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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. The blue houses were
originally for Brahmins but non-Brahmins soon
joined in, as the colour was said to deflect the
heat and keep mosquitoes away. 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. |
Geography
Jodhpur is located at 26.29° N 73.03° E[3]. It has
an average elevation of 232 metres (761 feet).
Jodhpur was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a Rajput
chief belonging to the Rathore clan. Rao Jodha
succeeded in conquering the surrounding territory
and thus founded a state which came to be known as
Marwar. As Rao Jodha hailed from the nearby town of
Mandore, that town initially served as the capital
of this state; however, Jodhpur soon took over that
role, even during the lifetime of Rao Jodha. The
city was located on the strategic road linking Delhi
to Gujarat. This enabled it to profit from a
flourishing trade in opium, copper, silk, sandals,
date palms and coffee.
Early in its history, the state became a fief under
the mughal empire, owing fealty to them while
enjoying some internal autonomy. During this period,
the state furnished the mughals with several notable
generals such as Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Jodhpur and
its people benefited from this exposure to the wider
world: new styles of art and architecture made their
appearance and opportunities opened up for local
tradesmen to make their mark across northern India.
Aurangzeb briefly sequestrated the state (c.1679) on
the pretext of a minority, but the rightful ruler
was restored to the throne after Aurangzeb died in
1707. The Mughal empire declined gradually after
1707, but the Jodhpur court was beset by intrigue;
rather than benefiting from circumstances, Marwar
descended into strife and invited the intervention
of the Marathas, who soon supplanted the Mughals as
overlords of the region. This however did not make
for stability or peace; 50 years of ruinous wars and
humiliating treaties dissipated the wealth of the
state, which sought and gratefully entered into
subsidiary alliance with the British in 1818.
During the British Raj, the state of Jodhpur was the
largest in Rajputana, if size be reckoned by land
area. Jodhpur prospered under the peace and
stability that were a hallmark of this era. Its
merchants, the Marwaris, flourished without let or
limit and came to occupy a position of dominance in
trade across India. In 1947, when India became
independent, the state merged into the union of
India and Jodhpur became the second city of
Rajasthan.
A number of historical monuments dot the city and
surrounding region. Some of these monuments are
described here.
Umaid Bhawan Palace:
The Umaid Bhawan 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 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. Its 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 (1876-1947), who was
incidentally the president of the British Royal
Institute of Architects. In 1977, the palace was
segmented into the royal residence, the Heritage
Hotel and a museum. Its 98 air-conditioned rooms are
elegantly decorated with antique furniture as well
as all the other amenities of a five star hotel.
Umaid Bhawan Palace was originally called Chittar
Palace during 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 Umed Singh, it was
unfinished until 1944. Umaid Bhawan was one of the
last royal constructions (and India's last Palace),
built to provide work and drought relief for the
poor. The building is dramatically illuminated at
night causing some controversy in a city that
continues to endure daily multi-hour power cuts.
Construction
Built on the Chittar Hill in southeastern area of
the Jodhpur, construction employed more than 5000
men for sixteen years. The building does not use
mortar or cement to bind stones together; all of its
pieces are carved stones joined together by a system
of carved interlocking positive and negative pieces.
Umaid bhavan is designed in such a manner that it
always retains the temperature at approx 23º
Celsius. A specially constructed train line was used
to transport these large blocks of stone. The
Palace, when it was built, was the world's largest
private residence, with 347 rooms. The building's
prominent central dome is 110 feet high. The
architect, H V Lanchester designed the palace in
what could be termed Indo-Art-Deco style - the
project was to cost the Maharaja Rupees 94,51,565.
The resident engineer for this project was
Mr.Hiranand U. Bhatia. The interiors for the palace
were designed in the art-deco style by Maples of
London, however, in 1942 the ship transporting them
was sunk by the Germans. As a result, the Maharaja
employed the services of Stefan Norblin, a Polish
interior designer. The building, however, maintained
the traditions of medieval palaces and maintained a
male section and a ladies section, each with
separate entrances.
Present status
The present owner is Gaj Singh. He has divided the
Palace into three functional parts, one having a
five-star hotel (in existence since 1972), one is
the residence of the royal family and one has been
opened to public where a small museum displays
pictures, arms, swords, and other items relating to
Jodhpur's royal heritage. The opening times of this
museum are 10 AM to 4 PM, and it is closed on
Sundays.
The palace grounds cover 26 acres, out of which
constructed area is 3.5 acres and 15 acres are
devoted to lawns. This is the most expensive hotel
at Jodhpur and this is one of the largest private
houses in India.
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.
History Of Mehrangarh
In 1458, Rao Jodha (1438-1488), one of Ranmal'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 the 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 Rajaram (Meghwal) and he
was promised that in return his family would forever
more be looked after by the Rathores.
