Jaigarh and Amer Forts, Rajasthan

Jaigarh Fort, built by Jai Singh II in 1726 is famous for being the home of the collosal Jaivana Cannon. In 1720, it was the world's largest cannon on wheels. The barrel alone is over 6m long and weighs 50 tonnes! It was only fired once (using 100kg of gunpowder) resulting in the igniter going deaf so a nearby pool was made specially for him to jump into after setting it alight. The 50kg cannon ball travelled 35km.
In the underground water tanks, it was thought that one of them held hidden gold and jewellery under the water. However, several searches often lasting months ordered by Indira Gandhi in the 1970s turned out to be fruitless.

Photos 5-11 are taken in the nearby, larger Amer (or sometimes known as Amber) Fort is 11km from Jaipur. with various parts built in the 17th and 18th centuries, Amer Fort is known for its artistic style of Hindu elements. With its large ramparts, series of gates and cobbled paths, the fort overlooks the Maota Lake, at its forefront. It is also famous for being one of the settings of the Bollywood film Jodha Akbar.

Technical details: Sony a850 with Tokina 19-35mm lens.