The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-04-22
1hiboOaux Sentinel
TISAC CITY OFAMBER
"A BEAUTIFUL BUT DESERTED PAL
ACE IN NORTHERN INDIA.

Noble Race OF IIindoo Kings Who Lived
Long. Long Eesore Modern Times.
The renowned and now deserted city
of Amber. III northwestern India. llouI-
ished with lis countless thousands Of in
habitants ard untold wealth and SPLEEN
dor in the tilne Of the Ptolemys.
1t is situated IN d mountain nook,
about five miles from the present ci+r II
Jeypoor. and is one of midas ieweled
possessions for a~ntiquarians.
The great Amber palace Is built Of
solid red sandstone 2n1 ys-;a-ata !cr-
poor marble ana .a!#id with costly gems.
1t has stood for centuries a. it ~"
stands. upon IN elevated mountain s,uL@
overlooking y picturesque late and sur
rounded by steep and rugged fortified
peaks, with the walled II long slnCc
doomed and ruined city tala-.
The palace is a mastery structure Of
Hindoo architecture, solid and secure.
yet ornamental and beautiful. Entrance
is gained through Il massive and stron~'-
fortified gate which leads intoa spacious
central court richly adorned with rare
carvings. mighty trees and Towering
shrubbery.
The grand diwan-i-am or audience hal
is reached from t.!e Sl"C.u.,5 court b i
massive fi-ht 1T carved marble sta-e.
This hall i; : noble example of Rai-ut-
art. with Its aouble rowsof shining mar
BILE columns supporting q massive c.!tah-
lature. above which are ~latticetl galleritr
Of marble worked in rare designs.
Tho ,.aiII mr. - .f Iral fpaac+C,,a
while the floor is made up of huge slabs
of polished marble.
1t was upon this floor that tho ancient
kings and mobiles Of this once royal city
witnessed many gorgecusscenesofg ayCt-
and cruelty. Here they applauded the
royal tits and sports, and here they re
viewed the many fierce conflicts betHet-.
men and beasts and between royal Fer
gal tigers and noble fighting elephants
in the grand courtyard below.
1t was also upon this spacious floor
that the kings and queensof this ancient
realm gathered together at sunrise every
morning for many centuries to witnesst-1
sacrifice of a living human being on that
huge. black. blood besmeared stone altar
in the small royal temple just over there
to the right of this marble hall.
Here they would sit on their gold
wove rug and hear the dying means
and see and smell the smoke Of the
sacrificed victims, in order to appelse
(as they devontly believed and believe to
this day. the divine Shiva's wrath.
1t is here that II may see every morn
ing in the year an innocent goat burned
alive as a substitute for d human being
as an offering to heaven to appease tie
destroyer's anger. How very like our
early biblical history.
From this hall. echoiny with memo
ries both gay and sad, v e wander
through spacious halls ard galleri"s.
deliberately carved apartments, up and
down long rows of splendid stairs.
through s%culptured gatoways covered
with mosaics and doors inlaid in ivory
and precious stones. until we reach the
highest terrace in the palace.
This was exclusively devoted to the
rajah's personal apartments, contrary to
n modern rules of sanitary arrange
ments, for now we place u servants III
the ARREST ano best ventilated rooms and
remain ourselves in the lowest, dampest
and unhealthiest parts Of our houses.
These klngly apartments are beauti
fully constructed with marble lattice
windows and pavilions, gilt and carved
ceilings and spacious arched porticoes.
Tn our left is the JOY mandir, or hall
of victory, adorned by panels Of alahas-
ter inlaid with flowers in alto relieve
and ceiling glittering with mirrored and
spangled work. for which Amber was
long renowned, and for which Jeypoor
it's successor. is now justly celebrated.
Opposite this grand hall Of victory is
the sukh nawas, or hall Of pleasure, with
its doors OF sweetscented sandalwood in
laid with ivory and its gorgeous paint
ings of pleasures III earth and in heaven.
Here are groves from which issue cool.
clear streams OF pure mountain water.
which IL perfumed and made to run in
carved channels the whole length of the
marble floor to cool the heated atmos-
phere n the gay occupants of this hall.
Adjoining this beautiful hall are the
sumptuous bathing apartments and The
deep. cool pleasure cayerns, surrounded
by ferns and rare flowers. where the
kings and queens of this ancient castle
babe defiance to old, Soils burning rays
during midas hottest days.
Here they whiled away their happy
days amid love and pleasure III an atmos-
phere rendered sweet by the aroma Of
costly incense, listening to the strains of
Indian music, gazing now and then up
on the beautiful girls as they performed
in scanty attire-as they do to this day
the famous nautch dance of India.
Next to these pleasure halls and groves