article_snippet: Painted elephants, marble palaces, magnificent forts, wandering cows, pale pink turbans and flickering candles tell of the noise, smells and rich colours of India.
article_snippet: Jaipur is a shopper's paradise and Indians flock here for silks and the region's hand-made, block-printed cottons.
article_snippet: Visit the iconic jeweller of Jaipur, the Gem Palace, one-time court jewellers to the Mughal emperors and run by the Kasliwal family since 1852.
article_snippet: (Maniharon ka Rasta) in the old city, where you can choose from a multitude of colourful lac bangles for a handful of rupees.
article_snippet: Wander, too, through the spice market, past paan wallahs filling betel leaves and the flower market, where scented roses, fragrant jasmine and marigolds are made into garlands to offer to your favourite deities.
article_snippet: Before 1727, when Sawai Jai Singh II created Jaipur, the City of Victory, neighbouring Amber, was the capital.
article_snippet: Today, the Jaipur royal family live in the City Palace, where rooms are open to the public.
article_snippet: (do try its Suvarna Mahal restaurant).
article_snippet: Abercrombie & Kent (01242 851 868, abercrombiekent.co.uk) offers three nights' B&B in Jaipur at the Rajmahal Palace with city tour, trip to the Amber Fort, transfers and flights via Helsinki with Finnair from £1,775 pp, based on two sharing a double room.
highlights_snippet: Jaipur is a shopper's paradise and Indians flock here for silks and  cottons .
  
highlights_snippet: Jaipur is considered the best place to come for jewels in India .
  
highlights_snippet: Jaipur is so-called because of the coloured wash on Jaipur buildings .