ight
at the centre of the city is the famous landmark 'Clock tower' around which
Sardar Market, Girdikot is.
There
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.
J
odhpur 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.
The
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.
Jodhpur
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.
;)
There
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. ;)
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.
;)
The
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!! ;)
Jodhpur
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.
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