GALTA TOWN Location : 10 km from the Pink City of Jaipur in Rajasthan, India. Famous For : Sun Temple Best Time To Visit : September to April

Galta Temple - Jaipur

Rural Charms Dausa Dundlod Shekhawati

Churu Bundi Deeg Dungarpur

Barmer Dholpur Nathdwara

Galta - Pink Abode of Sun

A nice half day excursion from Jaipur, Galta is 1o km from the Pink City. Situated at a stone's throw from Sisodia Rani-ka Bagh on Agra Road, Galta is a picturesque pilgrim site at the summit of a small hill. Galta was once believed to be the 'ashram' of Maharishi Galab, and believe it nothing has much changed about this place. Today it is the abode of Sun God; a 18th century Sun Temple built by Rao Kriparam, a courtier of Sawai Jai Singh II. Walk over to the east of the temple to visit the two spacious reservoirs, which are perennially fed by an alluring spring of white water falling from Gaumukh or an apperture shaped like a bovine mouth. The upper tank is for humans, while the lower one is for red faced monkeys. The lower tank is dedicated to Hanuman, the sacred Monkey God of Hindus.

Spot The Eternity

The awe-inspiring temple of Sun God crests the ridge over an aesthetic gorge and provides a magnificent view of the Pink City. Built in pink sandstone, the walls and pillars of this holy shrine portray exquisite carvings and paintings. Unfortunately, many of the original frescoes were crumbled by the heavy rains in 1991. Restorations have been done wholeheartedly, but the new work has little of the artistic mastery of the original frescoes. One can visit the chamber, at the end of the lower pool, dislpaying a wide array of original frescoes, esp. those depicting acrobat feats - maharajahs playing polo or Lord Krishna coquetting with 'gopis' (milkmaids). Look at the beautiful ceilings embellished with colourful swirl motifs, try to make out faces not evident at a single glance. The whole complex of the temple is so beautiful that it is more of a visual treat than a place for worship. The temple is fronted by pools and one can find some daring teenage souls, jumping off the adjacent chunky cliffs into the water, said to be 'several elephants deep'!

Gateway To Treasures Yet To Be Explored

The serene ambiance of Galta bustles with faith of devotees and euphonies of devotion during Makar Sankranti, in mid-January. Pilgrims come here to have a holy dip in the sacred water of the lakes, known for its medicinal properties. If one is tired of Hindu temples, take a walk amidst the obsolete 'havelis' (mansions) nearby. Though rather dilapidated, they have delicately carved balconies and beautifully painted ceilings, enough to mesmerize any tourist. While returning back from the Sun Temple, one might stop at Sisodia Rani ka Bagh. The outer walls are decorated with murals depicting hunting scenes and Krishna legend, while the interiors are trimmed with lush green terraced gardens.

How To Reach

The temple of Galta is 100m above Jaipur to the east. Tourists can take a bus upto Vidyadharji ka Bagh (6 km from Jaipur downtown) and then can get a rickshaw to climb the rest 4 km. Be aware of the monkeys dwelling here. Flower and food may invoke an unwelcome response from the ancient ancestors of humans.