Jaipur is having a creative renaissance – visit the Pink City reimagined

In the heart of Rajasthan, where sandstone walls still carry the breath of centuries, Jaipur stands as a place where past and present glow together in shades of pink. Once a royal stronghold and now a laboratory of creativity, its streets bustle with unruly rickshaws even as they echo the grandeur of kings. From the filigreed Hawa Mahal palace to new design-forward restaurants, from the astronomical wonders of observatory site Jantar Mantar to sleek boutiques, and the City Palace where Mughal and Rajput aesthetics merge, the Pink City wears its heritage like an heirloom while stepping confidently into the future.

Jaipur’s cultural renaissance – where heritage and the future collide

'Jaipur has always attracted artists from across cities and countries; that’s what has led to the city’s rich cultural heritage,' says His Highness Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur, known as Pacho to his friends, HH to his team, and the 'Gen Z maharaja' to the international press. A polo player graduated in cultural heritage management and art history, he is intent on steering Jaipur toward global relevance in craft and contemporary design.

'A similar phenomenon is happening now, on an even grander scale. We’re seeing the influx of artists, designers, and creatives synthesising Jaipur’s heritage with contemporary approaches to art. This is leading to something new: Jaipur’s modern identity as a hub of creativity and the arts.'

This vision took shape with the establishment of the Jaipur Centre for Art (JCA), founded by Singh in collaboration with curator Noelle Kadar, which opened its doors in November 2024. Set within the regal surroundings of the City Palace, JCA spans 2,600 sq ft as a public exhibition space. On its recent first anniversary, it unveiled artist Ayesha Sultana’s ‘Fragility and Resilience’ exhibition and the sixth edition of contemporary sculpture platform ‘The Sculpture Park’, at the historic Jaigarh Fort. These openings join a cultural calendar that already includes internationally known events, such as Jaipur Literature Festival led by, among others, historian William Dalrymple, and Jaipur Art Week, founded by Sana Rezwan, both of which next return in January 2026.

'Since Jaipur was designed 300 years ago to be a city of crafts across disciplines, we see JCA as a continuation,' say Kadar. She recalls the city’s famed chattis karkhanas (36 specialised craft industries, from gemstone-cutting to miniature-painting), many of which once had their own streets and markets. 'Today, 11 of these traditional crafts survive,' she notes, alongside the architectural artisanship that remains an essential skill to conservation projects across India.

Few people embody this continuity more than the Kasliwal family. Court jewellers at the invitation of Jaipur’s founder Maharaja Jai Singh II since the 1700s, they established their jewellery house, Gem Palace, in 1852, opening a flagship store on the city’s Mirza Ismail Road. From behind its gleaming vitrines, nine-generation scion and current helm Samir Kasliwal reflects: 'What makes Jaipur remarkable today is how exceptionally its craft traditions have been preserved. People travel from all over the world to discover the talent concentrated here.'

Under Jai Singh II’s patronage, the city’s jewellers perfected meenakari, the art of enamelling on precious metals. Today, the technique takes centre stage at the new Museum of Meenakari Heritage, run by the House of Sunita Shekhawat, the family-run fine jewellery brand that recently launched its first collection of collectible objects (including glorious mirrors, decorative spoons, even a pill box), honouring the craft while pushing it into unexpected dimensions.

A similar interplay of tradition and innovation drives designers such as Akshat Ghiya of Tallin Jewels. After decades of rapid industrialisation, he sees makers combining traditional craft with fresh perspectives, 'to create things that speak a global language but have that Indian soul'.

A centre of excellence dedicated to India’s textile heritage, housed in a restored haveli, Nila House represents this rising desire for authenticity and slow, meaningful processes. 'Our workshop rooms serve as creative hubs where artisans, designers, and researchers collaborate,' says director Anuradha Singh. With exhibitions, research initiatives, and a not-for-profit retail atelier, Nila House acts as 'a living archive, a place where craft is preserved, reimagined, and shared with the world'.

This renewed interest in handcrafted excellence is reshaping how travellers experience the city. 'Fifteen years ago, people came for a day or two,' Kasliwal notes. 'Now some stay for ten days just to explore its crafts. The city gravitates toward those who push limits, who turn their emotions into something tangible.'

Speaking from Polo Palladio, the newest incarnation of the 116-year-old Rajasthan Polo Club, Dutch designer Marie-Anne Oudejans, who designed the exuberant interiors, describes Jaipur as a creative hub. The club is among her collaborations with Swiss-Italian entrepreneur Barbara Miolini, including the now-iconic Bar Palladio and Villa Palladio hotel, which have shaped a bold and unmistakable contemporary visual language rooted in local tradition.

'There is a group of foreigners living in Jaipur all year round, everyone established in their field and bringing their creativity,' she says, pointing to ventures such as IDLI by Thierry Journo, the French designer’s fashion and homeware company centred on vibrant textiles using local techniques; The Palace Atelier, an eclectic concept store at the City Palace offering a contemporary take on Jaipur’s arts and crafts heritage, by local Princess Gauravi Kumari and French creative director Claire Deroo; and fashion brand De Castro, by Colombian-born designer Virginia Borrero de Castro, which combines traditional Indian artisanship with global inspiration.

This openness is bringing global attention to workshops that were once hidden. 'Because of social media, the internet, and the fast pace of transportation, the finest workshops (once best-kept secrets) are now being discovered and celebrated,' says Parth Seth, founder of Frozen Music. His atelier, known for reviving traditional lapidary arts, blends techniques passed down for generations with state-of-the-art technology that extends, rather than replaces, the hand of the artisan.

At Jaipur Rugs, artistic director Greg Foster sees this momentum as part of a broader cultural awakening. 'It’s as if a renaissance is unfolding: people are discovering not only Jaipur’s skills but its energy.' Founded by NK Chaudhary in 1978 with nine weavers, the Indian maker of fine rugs now spans more than 600 villages and tens of thousands of artisans. Last year's opening of Aspura Gallery in Jaipur brought contemporary editions together with rare antiques, further raising the global profile of rural craftsmanship. Jaipur Rugs, Foster says, has helped shift perceptions, elevating the artistry of weavers long overlooked.

Threaded through all the city’s many and varied crafts is a single conviction: in Jaipur, heritage is not merely alive. It evolves, adapts, and continues to shape a city that refuses to choose between memory and imagination; it relies, as it always has, on both.