Jaipur is one of the few cities with many forts. I have already written about the forts in Jaipur in my previous blog, The best forts in Jaipur. The list of forts include, Nahargarh Fort, Amer Fort, and Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur. Technically, Amer Fort is not a fort but rather a palace. However, it continues to be called a fort. Over the last few years, Nahargarh Fort became the most popular fort among locals and travelers. On the other hand, Amer Fort is one of the most visited tourist attractions among travelers in Jaipur. Where does this leave Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur?

Jaigarh Fort Jaipur Travel Guide | All You Want To Know

Jaigarh Fort was constructed at a strategic vantage point overlooking the Amer Town and Amer Fort. It was connected with Amer Fort. Indeed at present, it is possible to reach Jaigarh Fort from Amer through the cobbled path.

I would like to mention the Jaigarh Fort tunnel that connects Amer Fort with Jaigarh Fort. You can read more about it in my post on Amer Fort.

Jaivan Canon

For many years, the sole selling point of Jaigarh Fort was the Jaivan cannon. It was promoted as the world’s largest cannon. It features in the list of largest canons in the world. In fact, only in certain specifications and parameters. Read the List of the largest cannons in the world

The official board mentioned the canon was fired more than once but never during a war. Over 100 kg of gunpowder was required to fire a 50 kg cannonball. The gun recoil was four feet; an eight feet screw was used to elevate the gun barrel. The cannon was cast at the gun foundry inside the fort in 1720 AD. The length of the cannon is 31’3″ and weighs 50 tons. The popular legend is that when it was test fired, the cannonball fell in Chaksu, a small settlement around 40 km from Jaipur. Another version mentions the cannonball landing in Tunga. It is difficult to verify which one is true.

Until a few years ago, the guard on duty at the Jaivaan canon would routinely ask every visitor to produce the camera fee ticket. The fort management trust charged a camera fee along with the entrance ticket. Many visitors skipped paying the camera fee either because they assumed they did not carry a camera or would assume no one will examine the ticket beyond the entrance. Visitors were in for a shock when they clicked pictures with their smartphones at the Jaivan; the guard wouldn’t allow clicking pictures because the camera fee was unpaid. It was not a prudent decision to impose a fee for photography inside the fort. It might be relevant in the 1980s but things have changed drastically over the last two decades. Across the world, photography is encouraged because it is free publicity. When people share pictures on social media, it promotes a tourist attraction or destination. Thankfully, things have changed and they don’t charge for photography.

Jaigarh Fort Water Storage and collection system | Tanka

The second most talked about feature of the fort is the huge water storage tank and its collection system. Some experts are of the opinion that this system represents a work of a genius considering the period when this was developed. The water storage system is quite elaborate and still fully functional; it collects water through the water channels spread across the hill.

A few years ago, a water walk was available for visitors to understand the water collection & storage system. This is not the case, anymore. A board mentions that treasure or war booty won while fighting for the Mughals was stored in this water tank.

A huge open-air water reservoir can be found near Jaivan Canon, called Nathawaton Ka Tanka. One should not confuse the water storage tank with this reservoir; the former is a covered tank.

Jaigarh Fort Treasure

Jaigarh Fort water storage is bound to bring the discussion of Jaigarh Fort treasure. During the Indian Emergency period in the 1970s, under the instruction of then prime minister Indira Gandhi, a search operation was conducted in Jaigarh Fort for the treasure. The underlying theory is the rulers of Jaipur amassed an immense fortune in conquests during the Mughal period as army generals of the Mughal army. Whether this is legitimate or not is open to contestation. It is being claimed that the fort was sealed and a search was conducted for many days. The information board at the water tank acknowledges the search operations but denies the confiscation of treasure. People find grapevines around Jaigarh Fort treasures extremely interesting. Even the last queen of Jaipur, Maharani Gayatri Devi has mentioned search operations for Jaigarh Fort treasure in her autobiography, The Princess Remembers. The mention is succinct.

