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The City Palace has a sub-set palace called the Sheesh Mahal. Now, one would think that the city would be delighted to throw open the doors of Sheesh Mahal to visitors – after all, how many cities in India have a palace (Mahal) made of glass (Sheesh)? But alas and alack, I realized I was the naïve one. Sheesh Mahal has an entry fee of Rs.2,500 per person!!!! Yes, you read it right, Rs.2,500 per person. I fairly fainted (and not just because of the heat) when I reached the entry to this exalted palace. And yes, you guessed it right – we turned back. No palace is worth Rs.2,500 per person. I’d rather go to a nearby hill station for a weekend holiday in that much money. So, that was that. There is another attraction that Jaipur boasts of called Hawa Mahal. It is a palace that was made for the royal ladies of Jaipur. In the days of the purdah, when they were forbidden from showing their faces to the outside world of men, they congregated in this Hawa Mahal to watch processions that took place on the streets below them. The palace was under construction and coupled with the scorching heat which made sightseeing a pain, I didn’t quite enjoy the Hawa Mahal. There are other tourist attractions too in the city which any of the rickshaw drivers or tourist cabs, whom you can hire for the day, will take you to. There is also a prepaid city tour that you can take from Hotel Gayatri (I think). Do visit the new part of Jaipur which has lovely bungalows and a peaceful air above it. There are n number of hotels to cater to all pockets in Jaipur, so you can take your pick.
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