Jaipur: Steeped in royal splendour and untouched beauty, the Walled City of Jaipur is once again excited to mark its presence on the world map with Union Minister for Culture Mahesh Sharma informing the Rajya Sabha that the city is the next proposed site for UNESCO World Heritage recognition.
Notably, it was in 2015 when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) submitted a proposal to UNESCO for World Heritage City status for Jaipur.
Since then, it has been in the tentative list while Ahmedabad proved luckier, bagging the tag of becoming the first Indian World Heritage last July.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), one of the three formal advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee constituted by UNESCO, then requested ASI for an inspection tour of the Walled City here to scan its potential for the heritage tag.
The team visited the city in September 2017 and since then there have been whispers doing the rounds about its heritage status.
But Jaipur has always been greeted affectionately for its magnetic heritage and splendour. The blend of wild, culture and history assimilated in this city, make it a unique combination for discerning travellers.
The city also enjoys concept planning more on the lines of Lahore, Cairo and Tunis; it houses a unique street layout with the primary axis leading to a central place of worship flanked by colourful shops on either side while its secondary and tertiary roads, further segregated on basis of its functional needs, stand out as an exemplary show of interesting town planning.
Emerging from an amalgamation of ancient and contemporary urban planning principles, which range from varied sources such as the traditional Hindu treatise, imperial Mughal principles and western town planning, Jaipur presents a blend of architectural styles. It is home to some of the most marvellous monuments, a surreal melting pot of world heritage and culture.
In fact, Amber Fort is one among the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Rajasthan that fascinate tourists with its amazing architecture and history of brave Rajput rulers.