This bustling desert city is the second largest city in Rajasthan after Jaipur and has landscape dominated by the massive Meherangarh Fort topping a sheer rocky ridge.

The old city is fenced by 10 km long wall with eight Gates leading out of it. The new city is outside the walled city. Rao Jodha, a chief of the Rathore clan, founded the city in 1459 and it is named after him.

The Afghans drove the Rathores out of their original homeland Kaunaj and they fled to this region around Pali a short distance from present day Jodhpur. A manoeuvre lead to marriage between Rathore Siahaji and the sister of a local prince that helped the Rathores to establish and strengthen themselves in this region. In fact they flourished so well that managed to oust the Pratiharas of Mandore, just 9 km of present day Jodhpur. By 1459 a need for more secured capital lead to the founding of Meherangarh Fort on its rocky perch and Jodhpur was thus founded by Rao Jodha. The Rathores enjoyed good relations with the Mughals and Maharaja Jaswant Singh (1678) supported Shah Jahan in the latter's struggle for war of succession. Only problematic relationship they had was with Aurangzeb. After Auranzeb's death Maharaja Ajit Singh drove out Mughals from Ajmer and added it to Marwar.

In the reign of Maharaja Umed Singh Jodhpur grew into a fine modern city.

The quintessence of Jodhpur was its valour and equestrian skill. Polo has been the traditional sport of the Jodhpur nobility since medieval times.

Jodhpur has two railway stations, City and Rai ka Bagh both are outside the walled city. The bus stand is right outside the Rai ka Bagh Station. The High Court is a while from the bus stand after the Umed Gardens, after which is located the tourist reception centre and RTDC Hotel Ghoomer. Ahead is the main market and entry in to the wall from Sojati Gate. This area also has many hotels. Jodhpur is also military and air force station and has a large cantonment and airbase.

Places of Tourist Interest in Jodhpur

UMAID BHAWAN PALACE
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur Tour Packages

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur Tour Packages

Maharaja Umaid Singhji who built this palace was fascinated with western lifestyles so he marshalled the services of a well-known Edwardian architect, Henry Vaughan Lanchester, a creditable equal of Edward Lutyens (architect of New Delhi) to construct a three hundred and forty seven roomed Umaid Palace. This was to become India last of the great palaces and the biggest private residence in the world. Spectacular Central Rotunda, the cupola rises to a hundred and five feet high; the Throne Room with its exquisite Ramayana murals; an elegant wood-panelled library, and even a private museum; an indoor swimming pool, a Billiards Room, tennis courts and unique marble squash courts makes Umaid Bhawan Palace is unabashedly the most magnificent. The palace was also built with superficial intentions of providing employment to famine stricken farmers. The Palace now is a five star deluxe palace hotel. The museum of the palace is highly recommended for its display of weapons, an array of stuffed leopards, a huge banner presented by Queen Victoria and an incredible collection of clocks.

MEHRANGARH FORT
Perched on a 150 m high hill its sprawl is the most formidable and magnificent fort in Rajasthan. Rao Jodha founded it in 1459 but subsequent rulers of Jodhpur have also added to it over the centuries. A meandering road leads to the from the city 5 kms below. Battle scars of canon ball hit by attacking armies of Jaipur can still be seen on the second gate. To the left is chhatri of Kirat Singh Soda, a soldier who fell on the spot while defending the fort against the armies of Amber. There are seven gates, which include Jayapol meaning victory built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Fattehpol also meaning victory gate was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to mark the defeat of Mughals. The palm imprints still attract devotional attention and are covered by vermilion paste and paper-thin silver foil.

FORT MUSEUM
This is one of the finest museums in Rajasthan and certainly the best layed out. In the palanquin section of the fort museum, you can see an interesting collection of old royal palanquins including the elaborate domed gilt Mahadol palanquin, which was won in a battle from the Governor of Gujarat in 1730. The museum exhibits the heritage of the Rathores in arms, costumes, paintings and decorated period rooms.

