In the Pink City of Jaipur, in Northern India, four small gates are dedicated to the four seasons. In the complex of the City Palace, in a courtyard called Pritam Niwas Chowk, four beautiful brass doorways are framed by brilliant paintings and decorations that recall the endless cycle of life. Each door is decorated with natural elements typical of this climate: the Peacock Gate, with the glorious, multicoloured tails of this superb bird, is the autumn or monsoon season; the Lotus Gate celebrates summer with hundreds of pink petals and unmistakable leaves; the Rose Gate represents winter with delicate blooms, and the Green Gate introduces spring with hypnotic green waves. From the doors, geometric patterns and floral details radiate outward, up to the above chajjas, the overhanging roofs. A closer inspection reveals small Hindu idols placed over the lintels. They are the murtis, the representation or better, the true incarnation and manifestation of Divine Spirits. Strict rules, codified long times ago, establish their size, shape and materials, the rites for their sanctification, and the appropriate ceremonies of worship. According to a more scientific interpretation, these small deities are the real subjects of the courtyard, giving to each door a proper sense. Vishnu is on the Peacock Gate to northeast, Devi on the Lotus Gate to southeast, Shiva and his wife Pravati on the gate strewn with roses to southwest, and Ganesh on the Spring Gate to northwest.
From the external gates on the road, subsequent passages lead to a series of internal palaces and courtyards. Traditional principles of Indian architecture, collected in the treaties known as vastu shastric, state that a maharaja’s palace has to be developed in a series of seven enclosed, concentric courtyards, accessible by ceremonial gates. The passage has to be progressive but firm in dividing the public and official life from the innermost area dedicated to private life and women, isolated and forbidden to most people.
The Pritam Niwas Chowk, once dedicated to royal dances with musicians and singers performing from the balconies above the doors, is the fifth courtyard. Through a corridor from the Spring Gate, maharaja accessed the zanana mahal, or women’s quarter, the sixth courtyard, and from here, the seventh and last courtyard, the zanana majlis, or the women’s audience hall.
Still from the Pritam Niwas Chowk, selected people had access to the Chandra Mahal, the maharaja’s private residence, and, crossing the courtyard, to the Anand Mahal, the Hall of Bliss, now a museum for a collection of Indian antique arms and armours. The pyramidal structure of the Chandra Mahal, the Palace of the Moon, dominates the court with its seven storeys of decreasing size that replicate the horizontal sequence of the seven courtyards. Today, the palace is not open to the public, as it houses the descendants of the maharaja, and the luxurious interiors of each storey, identified by a poetic name, characteristic decorations and specific use, can be seen only in pictures.
Traditional principles of Indian architecture extend beyond the courtyards of the City Palace to the planning and building of the entire town. Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who moved the capital from Amber. The design of the town expressed the Maharaja’s vision inspired by his passion for astronomy and his interest in religion and arts. With the help of an eminent architect, the town was designed following a strict, ordered geometric pattern. Every aspect, from the directions of the roads to the number of shops, referred to ancient architectural principles and to religious practice. Jaipur was divided into nine blocks, as the nine planets of the ancient zodiac, and surrounded by huge fortification walls, with seven gates. The City Palace was built in the centre if this grid, surrounded by broad streets lined with trees, shops and mansions.
The geometrical harmony of the place, its external and internal connections, the sense of protection and privacy granted by imposing walls and gates, the refined decorations and colours could get lost in a quick visit. Do not forget it when you enter the Pritam Niwas Chowk, the Court of the Beloved.
Further reading:
Vibhuti Sachdev & Giles Tillotson, Jaipur City Palace, Roli & Janssen BV, The Netherlands, 2008.
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