Regal city Archives

30/Jul/2022

Location:

Jaipur Galtaji Temple is a prehistoric Hindu pilgrimage site located on the outskirts of the Regal city. Outlined by the Aravalli hills, it has many temples, sacred pools, pavilions, and natural springs. This charming temple is situated in the heart of hilly terrain, surrounded by a beautiful ghat, which attracts a large number of tourists every year. Let us tell you that the Galtaji temple has been constructed using pink-colored sandstone. It is a huge temple complex with many temples inside. Located inside the City Palace, the walls of this temple have been done with carvings and paintings, which make this temple a must-see. Galtaji Temple is known for its architecture and it is constructed like a palace.

History:

There is no mention of this temple on the main tourist map of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Tourist guides usually do not tell tourists about Galtaji when visiting Jaipur. It is actually a temple complex at the foot of the Aravalli hills. So, to know it, to see it, you have to do a bit of searching. Then you can reach here.

At first sight, the Galtaji temple may seem like a fort. But once you enter, that mistake will be broken, slowly its secrets will be revealed to you. It has many differences from the traditional forts of Rajasthan; The first difference is that there is no war-blood-success story frenzy anywhere in this fort. It is known that pilgrims started coming here in the year 1500. But that ancient temple is no more. The present-day Galtaji temple was built when it slowly decayed due to natural causes. The present temple was built in the 18th century. The temple complex was built by Dewan Rao Kriparam of King Sawai Jaisingh II.

Legends:

However, the specialty of this temple is not in its history, but its characteristics lie in Puranas and legends. According to traditional belief, this place housed the Ashram of Maharishi Galva, a disciple of Rishi Vishwamitra. Here he stores the water of all the holy rivers of India in a few tanks for his holy bath in his ashram. The cisterns still exist today. Many people gather on the day of Makar Sankranti to bathe in these kundas. Galta kunda is the most famous of the kundas. Many also call it ‘Gupta Ganga’.

Surprisingly, the water in this tank does not dry up even in the scorching heat of summer. Instead, it is filled with cold water. Local people believe that the Ganges has some secret connection with this tank. From where the water of the holy Ganges enters here continuously. Although no spring or river can be seen near this fort. How the cisterns are always full of water continues to amaze people.

The temple dedicated to Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, and Lord Hanuman. Many people call it Hanuman Mandir as many Hanumans reside in this temple. These animals quite accustomed to human proximity. This Hanuman carefully guards the feet and shoes left by the devotees outside. They take care of the belongings until the original owner comes to own the property. Moreover, they do not harm tourists. However, it is not known what its secret might be.

Architecture:

Galtaji Temple located in the eastern part of Jaipur can be called a spectacular architecture. The temple is a very beautiful structure, situated between two hills. It is a major pilgrimage site for Hindus, especially the Vaishnava Ramandandis. The main temple here is Galtaji Temple, a magnificent pink stone structure. Not only this temple known for its high level of spirituality, but its carved pillars, painted walls and circular roof also awe-inspiring. The question may arise, whether they created by a human being or by a divine artist? Some of the temples even have amazing rock carvings.

Lord Surya with his consort Chaya also known as Sandhya, at this beautiful little sun temple at the eastern edge of Galta ji ki Pahari.

Ram and Chaya — Lord Surya with his consort Chaya

The distance of this temple from the capital Jaipur is only about ten kilometers. If you want, you can take a quick tour before catching the return train in the afternoon.

Best Time to Visit:

The best time to visit Galtaji Temple is in the months of February-March and October-December as the weather is very pleasant during that time. Traveling to this place during summers can be extremely inconvenient, so it is better to avoid visiting during this season. Every year during the Makar Sankranti festival in January, the Galtaji temple sees a huge crowd of tourists and pilgrims take a dip in the holy waters of the kund. If you want to see the fascinating view of the monkeys coming to the pools of the temple for bathing, then visiting this temple in the evening will be most special.