Description
Jaipur was founded by Rajput chief of Kachhwaha clan Jai Singh II on 18 November 1727, who ruled the region from 1699 to 1743. He planned to shift his capital from Amber, 11 kilometres (7 mi) to Jaipur to accommodate the growing population and increasing scarcity of water.[15] Jai Singh consulted with several architects while planning the layout of Jaipur and established the city on the principles of Vastu Shastra and Shilpa Shastra under the architectural guidance of Vidyadhar Bhattacharya.[16] The construction of the city began in 1726. During the rule of Sawai Ram Singh II, the city was painted pink to welcome Albert Edward, Prince of Wales in 1876.[17] Many of the avenues still remain painted in pink, giving Jaipur a distinctive appearance and the epithet Pink city.
In the 19th century, the city grew rapidly and had a population of 160,000 in 1900. The wide boulevards were paved and its chief industries were the working of metals and marble, fostered by a school of art founded in 1868.[19] In August 1981, large areas of the city including the airport were flooded due to heavy rains from a cloud burst, resulting in the death of eight people and much damage to the city's Dravyavati River.[20][21] On 6 July 2019, the city was named to the World Heritage Cities list