PHOOL MAHAL Phool Mahal Palace, Jodhpur

The grandest of Mehrangarh's period rooms, the Phool Mahal was in all likely hood a private and exclusive chamber of pleasure dancing girls once swooned in exhaustion here under a ceiling rich in gold filigree. The Phool Mahal was created by Maharaja Abhaya Singh (1724-1749) and the gold came from Ahmedabad in Gujarat as war booty after his famous victory over the rebellious Mughal governor, Sarbuland Khan. The paintings, royal portraits and the ever-popular raga mala, came much later, in the reign of Jaswant Singh II.

JHANKI MAHAL
The Jhanki Mahal, from where the royal ladies watched the official proceedings, in the courtyard, today houses a rich collection of the royal cradles. The cradles are decorated with gilt mirrors and figures of fairies, elephant and birds

JASWANT THADA
On the way down from the fort, on left is Jaswant Thada, the graceful marble cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. His son Maharaja Sardar Singhji built the Taj Mahal of Marwar in the memory of Maharaj Jaswant Singhji II of Jodhpur. The main memorial has been built like a temple with intricately carved marble stone that is sculpted by the genius artesian. A visit to this structure is through the rocky hills giving it a secluded and a mystic aura.

MANDORE GARDEN
Mandore was the former capital of Maharajas of Marwar and is located about 5 miles north of Jodhpur, but was later abandoned for the security of Mehrangarh fort. Here you will find the dewals, or cenotaphs of Jodhpur's former rulers.

Unlike the usual chhatri-shaped cenotaphs typical of Rajasthan, they were built along the lines of a Hindu temple, four stories high, with fine columns and an elegant spire, all in red sandstone. The most impressive is the dewal of Maharaja Ajit Singh (reigned 1678-1724). These cenotaphs are set in beautiful landscaped gardens. Nearby is the hall of heroes, dedicated to various deities and fabled Rajput folk heroes, whose statues are carved out of rock and painted in bright colours. Next door is a larger hall called "The Shrine of the Three Hundred Million Gods", filled with brightly coloured images of the various Hindu Gods. As you climb up the hill, you come to the ruined city of Mandore, with its old palace. The beautiful Maharani's cenotaphs set apart on a rocky outcrop - a ten-minute walk over the hill. Today its extensive gardens with high rock terrace make it a popular local attraction.

Agra Tourism	Ajmer Tourism	Bandhavgarh Tourism
Bangalore Tourism	Bharatpur Tourism	Chennai Tourism
Delhi Tourism	Cochin Tourism	Goa Tourism
Hyderabad Tourism	Jaipur Tourism	Jaisalmer Tourism
Jodhpur Tourism	Kanya Kumari Tourism	Khajuraho Tourism
Kolkata Tourism	Kollam (Quilon) Tourism	Mahabalipuram Tourism
Mumbai Tourism	Mysore Tourism	Orissa Tourism
Pushkar Tourism	Ranthambhore Tourism	Srinagar Tourism
Udaipur Tourism	Varanasi Tourism

Jodhpur Tourism : Reservation Form

(* represents compulsory fields)
* Name :	* Tentative Date of Travel:

* E-Mail Address :	Duration of Travel in India (Approx.):

* Address :	* Your Country :

Phone : (Include Country/Area Code)	* Your Budget (in $) [Per Person/Per Day]
	No. of People Travelling :	Adult Children
* Any specific requirements:

Spa Resorts in India	Ayurveda Travel Packages	Luxury Train Travel	Car Rental Services

- Ananda Resort, Himalaya - Coconut Lagoon, Kumarakom	- Spa & Ayurveda Tour - North India Ayurveda Tour	- Palace on Wheels - Deccan Odyssey	- Luxury Car Rental - Executive Car Rental
more...	more...	more...	more...

Untitled Document

INDIA TOUR PACKAGES