The Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum Trust is responsible for one of the premier palace museums in India, with buildings and collections of national importance, collected and commissioned over the centuries by the Kachhwaha rulers of Amber and Jaipur. It is also responsible for the royal chhatris or cenotaphs. The Museum began during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II in 1952, when the Silehkhana and an Art Gallery were opened to the public. At that time, a turban or pagri was a part of the entrance requirement for male visitors, as wearing one was the contemporary etiquette of the Palace. In 1959, a Textile and Costume gallery was added, and the Museum was formally named the Maharaja of Jaipur Museum. In 1972, after the death of Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, his son and successor Brigadier Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh reorganised the museum to expand the collections and buildings, and renamed both the Museum and its managing Trust in honour of his father. The mandate of the Trust is to protect, promote and preserve the Museum’s collections for the benefit of the people of Jaipur and visitors from all over India and the world. It seeks to promote study and research through its collections in the fields of literature, history, science, the arts and architecture, among others, and especially the art and craft of Jaipur.

The Jaigarh Public Charitable Trust is responsible for Jaigarh, the fort founded in the 11th century for the protection of the city of Amber, nestled on the hill below it. The Trust was founded in 1982 by Brigadier Maharaja Sawai Bhawani Singh, continuing the tradition started by his father Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II, of opening up Jaipur’s historic royal properties for public benefit. The Trust has an ambitious mandate that includes the preservation and promotion of Jaigarh and its collections; running the site as a museum; encouraging research on archaeology, metallurgy and other areas connected with the collections; and medical and poverty relief.

Princess Diya Kumari established the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation Society in order to work at a grass-roots level for sustainable empowerment, engagement, enrichment and involvement of deprived communities & sections of society in Rajasthan, with a special focus on women. The Foundation seeks to improve lives through the generation of sustainable livelihood programs that better standards of living, and create a healthier and sustainable socio-economic environment.

The Jaipur court has a long tradition of enjoyment, engagement and support of the arts, including the ‘intangibles’ that are music, dance, drama and literature. The Gunijankhana was a karkhana or department dedicated to these, founded as early as the 16th century during the rule of Maharaja Ram Singh I. It flourished for four hundred years, until Indian independence in 1947, when the various departments of Jaipur State were dissolved or reorganized based on the needs of the time. Today, under the leadership of Princess Diya Kumari, we have rekindled a tradition and re-established the Gunijankhana in a modern avatar. Our vision is to transform cultural performances into life experiences, beyond the stage.
Mission
Gunijankhana aims to provide opportunities for cultural, educational, and economic engagement by showcasing national and international performing artists, thus enhancing and expanding the socio-cultural fabric of the region. By providing immersive experiences through live performance and learning opportunities, we seek to inspire modern audiences with an appreciation of culture.
Interactions and Events
Our wide-ranging areas of engagement embrace varied aspects of culture, reflecting both our heritage and our outlook. They include: Visual arts Literary arts Performing arts Science Film Design Craft Cuisine Museum Studies Media Our venues include the City Palace Jaipur, including the magical Badal Mahal pavilion looking out over Talkatora Lake, and Jaigarh. Follow us on Facebook to stay in touch and receive updates or check the News page to find out about the latest at the Gunijankhana. Partner with us We aim to further relationships and create an international platform to foster, develop and promote global arts & culture and bring it to the people of Jaipur. Towards these efforts, we regularly organise cultural and international events in partnership with a variety of organisations. Previous partners have included the embassies of Japan, Italy, France, Australia, Germany and Austria. We welcome enquiries for collaborative cultural events. Please write to gunijankhana@royaljaipur.in