Jodhpur
Travel Guide
A valiant sentinel in the desert, on the eastern
fringe of the Thar desert has the distinction of neither being a part of the Thar
desert nor out of it.
At best it is a doorway to the wonderland of sand
dunes and shrubs, rocky terrain and thorny trees. The home of the Rathroes - the
awesome princely state of Rajasthan. They conquered Marwar or Maroodesh, land
of the sand after the fall of Delhi and Kannauj.
In 1459 AD, Rao Jodha,
chief of Rathore clan of Rajputs, who claimed descent from Rama, the epic here
of the Ramayana, laid the foundation of Jodhpur. A high stone wall protects the
well-fortified city. The wall is nearly 10km in length and has eight gates facing
various directions.
Within, stands an imposing fort on a low range of
sandstone hills, about 125m above the surrounding plains. Invincible! And dauntless
in its league with time! The city lies at the foot of the hills. The clear distinction
between the old and the new city is visible from the ramparts of the fort.
On
the other side of the city, facing the fort is the Umaid Bhawan Palace. One of
the most spacious, sprawling and well-planned palaces in India. And from here,
as you look at fort, a tantalizing view rises before your eyes at sunset.
The
peculiar slant of the sunset lends the desert landscape an awe-inspiring glow
and the people, a chivalry undaunted.
Places to
SeeMehrangarh FortMehrangarh
fort is about 5km from Jodhpur Town. Guarding the city below, crowning a perpendicular
cliff, the fort was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459 AD when he shifted his capital
from Mandore.
Standing sentinel to the city below, it over looks the rugged
and rocky terrain and houses a palace intricately adorned with long carved panels
and latticed windows exquisitely wrought from red sandstone.
The apartments
within, have their own magic -the Moti mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower
Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana and Daulat Khana with a rich
varied collection of palanquins, howdas, royal cradles, miniature paintings of
various schools, folk music, instruments, costumes, furniture and an impressive
armoury.
The display of cannons on the ramparts near Chamunda temple is
among the rarest in India. As you climb up, folk musicians revive the grandeur
of a bygone era.
Jaswant ThadaBuilt
in the memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II , in 1899 , the imposing white marble
memorial marks the site of a royal crematorium. The cenotaph houses portraits
of successive rulers. These four cenotaphs commemorate notable acts of bravery,
generosity of the four successive rulers.
Timings 0900 to 1700 hrs.
Umaid
Bhawan PalaceBuilt by Maharaja Umaid Singh (1929 -1942) and named
after him, this exquisite palace is also known as Chittar Palace because of the
local chittar sandstone used.
It is a splendid example, of Indo-colonial
and art deco style of the 30s.
A unique feature of this palace is the
fact that the hand chiseled sandstone blocks have been put together in a special
system of interlocking, there is not mortar binding.
A portion of the palace
has been converted into a hotel, the other remains on view to visitors in form
of excellent museum which houses model airplanes, weapons, antique clocks and
bob watches, priceless crockery, and hunting trophies. Both sections retain the
ambience of royal splendor .
Timings: 0900 to 1700 hrs.
Government
MuseumNestling in the middle of the Umaid Public Garden, this museum
houses a rich collection of exhibits - armoury, textiles, local arts and crafts,
miniature paintings. Portraits of rulers, manuscripts and images of Jain Tirthankars.
Umaid Public Garden houses a zoo also. Timing : 1000 to 1630 hrs (Friday closed).
Girdikot
& Sardarkot MarketThrobbing with activity, the colourful bazaar,
near Clock tower, has narrow lanes dotted with tiny shops selling exquisite Rajashani
textiles, handicrafts, clay figurines of camels and elephants, marble curios with
inlay work and exquisite Rajasthani silver jewelry.
Maha
Mandir TempleLeterally, the great temple, a place where sacred
glory reigns in a peaceful tranquility. Situated on Mandore road, the temple is
an architectural splendor, supported by 84 pillars and ornamented with detailed
designs and figures depicting various postures of Yoga. The entire structure is
marked by a unique and original style.
