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Mehrangarh Fort
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In 1458, Rao Jodha (1438-1488), one of Rainmal's 24 sons became the fifteenth Rathore ruler. After one year of his accession, Jodha was suggested to move his capital to a safer place because one thousand years old Mandore fort was no longer considered to be strong and safe. This need for a safer place for Jodha gave India one of her largest forts, Mehrangarh.
The foundation of this fort was laid on May 12, 1459 by Jodha on a rocky hill which is 9 Km. south to Mandore. This hill was known as Bhaurcheeria, the mountain of birds. Its lone human occupant at the time was a hermit called Cheeria Nathji, the lord of birds. In order to create this fort, Cheeria Nathji was forced to leave his cave and the disturbed hermit left his place cursing Rao Jodha. His curse was "Jodha! May your citadel ever suffer a scarcity of water!". To avoid the consequences of this curse, Jodha try to appease the god by building a house and a temple in the fort very near the cave the hermit used for meditation.
Jodha then took the extreme step to ensure the new site proved propitious; he buried a man alive in the foundations. The man was Rajiya Bambi (Meghwal) and he was promised that in return his family would forever more be looked after by the Rathores.
Mehrangarh (meaning Majestic Fort) is one of the largest forts in India. Though the fortress was originally started in 1459 by Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur, most of the fort which stands today dates from the period of Jaswant Singh (1638–78). This magnificent fort is located at the centre of the city spreading over 5 kilometres atop a 125-metre high hill. Its walls, which are up to 36 metres high and 21 metres wide, protect some of the most beautiful and historic palaces in Rajasthan. To commemorate historic victories three gates are found in the fort. Within the fort, several brillantly crafted and decorated palaces are found. Of these, Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana, and Daulat Khana are notable. One also finds the fort museum comprising several palaces. This museum houses an exquisite collection of palanquins, howdahs, royal cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. The ramparts of the fort provide not only excellently preserved canons but also a breath-taking view of the city.
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Jodhpur
Distance (K.M.) |
Time taken in hours |
Height above sea level |
Temperature |
Clothing |
From Jaipur- 342 kilometers |
8 & ½ hrs |
221m |
Max. - 41.0 (summers)
Min.- 7.9 (winters) |
Cottons in Summer
Woolens in winters |
Jodhpur as seen from the Mehrangarh Fort
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Jodhpur is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, also known as Marwar. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many beautiful palaces, forts and temples, apart from a stark, scenic desert landscape. The city is known as the "Sun City" for the bright, sunny weather it enjoys all year. It is also referred as the Blue City, due to the indigo tinge of the whitewashed houses around the Mehrangarh Fort. Jodhpur is also known for gentleness of its people. Jodhpur lies near the geographic center of Rajasthan state, which makes it a convenient base for travel in a region much frequented by tourists. The old city of Jodhpur is surrounded by a thick stone wall. The wall has six huge gates called Nagauri gate, Merati gate, Sojati gate, Jalori gate, Siwanchi gate and Chand pol.
Jodhpur is located at 26.29° N 73.03° E[3]. It has an average elevation of 232 metres (761 feet).
How to Reach
Jodhpur is well connected by all the major cities of India.
It is
- 336 km from Jaipur (The capital of Rajasthan)
- 597 km from Delhi
- 1051 km from Mumbai
- 568 km from Agra
Places of Interest
A number of historical monuments dot the city and surrounding region. Some of these monuments are described here.
Osiyan Temple
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Osiyan Temple: An ancient Jain temple, well worth the visit, lies in the village of Osiyan, about 60 km outside Jodhpur. There are many sections of this temple, which was built in several distinct phases.
Umaid Bhavan Palace:The Umaid Bhavan Palace is not only one of India's most imposing palaces but also among its most recent. This lavish art deco monument to royal living had an improbable conception: it was built as a public relief and employment project during a long period of drought. Over one million square feet (90,000 m²) of the finest marble was used in the construction of the palace. A special type of sandstone, called Chittar sandstone, has been used in constructing the palace and this gives it a special effect. For this reason, it is also referred to as Chittar Palace by the locals.
JodhpurIts style of construction, with beautiful balconies, charming courtyards, green gardens and stately rooms, makes it a fine example of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The project employed three thousand artisans over a period of 15 years (1929-1943). The palace is named after its builder, Maharaja Umaid Singh, who was incidentally the president of the British Royal Institute of Architects In 1977, the palace was converted into a heritage hotel. The Palace is now segmented into the royal residence, the Heritage Hotel and the museum. Its 98 air-conditioned rooms are elegantly decorated with antique furniture as well as all the other amenities of a five star hotel.
Mehrangarh Fort & Jaswant Thada
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Mehrangarh Fort: The Mehrangarh Fort lies at the outskirts of Jodhpur city and is located atop a 125 m high hill. The magnificent Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur ka kila) is the most majestic and one of the largest forts in India. It was originally started (c.1459) by Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur. However, most of the extant fort dates from the period of Jaswant Singh (1638-78). The walls of the fort are up to 36 m high and 21 m wide; they enclose some exquisite structures.
The fort museum houses an exquisite collection of palanquins, howdahs, royal cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. The ramparts of Mehrangarh Fort provide not only excellently preserved cannons but also a breath-taking view of the city.
Jaswant Thada: The Jaswant Thada is architectural landmark found in Jodhpur. It is a white marble memorial built in 1899 in memory of Maharja Jaswant Singh II. The monument, in its entirety, is built out of intricately carved sheets of marble. These stones are extremely thin and polished so that they emit a warm glow when the sun's rays dance across their surface. Within this cenotaph, there are also two more tombs.
Other places of Interest & Excursions
- Girdikot and Sardar market
- Maha Mandir ( temple)
- Government Museum
- Mandore
- Kalinga Lake and Garden
- Balsamand Lake
- Sardar Samand lake and palace
- Dhawa ( Dholi) forest area
- Khichan
- Osian
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