Jodhpur

Jodhpur At A Glance

Jodhpur Is The Second Largest City In The Indian State Of Rajasthan. The City Is Known As The “sun City” For The Bright, Sunny Weather It Enjoys All Year. It Is Also Referred To As The “blue City” Due To The Blue-painted Houses Around The Mehrangarh Fort. It Was At One Time The Capital Of The Marwar State, And An Important Trading Hub, Situated At The Very Edge Of The Thar Desert. Founded In The Mid-15th Century By Rao Jodha, Chief Of The Rathore Clan, It Is Protected Still By A High, Fortified Wall That Stretches For More Than 10kms – Accessible By Gates In Eight Different Places The Old City Circles The Fort And Is Bounded By A Wall With Several Gates. However, The City Has Expanded Greatly Outside The Wall Over The Past Several Decades. The City Is Characterised By A Number Of Gracefully Executed Palaces, Solidly Built Forts And Ornately Detailed Temples Paying Homage To A Variety Of Deities – All Scattered Throughout, Maintaining A Sense Of Historical Grandeur Even Today. Many Aspects Of Jodhpur Help Create The City’s Romantic Aura – From Bright, Colourful Attire, To The Local Handicrafts And Folk Culture Expressed Through Music And Dance. Residents Of Jodhpur And The Desert Communities Are Very Welcoming By Nature, Offering Warm Hospitality To Visitors. The City’s Bazaars Also Attract Hordes Of Shoppers, And Feature A Range Of Antiques, Carpets, Embroidered Shoes, Hand-dyed Textiles, Lacquer Ware, Marble Inlay Work, Puppets And Exquisite Silver Jewellery.

Area 78.6 km²
Population 1,033,918
Winter Temperature 3°C to 13°C
Summer Temperature 15°C to 29 °C
Best Time to Visit March to mid June & October to December.

Mehrangarh Fort

Located In Jodhpur, Rajasthan Is One Of The Largest Forts In India. The Fort Is Situated 400 Feet (122 M) Above The City And Is Enclosed By Imposing Thick Walls. Inside Its Boundaries There Are Several Palaces Known For Their Intricate Carvings And Expansive Courtyards. A Winding Road Leads To And From The City Below. The Imprints Of Cannonball Hits By Attacking Armies Of Jaipur Can Still Be Seen On The Second Gate. To The Left Of The Fort Is The Chhatri Of Kirat Singh Soda, A Soldier Who Fell On The Spot Defending The Mehrangarh Fort.

Umaid Bhawan Palace

Umaid Bhawan Palace, Located At Jodhpur In Rajasthan, India, Is One Of The World’s Largest Private Residences. A Part Of The Palace Is Managed By Taj Hotels. Named After Maharaja Umaid Singh, Grandfather Of The Present Owners Of The Palace, This Monument Has 347 Rooms And Serves As The Principal Residence Of The Erstwhile Jodhpur Royal Family. Umaid Bhawan Palace Was Called Chittar Palace During Its Construction Due To Its Location On Chittar Hill, The Highest Point In Jodhpur. Ground For The Foundations Of The Building Was Broken On 18 November 1929 By Maharaja Umaid Singh And The Construction Work Was Completed In 1943. The Palace Was Build To Provide Employment To Thousands Of People During The Time Of Famine.

Balsamand Lake

Balsamand Lake Is A Lake Situated 5 Km From Jodhpur On Jodhpur-mandore Road. This Lake Is A Popular Picnic Spot, Built In 1159 Ad By Balak Rao Parihar. It Was Designed As A Water Reservoir To Provide Water To Mandore. The Lake Has A Length Of One Kilometer, Breadth Of 50 Meters And A Depth Of 15 Meters. The Balsamand Lake Palace Was Built Later As A Summer Palace On Its Shore. The Lake Is Surrounded By Lush Green Gardens That House Groves Of Trees Like Mango, Papaya, Pomegranate, Guava And Plum. Animals And Birds Like The Jackal And Peacock Also Call This Place Home.

Jaswant Thada

Jaswant Thada Lies To The Left Of The Mehrangarh Fort Complex. It Is A Royal Cenotaph Made Up Of White Marble. It Was Built To Commemorate Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Some Rare Portraits Of The Former Rulers Of Jodhpur Are Also Displayed Here.