Jodhpur (Sun City)

Jodhpur (Sun City)

About:-

Jodhpur "The Sun City" was founded by Rao Jodha, a chief of the Rathore clan, in 1459. It is named after him only. Jodhpur is the second largest city in Rajasthan. Most of the architecture – forts, palaces, temples, havelis and even houses are built in vivid shades of blue. The strapping forts that tower this magnificent city sum up to a spectacle you would not want to miss. The mammoth, imposing fortress of Mehrangarh has a landscape dominating a rocky ridge with the eight gates leading out of the fortress. The new city is located outside the structure. Jodhpur is also known for the rare breed of horses known as Marwari or Malani,  

Jodhpur is a very popular tourist destination. The landscape is scenic and mesmerizing. Jodhpur city has many beautiful palaces and forts such as Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhavan Palace and Rai ka Bag Palace. Other charms of Jodhpur include Government museum and it's beautiful Umed garden. The city is known as the "Sun City" because of its bright and sunny weather throughout the year.

History:-

Jodhpur was also part of the Gurjara–Pratihara Empire and until 1100 AD was ruled by a powerful Gurjar King. Jodhpur was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a Rajput chief of the Rathore clan. Jodha succeeded in conquering the surrounding territory and thus founded a state which came to be known as Marwar. As, 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 Jodha.

Hemu In between 1540 and 1556, Afghans were in control of most of North India. Rajasthan born Hemu who started his career as a supplier of various types of merchandise to Sher Shah Suri empire, held various positions in capital Delhi as 'Incharge of Food Affairs', 'Minister of Internal Security', 'Prime Minister-cum-Chief of Army' with Islam Shah Suri and Adil Shah, who ruled north India from Punjab to Bengal at that point in time. 
Hemu, who took as the military commander of Afghan army in 1553, crushed the first rebellion, killing the Governor of Ajmer province Juneid Khan and appointed his own Governor in Rajasthan. Hem Chandra won several battles (22) throughout North India against Afghan rebels and twice against Akbar at Agra and Delhi, before his coronation at Purana Quila in Delhi on 7 October 1556 as a 'Vikramaditya' king. Hemu lost his life in the Second Battle of Panipat on 5 November 1556, and the area came under Mughal king Akbar.

Major Attractions:-

Mehrangarh Fort:-

Mehrangarh Fort located in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, is one of the largest forts in India. Built around 1460 by Rao Jodha, the fort is situated 410 feet (125 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.  

There are seven gates, which include Jayapol (meaning 'victory'), built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur, Udaipur and Bikaner armies. Fattehpol (also meaning 'victory') gate was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to mark the defeat of the Mughals. The palm imprints upon these still attract much attention.  

The museum in the Mehrangarh fort is one of the most well-stocked museums in Rajasthan. In one section of the fort museum there is a selection of old royal palanquins, including the elaborate domed gilt Mahadol palanquin.

KHEJARLA FORT:-

Located 85 kilometres from the main city, the 400-year old Khejarla Fort is situated in a rural setting. The stunning red sandstone monument, now a hotel, is an example of Rajput architecture. Visitors will be mesmerised by the fort's picturesque settings, latticework friezes and intricate Jharokas.

Jaswant Thada:-

The Jaswant Thada is a cenotaph located in Jodhpur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was built by Maharaja Sardar Singh of Jodhpur State in 1899 in memory of his father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, and serves as the cremation ground for the royal family of Marwar.  

The mausoleum is built out of intricately carved sheets of marble. These sheets are extremely thin and polished so that they emit a warm glow when illuminated by the sun. 

The cenotaph's grounds feature carved gazebos, a tiered garden, and a small lake. There are three other cenotaphs in the grounds. The cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh displays portraits of the rulers and Maharajas of Jodhpur.

Kailana Lake:-

Kaylana Lake is located 8 km west of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India. It is an artificial lake, built by Pratap Singh in 1872. The lake spreads over an area of 84 km2. In ancient times this region had palaces and gardens made by two rulers of Jodhpur - Bhim Singh and Takhat Singh. 

The lake is situated between igneous rock land formations. It receives its water from Hati Nehar, which is further connected to the Indra Gandhi canal. various migratory birds such as Siberian cranes are seen here in the winter season.

Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park:-

The aim behind the formation of Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park in the year 2006 was to restore the rocky area near the fort. Once preliminary steps were taken to restore the land, more than 80 native plant species from the famous Thar Desert were grown. The 200 acres of park is located at the foot of the impregnable Mehrangarh Fort. The place reflects the hard work and dedication of the ecologists who spared no efforts to make the place green.

Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum:-

Umaid Bhawan Palace, located at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India, is one of the world's largest private residences.  A part of the palace also houses a museum.  

Umaid Bhawan Palace was called Chittar Palace during its construction due to use of stones drawn from the Chittar hill where it is located. 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 built to provide employment to thousands of people during the time of famine.

CHAMUNDA MATAJI TEMPLE:-

Chamunda Mataji was Rao Jodha’s favourite goddess and so her idol was bought to the Mehrangarh Fort. Thus, the fort became a place of worship and was turned into a temple. Since then, locals have followed the culture of worshipping Chamunda Mata. In fact, till date, the goddess remains the Isht Devi (the adopted goddess) of Maharajas and the royal family.