Mehrangarh (etymology:'Mihir'{Sanskrit)-sun or
Sun-deity; 'garh'{Sanskrit}-fort; i.e.'Sun-fort';
according to Rajasthani language pronunciation
conventions,'Mihirgarh' has changed to 'Mehrangarh';the
Sun-deity has been the chief deity of the Rathore
dynasty;source:Mr Yashwant Singh,an official guide
to the 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 (including the famous Kilkila) but
also a breath-taking view of the city.
Tourist Attractions in Mehrangarh
The Chamunda Mataji Temple
The Chamunda Mataji was Rao Jodha's favorite
goddess, he brought her idol from the old capital of
Mandore in 1460 and installed her in Mehrangarh (Maa
Chamunda was the kul devi of Parihar rulers of
Mandore). She remains the Maharaja's and the Royal
Family's Isht Devi or adopted goddess and is
worshipped by most of Jodhpur's citizens as well.
Crowds throng Mehrangarh during the Dussehra
celebrations.
Period Rooms
Moti Mahal - The Pearl Palace
Built by Raja Sur Singh (1595-1619) the Moti Mahal
is the largest of the Mehrangarh Museum's period
rooms. Sur Singh's Moti Mahal has five alcoves
leading onto hidden balconies; it is believed they
were built for his five queens to listen in on court
proceeding.
Sheesh Mahal - The Hall Of Mirrors
It is a fine example of a typical Rajput Sheesh
Mahal. The mirror-work includes large, regular
pieces, rather than an intricate mosaic of tiny
fragments; another thing is the superimposition over
the mirror-work of brightly painted religious
figures made in plaster.]
Phool Mahal - The Palace Of Flowers
The Phool Mahal was created by Maharaja Abhaya Singh
(1724-1749). 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.
Takhat Vilas - Maharaja Takhat Singh's Chamber
Built and lived in by Maharaja Takhat Singh
(1843-1873), Jodhpur's last ruler to reside in the
Mehrangarh Fort, Takhat Vilas is an interesting
blend of styles, most traditional, but some, like
the glass balls on the ceiling, testifying to the
modern age which arrived with the British.
Galleries In Mehrangarh Museum
Elephant's Howdahs
The howdahs were a kind of two-compartment wooden
seat (mostly covered with gold and silver embossed
sheets), which was fastened on to the elephant back.
The front compartment with more leg space and raised
protective metal sheet was meant for kings or
royalty and rear smaller ones for a reliable
bodyguard disguised as a fly-whisk attendant.
Palanquins
Palanquins were a popular means of travel and
circumambabulate for the ladies of the nobility up
to the second quarter of the 20th century. They were
also used by male nobility and royals on special
occasions.
Daulat Khana - Treasures Of Mehrangarh Museum
This gallery displays one of the most important and
best preserved collection of fine and applied arts
of the Mughal period of Indian history, during which
the Rathore rulers of jodhpur maintained close links
with the Mughal emperors.
Armoury
This Gallery displays a rare collection of Armour
from every period in Jodhpur. On display are sword
hilts in jade, silver, rhine horn, ivory, shields
studded with rubies, emeralds and pearls, guns with
gold and silver work on barrels. The gallery also
has on display personal swords of many an emperor,
among them are outstanding historical piece like the
Khanda of Rao Jodha, weighing over 7 pounds, the
sword of Akbar the Great and The sword of Timur the
Lame.
Paintings
This Gallery displays colours of Marwar-Jodhpur, the
finest example of Marwar paintings.
The Turban Gallery
The Turban Gallery in the Mehrangarh Museum seeks to
preserve, document and display the many, many
different types of turbans once prevalent in
Rajasthan ; every community, region and, indeed,
festival has its own head-gear and this diversity,
the colors of the desert, is wonderfully brought out
in this welcome addition to the museum.
The Folk Musical Instruments Gallery
There are a number of different types and kinds of
folk musical instruments, some particular to a group
or community, and some to a region.
Jaswant Thada: The Jaswant Thada is architectural
landmark found in Jodhpur. It is a white marble
memorial built in 1899 in memory of Maharaja 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.The Jaswant Thada is a traditional
cremation ground of Jodhpur rulers. The grounds are
also comprised of exquisitely carved gazebos, a
beautiful multi-tiered garden, and a small lake.
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.
Kaman art gallery: The Kaman art gallery is Indian
contemporary art gallery .It is first contemporary
art gallery in Rajasthan .There are see many famous
Indian contemporary artists painting. This gallery
location near clock tower Jodhpur, Old fort Road,
Kili Khana.
Other places to see
Girdikot and Sardar market
Maha Mandir ( temple)
Government Museum
Mandore park
Excursions
Mandore
Kalinga Lake and Garden
Balsamand Lake
Sardar Samand lake and palace
Dhawa ( Dholi) forest area
Khichan
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