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History of Jaipur, Jaipur Then and Now

Tripolia Gate | Jaipur Then & Now

I started Jaipur Then & Now series last year to showcase the transformation & change in important landmarks over the years. It’s been a long time since I last wrote a post in this series. I have already written 4 posts in this series – Galta Gate, Hawa Mahal, Chauti Chaupar, and Galta Temples. Continuing further this post is on Tripolia Gate. Tripolia Gate is an important landmark of Tripolia Bazar apart from Sargasuli. Tripolia Bazar gets its name from this gate. It is one of two important gates of Jaipur City Palace – the royal abode and is on its southern edge.

Here is an old picture of Tripolia Gate.

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Tripolia Gate in an old picture. Source- Google

It’s an un-dated picture. I have no clue about the photographer but I assume this must be early 1940’s since there is a cyclist in the picture.

Tripolia means three Pols. Pol means arched gateway. This gate derives its name from its three Pols. All important ancient city gates of Jaipur have three different Pols. They are joined together with the center Pol being the biggest of the three. In this particular design, the Pols are part of a single structure. The smaller Pols are more of a decorative element. I have already written a post on the variety of Pols in Jaipur. You can read this post by clicking this link – Jaipur Pol (Jaipur Gates)

Now compare this with the current picture.

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There are significant changes in the structure of the Tripolia Gate.

In the old picture, small Jharokas or latticed windows are not present. The latticed screen can be seen only on one side. As per available information, these Jharokas were built by Maharajah Sawai Man Singh II, the last ruler of Jaipur. It must have been a beautification drive. These lattices allowed the royal ladies to witness the procession without coming out in the public.

There is a gaslight lamp-post on either side of the gate in the old picture which is missing in the new picture. They were imported from England during the reign of Maharajah Sawai Ram Singh II and installed at important places in the city. It is difficult to find these original heritage lamp-posts in the city. These were installed before the electricity supply started in Jaipur.  The government has installed its replica at many places including the heritage walkway in Jaipur and Ram Niwas Garden but it is no match for the original design. In the current picture, the high mast light is an eyesore. I often wonder why do we allow such things to be installed in the name of development. Why is aesthetics ignored? These heritage structures attract tourists to the city and we must make sure that the beauty of heritage structures is maintained.

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Issar Lat or sargasuli in Tripolia Bazar, Jaipur

The lattice design has also undergone a change. Did I mention the shopfront? In the old days, the tarpaulin was used as awning or sunshade but now a shaded walkway has replaced the shopfront. There are two cannons placed in front of small gates. This also is a recent addition and adds to the beauty of the gate.

Check out other posts in Jaipur Then and Now.

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Tripolia Gate as viewed from Chandni Chowk, City Palace

Importance Of Tripolia Gate

Tripolia Gate is not open to the public. It is exclusively used by the members of the royal family. I need to make a special mention of the historical & cultural importance of Tripolia Gate. All royal processions would pass from Tripolia Bazar, a tradition that continues to date. Processions of the local festivals like Teej and Gangaur need a special mention. This gate leads to the Chandni Chowk of Jaipur City Palace on one side and Chaura Rasta on the other side. Chandni Chowk has a couple of heritage temples like Pratapeshwar Temple, Brijnidhi Temple, and Anand Bihari Temple. Continuing further is the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site Jantar Mantar and the main entrance to the City Palace. Chaura Rasta is another important bazaar in the walled city area of Jaipur. In comparison to Sirehdyodi entrance, Tripolia Gate is much smaller of the two but its importance weighs the scale in its favor. On the flip side, visitors are not allowed to pass through this gate.

Read Teej Festival In Jaipur

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60 thoughts on “Tripolia Gate | Jaipur Then & Now”

  3. I don’t know why, but I prefer the old one, Arv. Probably, I saw the engraving on the top of the gate looks more obvious in Black and White photo. Or I’m the old soul who loves everything from the past. Lovely post, by the way..

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. You are not the only one, Nurul. I also think that old picture looks better. Nowadays everything is okay in the name of development. You can see that when you compare both pictures. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Nurul 😃

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  7. Another informative history lesson and comparison from you, Arv. The Tripolia Gate those years ago does look similar, but as you pointed out, there are some differences. It looks well maintained, which is probably due to the fact that it is not open to the public. But I have to agree with you about the masthead being an eyesore. Maybe it is there as a lamp to light up the place at night. If that’s the case smaller and shorter lights could be an option.

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    1. All important building in Jaipur has been maintained well. Only lesser known buildings suffer! I’m glad you agree that light pole is an eyesore. I wish we had something better to do this job. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Mabel. 🙂

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      Reply

      1. Lesser known buildings are sometimes the ones worth the visit. Often we don’t have a say in how heritage buildings get maintained or pulled down…but hopefully it’s always maintenance even if it means changing a bit of the facade.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. It is certainly is, Mabel. It tells us about who we are and where we came from. Interestingly, I met a couple of Australian residents and they feel that the kind of history and heritage ancient civilizations have is missing in Australia since it is largely a new world. Even though aborigines, the original residents of Australia exists there isn’t much to explore. Probably, you can understand this better since you are originally from Malaysia.

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      5. You are right in that Australia is mainly a new world. So many parts of it are developed. Sure there are places that are rural away from metropolitan areas. While Malaysia might seem less developed than Australia than some aspects, Malaysians seem very proud of their heritage.

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      6. I’m happy to know that Malaysians are proud of their heritage. I’m sure they know how to take care of the same. I believe you must have explored most of it.

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      7. You can definitely see how Malaysians are proud of their cultural heritage through the different recognised celebrations each year and a respect for tradition in general. I’m guessing it’s similar in India too.

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  11. Such an interesting and educative read, Arv! Jaipur is truly astonishing and it’s great to see its transformation and development throughout the years. Thanks for sharing this!

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  12. Wow! It’s fascinating to learn about heritage structures of Jaipur through your blog. The B&W picture was pretty cool. Takes one back in time. I often wonder how it would be to live in that era.

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    1. I guess we both are thinking about the same thing, Cheryl. I do feel that the classic proverb of grass being greener on the other side is true. But yes, the idea of transporting back into old days is surely exciting. Is there any particular time frame in which you would like to be transported?

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      Reply

      1. I know what you mean. 🙂 I don’t know if there’s a particular time zone I’d love to go back to. It’s just a momentary feeling when I see ancient structures. Because I also understand there will be challenges of going back in time. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I remember in 1980-90’s time travel was really popular as a science fiction subject with so many movies and books. I guess today this idea has been abandoned.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. I have a few posts planned but I guess it will happen next month. Don’t hesitate to ask. The only handicap is there isn’t much variety in vintage pictures. 😊

        Liked by 1 person

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