RANISAR PADAMSAR LAKE:-

Located near the Fateh Pole in Mehrangarh, the Ranisar and Padmasar are adjacent lakes that were constructed in the year 1459. Ranisar Lake was built on orders of Queen Jasmade Hadi, Rao Jodha's wife while Padmasar Lake was ordered by Queen Padmini of Rao Ganga, daughter of Rana Sanga of Mewar.

JODHPUR GOVERNMENT MUSEUM:-

Jodhpur Government Museum, located in Public Park (Ummed Bagh) Jodhpur was established in 1909 and formally opened to public on 17 March, 1936. The museum is named after Maharaja Sardar Singh of Jodhpur. The collection consists of 397 stone sculptures, 10 inscriptions, 1951 miniature paintings, 12 terracotta, 32 metallic objects, 178 arms, 111703.5 coins, 4107 miscellaneous objects displayed in Archaeological Section, armory, art & craft and historical section.

SARDAR SAMAND LAKE AND PALACE:-

Built on the banks of the Sardar Samand Lake by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1933, the Sardar Samand Lake Palace is a spectacular hunting lodge. It remains the royal family's favourite retreat and houses a vast collection of African trophies and original watercolour paintings. The lake attracts several migratory and local birds such as the yellow-legged green pigeon, Himalayan griffon and Dalmatian pelican, making it a bird watcher's paradise.

Mandore Gardens:-

Mandore, belonging to the 6th century, was Marwar’s capital before Jodhpur was established. Mandore Gardens here attract tourists in great numbers. The Mandore Gardens also house a government museum, a ‘Hall of Heroes’ and a temple to 33 crore Gods. Various artifacts and statues found in the area are housed at the museum. The architectural splendor of the bygone era is clearly evident here.

Clock Tower:-

Clock Tower is a famous landmark in the Old City. It was constructed by Maharaja Sardar Singh during his tenure between 1880 and 1911. The clock tower offers a good view of the fort. Sardar Market is adjacent to Clock Tower where a wide range of products is sold. You can find handicrafts, saris, spices, vegetables and a lot more. There are over 7000 shops and you can have a great shopping experience here.

Balsamand Lake:-

Balsamand Lake is an artificial lake that was constructed by Balak Rao Parihar in 1159 AD. The lush greenery around the lake has mango groves, papaya groves and groves of guava, plum and pomegranate. Balsamand Lake Palace was intended to serve as summer resort for the royal family of Jodhpur. The lawns and gardens with birds and peacocks finding their homes here, the place is exquisite. The palace reflects Rajputana style of architecture. The palace turned heritage hotel was built of red sandstone.

Places of recreation:-

Some of the recreation places worth mentioning are:  

• Kaylana Lake 
• Shastri Circle 
• Masuria Hill Garden 
• Science Park 
• Ummed Garden 
• Chokelav Baag 
• Machiya Safari Park

Fairs and festivals:-

• Marwar Festival 
• Gangaur 
• Baithmaar Gangaur Mela 
• Teej 
• Nag Panchami Fair 
• Sheetla Mata Fair 
• Baba Ramdev Pir Mela 
• Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF)

Temples:-

• Raj Ranchhodji Temple 
• Achal Nath Shivalaya 
• Siddhanth Shiv Temple 
• Rasik Bihari Temple 
• Ganesh Temple 
• Baba Ramdeo Temple, Masuria hill 
• Shiv Temple, Shiv Sagar, Mata ka than 
• Udai Mandir in city area 
• Kunj Bihari Temple 
• Dauji Temple, Hathi Ram ka Oda 
• Ravan Temple

Best Hotels:-

• Bijolai Palace-A Treehouse Palace Hotel
• Umaid Bhawan Palace Jodhpur
• Ratan Vilas
• RAAS
• WelcomHeritage Bal Samand Lake Palace
• WelcomHotel Jodhpur- Member ITC's hotel group
• Vivanta by Taj - Hari Mahal, Jodhpur
• Devi Bhawan

Transportation:-

Rail:-

Jodhpur railhead is well connected by major Indian cities like Alwar, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Pune, Kota, Kanpur, Bareilly, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Dhanbad, Patna, Guwahati, Nagpur, Lucknow, Gwalior, Jaipur, Udaipur etc.

Even the luxurious 'Palace on Wheels' also visits the city of royal splendour. Some of the popular trains that run from the Jodhpur railway station are Rajasthan Sampark Kranti, Howrah Jodhpur SF Express, Chennai Jodhpur Express, Suryanagari Express, Jaisalmer Delhi Express and Yesvantpur Bangalore Jodhpur Express.

Air:-

Jodhpur has its own domestic airport which is just 5 kilometres from the city centre. This airport is well-connected to other major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur and Jaipur. Once you reach the airport, you can hire a cab which will charge around Rs. 100. In case you are looking for an economical option, you can hire autos.

Road:-

Jodhpur is well connected by buses from Delhi. There are numerous private buses, Volvo coaches and deluxe buses that ply between Delhi and Jodhpur throughout the day. Government operated buses like AC Goldline and Silver Line Express also run between the two places.

Jodhpur is connected by road NH-62, NH-112, NH-114

Road/Self Drive:-
Jodhpur is well-connected with national and state highways that connect cities like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Udaipur and Jaipur. The journey from Delhi to Jodhpur is 14 hours long (nearly 600 kilometres).