rajputs. There was to lot of development in the state, he had built a meter gauge live from Sangama to Sawai Madhopur which helped Jaipur to get connected to various commercial centers. Many Hospitals, universities, The Secretariat, residential colonies and colleges were built as well. Madho Singh like his adoptive father had repeated history by adopting his Nephew from Isarda, Kanwar Mormukat Singh, the younger of the two sons of Thakur Sowai Singh of Isarda. Kanwar Mormukat Singh was later known as Sawai Man Singh II.

Sawai Man Singh II
Sawai man Singh ruled from 1922 till 1949 when India gained Independence. He was born on 21st August 1911 as MorMukut Singh son of Sawai Singh the Thakur of Isarda and was chosen by Maharaja Madho Singh II to be the adopted heir to the throne of Jaipur on 24th March 1921. The Viceroy of India later accepted the adoption and he was named Sawai Man Singh II. Man Singh II was educated in Jaipur itself, at Mayo College for Indian chiefs, at Ajmer and in England where he gained an up-to-date knowledge of Modern militiary science at the Royal Militiary Academy, Woodwich. He improved the water supply by building RamGarh that supplied water to Jaipur. and lightening opened the state janana hospital the Lady Wellingdon at Sanganer which was outside the capital. During his reign, civic buildings such as schools, hospitals and secretariats were built outside the original walls. Following the independence in 1947, the status of the princely states was to change forever. In March 1949, Jaipur merged the Rajput states of Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner, Becoming Greater Rajasthan. Jaipur was honored above the other states when the title Raj Pramukh was conferred on Man Singh II who was inverted with administrative supervisor of the new province. The title was later revoked, and Man Singh II was posted as Indian ambassador to Spain. In 1956, Jaipur became the capital of the state of Rajasthan. Horse Polo was very popular amongst the Maharajas, especially during the British Raj. Man Singh II was the finest and most dashing Polo player in the world, whose Polo team was champion in the European Polo circuit in the 1930s. The Polo victory cinema in Jaipur, built by his Polo stick maker commemorated a world record in the Sport. The "Big Four' consisting of Maharaja Man Singh, Maharaja Prithvi Singh, Rao Raja Hanut Singh and Rao Raja Abhey Singh had won DE hat the open tournaments Record which has never been equaled. Man Singh actually hat died playing the loved Sport He, at Spiel Polo in England in 1970.

Brig. H.H Sawai Bhawani Singh
PRESENT RULER: HH Sri Sawai Maharaja BHAWANI SINGH Bahadur, 11th Maharaja and 39th Head of the Kachhawa Rajputs (1970/-) Born 22nd October 1931 in Jaipur, educated in Kashmir, Dehradun and then at Harrow School (UK) 1946/1950, commissioned into Indian Army in the 3rd Cavalry regiments as a Second Lieutenant in 1951, selected for the Presidents bodyguard in 1954, posted to HQ 50 (Indep.) Para Brigade in 1963, selected and posted as Adjutant, Indian Military Academy, Dehradun 1964/1967, volunteered for the new Para Commando Unit and was posted to 10 Para Commando as 2nd-in-command in June 1967, became the commanding officer he in the following year, awarded the second highest gallantry award "Mahavir Chakra" in 1971, for his part in the Indo-Pak war, took voluntary retirement in 1974, was granted rank of Brigadier for life, served as the first Resident High Commissioner to the State of Brunei from July 1993 to January 1997, married 10th March 1967, HH Maharani Saheba Padmini Devi Prakash of Sirmur.