Jaigarh Fort Museum | Jaleb Chowk

I remember my visits during childhood museum galleries beyond the water storage tank right before Subhat Niwas; the area is designated Jaleb Chowk, a vast rectangular block with long galleries on either side. Back then, they would fire a miniature canon every hour; it seems this is no more a practice. It was predominantly the armory on display in these galleries. There were in addition a substantial number of pictures, of the last ruler of Jaipur, Sawai Man Singh II. I wish they displayed pictures of previous rulers, Sawai Madho Singh II and Sawai Ram Singh II. Most of the pictures of Sawai Man Singh II pertain to the army, parades, or battlefields. For the uninitiated, Sawai Man Singh II offered his services and the Jaipur state army to the British, the colonial masters. He fought in a few WWII theatres for the Allies.

Many pictures clicked by Sawai Ram Singh II are displayed in a photography gallery in Jaipur City Palace. Unfortunately, not many pictures from the reign of Sawai Madho Singh II are available for the public to view. The display in galleries is quite basic and these could have been done in a superior way. The world over, the concept of a museum and displays have undergone a massive change. I’m sure the Jaigarh Fort Trust will generate more visitors with an updated museum layout & style. At the moment, in its current display, it is rudimentary. The travelers have evolved and the well-traveled have high expectations.

Jaigarh Fort Temples

Right next to the museum gallery is a Ramharihar temple. It is a small temple but the entrance has a beautiful marble inlay work.

A temple ancienter than Ramharihar Temple can be discovered close by. Mandir Kal Bharirav. The information board mentions Kal Bhairav temple dating to 1036 AD and founded by Raja Kankil. The temple does give an impression of being significantly old. In comparison, Ramharihar Temple seems to have undergone renovation.

The Palace in Jaigarh Fort

The Jaleb Chowk leads one straight to the Palace section of Jaigarh Fort. It contains the following areas starting with Subhat Niwas, Lalit Mandir, Aaram Mandir, Khilbati Niwas, Laxmi Vilas, Dining room, etc.

A couple of models are on display in the dining room to help visitors create mental imagery. Unfortunately. the glass was quite dirty, and it seemed it was uncleaned for weeks or months. Even the beautiful historic carriages displayed in one of the courtyards were not well-maintained. It is surprising to sight them displayed in the open and exposed to elements of nature. It can definitely be taken care of in an excellent way through an updated display. Except for these two displays, the palace section is empty.

Charbagh Garden

The Charbagh Garden has hosted many prestigious events like music festivals, dinner parties, and weddings. It is not a massive area like the one you see exactly below the Amer Fort but it is still a sizeable space. The descendants of the erstwhile rulers rent out Jaigarh Fort for weddings & events. When I last visited, this garden, was inaccessible for the visitors and the prewedding shoot was in progress. I presume the fort authorities must have charged a hefty amount to provide this facility. In fact, the pathway that leads one to the viewing deck or the Burj from the garden was also closed intermittently. The photographers were not permitting visitors to access certain areas because of a photo shoot.

I think it is a senseless decision to not permit visitors to access some areas because of a pre-wedding shoot; some people may even call this cheating because they paid charges to access all areas. In reality, not everything that the ticket provides access to is available. I understand it is an excellent way to generate quick money for the Jaigarh Fort Trust; either the timing of pre-wedding shoots must be before the visiting hours for the public or the ticket prices should be reduced and information provided about restricted areas at the ticket counter.

Cannon Foundry

The cannon foundry of Jaigarh Fort is one of the most interesting sections of the fort. It has not received the attention it deserves. A few historians mention this foundry to be the oldest and first one to be built in India. It has been until now in good condition and has undergone renovation. Historians opine the earliest cannons dating to 1587 AD. It is a popular belief that Man Singh I who was commander of the Mughal army brought back the people from Kabul when he was posted as governor.

There is a lot that can be done in terms of possibilities when it comes to visitors and how they can be engaged.

