Jodhpur
Jodhpur is located on the eastern side of the Thar desert. It is in a unique location as it is neither within the Thar desert nor outside it.
Jodhpur opens a world of shrubs and sand dunes, thorny trees and lands filled with rocks. It shows you a different India. Jodhpur is the home of the Rathores who commanded over a major princely state of India. After the fall of Delhi and Kannauj they captured Marwar, which was known as the land of sand.
The foundations of Jodhpur were laid in 1459 by Rao Jodha. He was the chief of the Rathore clan and said that he was a descendant of Rama. The city is well fortified and protected by a tall stone wall. There are 8 gates of the wall that face different directions and it is almost 10 kilometers long.
There is a big fortress within the city. It stands on some sandstone hills, which are only 125 meters high. The city is below the hills. From the walls of the fort you could differentiate between the older and the newer portions of the city.
The Umaid Bhawan Palace is on the other side of Jodhpur. It faces the fort. It is among the more spacious and properly planned palaces throughout India. The scene of sunset is gorgeous when seen from the walls of this palace.
The slant of sunset on this palace is unique. It provides the desert landscape with a glow that inspires awe within one who sees it. The people here are chivalrous.
Jodhpur is a very busy city in Rajasthan. It is among the larger cities of Rajasthan, preceded only by Jaipur. The Mehrangarh Fort is the dominant form in the Jodhpuri landscape. It is a big fort and stands atop a rocky ridge.
The foundation of the Mehrangarh fort on such a high altitude was necessitated by the requirement of a capital that was secure. The Rathores had a cordial relationship with the Mughals. Maharaja Jaswant Singh even lent his support to Shah Jahan when he was vying to be crowned emperor. However, with Aurangzeb their relationship was less than cordial.
When you come down from the Mehrangarh Fort you would find Jaswant Thada on the left. It is the cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, which is made out of marble. The Taj Mahal of Marwar was constructed by Maharaja Sardar Singh who was his son. You would find the cenotaphs of previous monarchs and queens at Mandore.
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