India Tourism » Travel to Jodhpur

JODHPUR : Tales of grandeur and great heros
Right at the centre of the city is the famous landmark 'Clock tower' around which Sardar Market, Girdikot is. The ever-pulsating Sardar MarketThere is a 'Misrilal Lassiwala' right at the corner. One glassful of refreshingly thick Lassi sets the mood to go beyond. Beyond the Clock tower is the real Jodhpur of narrow lanes, colorful shops, crowded temples, strong smells and MORE SWEET SHOPS! There is nothing official about the streets of old Jodhpur (unlike in Jaipur). It is a place of great character and all colors, shapes and sizes of shops and houses are seen. And this makes the streets of Jodhpur worth exploring! Much beyond is the famed blue portion of the city, the houses neatly painted with blue-lime.

Jodhpur has a strong character, although its resident are unwary of the trends outside, their peculiar living styles and habits are difficult to be copied. For instance, their habit of eating good food makes virtually every Jodhpuri queue outside the SWEET SHOPS every morning! Jodhpur's delectable cuisine can be worth a try in the truly grand Marwar Hall of Hotel Umaid Bhawan Palace. Besides fine dining this hotel offers fine stay as well. The incredibly majestic palace with art-deco interiors is said to have been constructed without any use of mortar! Its architectural perfection keeps this fact too hard to believe!

Just 8 kilometers outside the city is Mandore- the old capital of Marwar province. The place has a beautiful garden with some very impressive cenotaphs and temples. There is an interesting `Hall of heroes' having idols of many warriors seated on horses.

The city's otherwise flat expanse is simply dominated by the towering presence of the majestic Mehrangarh Fort situated over a rocky ridge right in the middle of the city. The fort commands a view of virtually everything around and it is said that on clear days even the Kumbahlgarh fort (some 80 miles away) can be seen by the naked eye! Visiting the fort itself is a visual treat. The well-kept fort boasts of having a serious of palaces with stunning interiors, notable being the Phool Mahal, Moti Mahal and Sukh Mahal. One of the palaces has all doors made of colored glasses and one of them has a fine gold ceiling! It also has a huge collection of creatively displayed palanquins, elephant howdas, weapons, miniatures and many other things. Also notable is the fine stone screen work over the walls facing the courtyards. Women shopping in Old town of JodhpurThe fort's attendants, attired in traditional costumes, actively display their styles of tying turbans, keeping big moustaches and playing folk tunes. The views of the city below from the ramparts of the fort are simply fantastic. The sounds of people below is clearly audible!!

The city of Jodhpur was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha hailing from the Rathore clan of the Rajputs. Till 1947, Jodhpur was the capital of the biggest Rajpootana kingdom known as 'Marwar'. It is the second largest city in Rajasthan and is the best base to start any travel in the Thar Desert.

Excursions:
Just 60 kilometers away is Osiyan, which was a flourishing trading town in the period between 8th and 12th century AD. The remnants of that period are some finely carved red sandstone temples. Of particular interest are Sachiya Mata and Mahavira temples. The village also has some large sand dunes at the backdrop.

Mehrangarh Fort, the most majestic of allJodhpur is surrounded by the villages of Bishnoi community who can be described as the World's first environment conscious society. Since centuries Bishnois follow practices that goes against destruction of trees and wildlife. The beautiful villages are home to several migratory birds, folk arts and authentic rural lifestyle.

There are some amazing heritage hotels around Jodhpur such as Fort Rohet. Fort Chanwa, Jhalamandgarh and Sardar Samand are also fine retreats for stay of a night or two in peaceful surroundings.