Memorials commemorating the lives of royalty near Jaipur

THE AMBER FORT, which we visited yesterday (17 December 2024), was swarming with noisy, jostling tourists. It was not pleasurable visiting that place. In contrast, today we explored a beautifully peaceful site between Jaipur and Amber Fort: Gatore ki Chhatriya, which I will abbreviate to ‘Gatore’.

Situated between two steep hills, one of which is home to a popular Ganesh temple, the Gatore is a set of three walled enclosures. Each of them contains several ornate domed chhatris (pavilion; ‘chhatri’ means umbrella). Each chhatri was erected over the spot where a member of Jaipur’s royal family (the Kachwaha dynasty) was cremated. After each cremation, the ashes of the deceased were carried to the sacred city of Haridwar, where they were consigned to the waters of the River Ganges.

The earliest of the chhatris at Gaitor was put up in 1743, after the cremation of Sawai Jai Singh II. Despite the fact that Indian royalty is no longer officially recognised, the most recent chhatri was constructed in 2011, when the titular ruler, Sawai Padmanabh Singh, died. In addition to the larger chhatris dedicated to the maharajas, there are smaller ones to royal children, who died before adulthood.

Unfortunately, none of the chhatris have any labels that help the visitor know for whom each of these structures was erected. An official at the entrance to the Gaitor compound told us that there had been wooden signs by each chhatri, but locals had apparently stolen them … for use as fire wood, maybe.

Apart from the peacefulness of the Gaitor compound, it is filled with the beautiful chhatris, which are set within well maintained gardens. And the whole place is flanked by the wooded slopes of the hills surrounding it.

If you do not have a long time to explore Jaipur, you should not miss visiting both the Gaitor and the Jantar Mantar. If you have a longer time, the Gaitor is a lovely place to linger.