The Arms Museum

The arms and other items used by the army are on display in one of the courtyards close to the Jaigarh Fort Cannon Foundry. The exhibits are displayed in rooms behind the sealed glass. As mentioned in the past, the glass was dirty; it is possible it was not cleaned properly. Some of the exhibits are interesting, and it provides valuable information about traditional warfare before modern weapons made their appearance in this part of the country.

The Burj | Viewpoint

In my opinion, the worthiest part of Jaigarh Fort is the Burj or the Bastion near Charbagh Garden.

This is the last point of the fort and provides panoramic views of the surrounding area including the Amer Fort and the Sagar lake.

During many of the treks in Jaipur, I have undertaken, I was enchanted by the towering views this section provided. Here are pictures from my treks. If you ever visit Jaigarh Fort, don’t miss exploring this section.

Jaigarh Fort Review

I’m confident if the ownership of the fort was with the Department of Archaeology, the situation would have been different. Nahargarh Fort and Amer Fort are good examples. They have been restored magnificently and attract millions of visitors every year. I have been visiting Jaigarh Fort for many years and even though things have improved recently, in percentage terms they would be barely 10%.

• I can recall from my visits over the years, that one of the most troubling aspects of the fort was the manpower. The man force was untrained and not visitors friendly. Most of these were from rural areas; though a splendid idea but they require training, especially the soft skills. From my travel experiences as well as other travelers, the most memorable travel experiences are about how people treat you. There is a lot Jaigarh Fort management needs to work on.

• Not specific to this visit, it seemed the fort authorities only focused on what they can demand from visitors which explains car entry & parking charges. It is idiotic to charge for vehicle parking near the entrance; the area they don’t even own. Considering how big the fort is, they should rather focus on providing convenience and being visitor friendly. Not everyone can walk so much, especially the senior citizens and the kids. It is not really a good experience to walk in the scorching sun or during the rain. The fort should have a facility for golf carts or something similar on hire.

• The quality of guides one finds near the entrance needs to be improved. I’m unsure if they are well-trained & the authenticity of the information they provide.

• The information boards are limited and there are many sections that are closed and inaccessible to the visitors. I believe the information board should be affixed in every section. Without information, it makes no sense to waste time exploring the courtyards and galleries.

• The fort lacks quality restaurants & cafes. It is an overlooked area but an inconvenience for travelers.

Jaigarh Fort is a historic fort marred by a lack of attention. This blog presents my review of Jaigarh Fort from my visit last year. The overall sense one gets after visiting Jaigarh Fort is the lack of maintenance and upkeep. It certainly costs a lot of money to perform this but then if it doesn’t offer a good experience why would one visit? Among the three forts in Jaipur, Jaigarh Fort doesn’t rank high among the list of travelers, at the moment. This might change if the fort management alters its outlook.

Jaigarh Fort FAQ

Is Jaigarh Fort worth visiting?

Jaigarh Fort is worth visiting because it offers many unique things like Jaivan Cannon, the Cannon foundry, and one of the largest water storage tanks and systems.

What is Jaigarh Fort famous for?

Jaigarh Fort is famous for one of the largest cannons in the world, the Jaivan Cannon.

What is the story of Jaigarh Fort?

The most interesting story of Jaigarh Fort pertains to the Jaigarh Fort treasure hunt initiated by the then prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi during the 1970s emergency rule of India. The complete details are still not available but the fort was sealed off and the search continued for weeks.

Hot to go to Jaigarh Fort?

If you love walking, you can use the walking route from Amer Fort to go to Jaigarh Fort. Otherwise, you can scroll down for more information. Here is a picture of the route from Amer Fort to reach Jaigarh Fort.

What is the difference between Jaigarh Fort and Nahargarh Fort?

Jaigarh Fort overlooks Amer Fort whereas the Nahargarh Fort overlooks the Jaipur City. Both these forts are on either end of a hill.

How to reach Jaigarh Fort

One can reach Jaigarh Fort through the walled city, Amer Road, Kanak Ghati, and then the Nahargarh Fort road. The best way to reach Jaigarh Fort for travelers would be to hire a taxi, self-drive car, or an auto rickshaw.

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