Our Lessons from the Visit to Jaipur

Jai Singh II: Jai Singh II was born in 1688 to King Bishan Singh, the ruler of Amber. He belonged to the Kachwaha dynasty. As per the tradition, Jai Singh II was sent to Varanasi to learn Hindi, Sanskrit, Maths and above all martial arts. After the sudden death of his father, Jai Singh II was crowned as the king at the tender age of 11.

On attaining maturity, Jai Singh II undertook remarkable initiatives. Among his significant contributions is the construction of five astronomical observatories in the key cities of north India—Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi and Mathura. Jai Singh II initiated the construction of the astronomical instruments in these observatories using stone and marble as the regular brass instruments built at that time were prone to errors.

Hand Block Printing: It is a traditional textile printing technique employing carved wooden blocks coated with dye to form patterns on cloth. Craftsmen skilled in the art use seasoned teak wood to meticulously carve these blocks. Each block features a wooden handle and two to three cylindrical holes strategically drilled to allow free air passage.

Blue Pottery: It is an artistic technique that originated from the ingenuity of Mongol artisans. They fused the Chinese glazing technology and the designs of Persian decorative arts. The inception of this exquisite craft in India can be traced back to the 14th century, a period marked by Turkish conquests.

Puppetry: Puppetry has a rich and ancient history, with evidence of its existence dating back to 2000 BCE as attested by the discovery of puppets in Egyptian tombs. Particularly noteworthy is the tradition of string puppets, referred to as Kathputlis in Rajasthan, India. String puppetry (popularly known as Kathputlis in Rajasthan) is a skillful manipulation of string puppets, intricately weaving together stories and legends from Indian mythology and folklore.

Writen By Hazel, Iram & Kiana (GEMS International School, Gurugram).

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