Gaitore Jaipur

Gaitor, situated in a deep valley nearby, houses a temple of Lord Ganesh and the cenotaphs of the rulers. There are some twenty cenotaphs. The Gaitor is the place of the Chhatris of Kachhwaha kings and princes. Chhatris of the royal women are further away, near Man Sagar Lake. Impressive funerary monuments, in white marble or ocher sandstone, have been built on the cremation site of the maharajas of Jaipur. They are most often made up of a hall with columns covered with a majestic cupola. Some Gaitor, also called ‘chhatris) are decorated with sculptures representing Apsara (nymphs), Gandharvas (musicians) or processions. The most impressive is that of Maharaja Jai Singh II with its 20 sculpted columns. Meandering through the Chhatris in Gaitor is like strolling in the middle of miniature palaces in flamboyant Rajput style. Add to that the rocky place, at the foot of the hill that dominates Jaipur and you are suddenly away from the world, suspended between dream and reality.

History
Gaitore, the royal cremation ground of the Kachhwaha Rajputs, was chosen as the designated place by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of Jaipur, after he shifted the capital to the city. From 1733, the cremation of every Kachhwaha king was done here. The only cenotaph which is missing from here is the one of Maharaja Sawai Ishwari Singh whose cremation was done in the city palace complex in Jaipur.

Architecture
The cenotaphs of Gaitore symbolise the perfect blending of Islamic architecture and Hindu temple architecture. These are open domed pavilions which are built on a raised platform. Among the various cenotaphs dedicated to Sawai Ram Singh, Sawai Madho Singh and Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the one which is dedicated to Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II stands out. This cenotaph, made of pure white marble, is decorated with stunning peacock deigns and patterns. The carvings in each cenotaph reflect the style and taste of the specific king and the culture which was prevalent in his time. Traces of paintings which once decorated the walls of the cenotaphs can still be seen.

Nearby Tourist Attractions
There are plenty of tourist attractions near Gaitore which include City Palace, Govindji Temple, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Hahal, Nahargarh Fort, Jal Mahal, Moti Doongari and Lakshmi Narayan Temple and so on.
Gaitore, the final resting place of the Kachhwaha Rajput monarchs, takes us back to the splendid royal heritage of the kings of Jaipur. Its cenotaphs are a perfect blend of Hindu temple and Islamic architecture and have attracted the attention of Indian as well as foreign tourists.