When you go towards Bramhapuri from Choti Chopad or return to Choti Chopad from Bramhapuri/Gaitore then on the right and left side respectively an old heritage haveli comes in the way. The Haveli, which looks very simple from the outside, was once the residence of the most prominent man from the city. The spread of this Haveli was in a whole quartet and if such an important person used to live in this Haveli built in a little less area than Chandramahal in the north of the Palace, then, why it shouldn’t be immense. There were gardens, temples, big squares, big kitchens, courts, everything in this Haveli were very royal and lavish.
This important person was The Ratnakar Pondrik. The Ratnakar Pundarik was a literary scholar, philosopher, mystic, multi-linguist, theologian and expert of other Vedic Yagna and Guru of Maharaj Sawai Jai Singh.
Ratnakar Pundarik was said to be from Bengal others believe that he was Maharashtrian. His real name was Ratnakar Bhatt. He had come to Banaras for his mastery and advance studies in Astrology, Tantra and Philosophy. Where he met Jai Singh, he was very impressed with his absolute knowledge in Astrology, Scriptures, Tantra and brought him to Amer/Amber. Then he made him Rajpurohit and his Guru. The Jai Singh had bestowed him with the title of Pundarik. The word Pundarika means one who is white. In the Sankhya Philosophy, the ‘Sat’ form of nature is white, so Pundarika means one who is a complete ‘Sat’, purest in the pure, white like the white lotus flower and is equally bright.
Maharaja Jai Singh had done the ritual of Vajpeya Yagya under the guidance of the Ratnakar Pundarik that Yagna held in Amer in the Samvat-1765 the year was 1708. Shri Ratnakar conducted the famous Pundarika Yagna. Although Shri Ratnakar performed many yagna from time to time which he has mentioned in his book, his ambitious plan was that Maharaj Sawai Jai Singh must perform Ashwamedh Yagna before that Maharaja Sawai Jaisingh died in 1743. He then planned this yagna with the son Sawai Ishwari Singh, then Ratnakar Pundarik died in Samvat-1777, this yagna could not be completed in his presence. Later on, the Sawai Ishwari Singh had to invite many other scholars to wish for the completion of the Ashwamedha Yagya, scholars again performed Agnihotra that is how yagna was completed, among these invited scholars there were Gujarati Prashanvar and Audichya Panchadravid Brahmins (our ancestors) too. The details of Sarvamedha, Purushamedha, Somayoga and Rajasuya Yagna were found during their time.
According to the limited data available about Ratnakar, he composed a Sanskrit Kavya named Jai Singh Kalpadrum describes the lineage of Sawai Jai Singh with the description of Suryavansh. It also includes astrology, astronomy, astrological and astronomical calculations with the movement of planets, determination of the Tithis (Dates), Vaars (Days), Nakshatras (Constellations) and formation of Rashi (Zodiacs). It also includes determination of the timings of all the Hindu Festivals, their Tithi and Vaar, the Adhik Mass (Concept of Hindu Calander), decrement and increment in Hindu Tithis, the movements of the Sun and the Moon and the many other Siddhis and Worship of the Goddess. That is a hand-written scripture and many of such preserved by me in the form of manuscripts. To check the original manuscript permission has to be taken from the Pothikhana or the Directorate of the State Library.
It is said about the routine of the Pundarik that when he lived in Amber, he used to visit God of Amber/Ambika Van, Ambikeshwar, after bathing. This routine followed even when he was in the newly settled city of Jaipur; living in his new Haveli, he did not even take food without worshipping Ambikeshwar daily.
A legend also says that in old age when it became not possible for him to visit the Ambikeshwar, then he had given up the food. In this condition of the devotee, The Mahadeva appeared to him in a dream, told him about a place where they were grounded near his Haveli. The next morning, when the place identified has excavated, and awakened Swayam-Bhu Shivling was present there. The temple was built there and from that moment he started taking food after worshipping that awakened Swayam-Bhu Jageshwar Mahadev. From the time of construction of the temple, the scholar Gujarati Praswanavar Brahmin family was entrusted with the task of maintaining and worshipping that temple and they are doing the same work even today. Both Jageshwar and Ambikeshwar Shivling are Swayam-Bhu by visiting these temples, one can see the marks of injury caused by excavation on Shivlings and remnants of mountains.
Sawai Jai Singh had decorated the Paundrik’s Haveli according to his Chandra mahal. As the 18th century’s Jaipur style frescoes, metal-painting work can be seen in Chandramahal, similarly can be seen in the Pondrik’s Haveli. The entire Haveli of the Pondrik drawn with murals with many natural and human scenes. These scenes include the Royal Court, Gangaur-Teej fairs, pictures of Court Activities, Holi-Deepawali Celebrations, Army Movements and Battle Scenes, scenes from various parts of the Palace, Musicians, Court Concerts, Maharajas with his Queens sitting on the Throne, pictures of Vrindavan, Raas Leela, pictures of Maharaja Jagat Singh with Ras Kapoor, some Intimate Scenes. It also has Mango, Neem, Ber, Khejri, Peepal, Banyan Trees, Flowers and Fruit trees, plants and vines. The garden of the Haveli was elegant and artistic, in which frescos were in many Chhatris. This park was only a fence away from the Taal Katora. Pundarik had a pretty good and pleasant residence, after him, his sons and grandsons have experienced that happiness a lot.
Celebration of a Festival 
Maharaja Jagat Singh – Raskapoor 
Music Program in Private Court
The present remains of this Haveli now declared as a National Protected Monument. They are only the southwest part of a much larger residential complex. It is a double-storeyed building with small rooms inside. The building is famous for the frescoes on the upper storey, which depict the musical gatherings of the royal court, the festivals and fairs of Gangaur-Holi, Army Exodus and Royal Processions.
Raasleela and Movement of Army 
Wall of Events 
Corridor 
Celebration 
Today the southwest part of this Haveli has been preserved by the Archaeological Survey of India. The remaining has become a colony but still, Pondrick Park is somehow alive. Which has become a public park, the frescos of its cenotaphs are finished today. Now the situation is that the Municipal Corporation Jaipur Heritage is now going to make it underground parking, against which petitions are being filed in the High Court and it is being completely opposed.
To visit Paundrik Haveli one has to take permission form the Directorate of Archeological Survey of India, Jaipur Circle.
If you want to know more or want me to elaborate more about the Jaipur School of Frescos and Mural, please let me know!