General Information
260-km From Udaipur, Rajasthan
Tourist Attractions: Umaid Bhawan Palace, Mehrangarh Fort
Festival Attraction: Desert Festival
Best Time To Visit: October To March
MAIN LANGUAGES Rajasthani, Hindi & English
Jodhpur city is surrounded by a 10 km long wall with eight gates serving
as entrances. The new city is settled around this walled area. The
Maruthal or 'land of death' , came into life when the Rathores of Kanauj
moved in. But the city of Jodhpur was founded by Rao Jodhaji in 1459 AD.
In Jodhpur, the genius of its sculptors comes to life in its exquisite
palaces, forts, temples and havelis, which stand testimony to the
imperial grandeur. The most alluring part of Jodhpur is the traditional
lifestyle, festivity and the smiling people who treasure this former
princely state.
PRIME ATTRACTIONS
FORTS
Mehrangarh Fort - Situated on
a
steep hill, Mehrangarh fort is one of the largest forts in India. The
beauty and the grandeur of numerous palaces in the fort narrates a saga
of hard sandstones yielding to the chisels of skilled Jodhpuri
sculptures.
PALACES
Umaid Bhawan Palace - The only palace built in 20th century under the
famine relief programme, has now been converted into a hotel with some
parts being retained as a museum.
Jaswant Thada - The 19th century royal cenotaph is built in white
marble, in commemoration of Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Some rare portraits
of the rulers of Jodhpur are also displayed here.
MUSEUMS
Government Museum - This museum has a rich collection of weapons,
textiles, miniature portraits, local crafts and images of Jain
Tirthankars. It is situated in the middle of the Umaid public gardens.
OTHERS
Clock Tower & Sadar Market - In the old city, clock tower is a prominent
land mark. But main attraction is the Sadar Market. The market has kept
alive the old 'haat bazaar' culture.
PALACE ON WHEELS
Ever wondered what luxury in the royal times was all about! Welcome to
Palace On Wheels, a luxury train that carries with it an ambience of the
Rajputana era and an exciting fairytale journey, which takes the visitor
to the imperial cities of Rajasthan every single day. The coaches also
carry out an image of the Rajput states with beautiful interiors. Last
but not the least the "Royal Treat" for the passengers on board include
saloons, bar lounges & libraries in every coach as well as restaurant
and organized shopping facilites.
EXCURSIONS
CITIES
Mandore : Towards the north of Jodhpur is the ancient capital of Marwar,
Mandore. It is just 8 kms from the city. Main attractions of the place
are Hall of Heroes with sixteen huge figures carved out of a single
rock, the shrine of 330 million Gods and the royal cenotaphs. But one
can not miss the caves in crags and the sprawling gardens, which are now
shelter place for monkeys and peacocks. Greenery of the place makes
Mandore, in true sense, an oasis.
TEMPLES
Ossian : 65-km from Jodhpur, lie ruins of an ancient city called Ossian.
This city is famous for Brahmanical and Jain temples, which belong to
8th and 11th century. Surya or Sun temple and the Sachiya temples are
famous for their beauty. The 'shikhar' of Sachiya temple is clustered by
two rows of turrets, an ambulatory and a large assembly hall with an
elaborate ceiling.
TRIBES
Guda Bishnoi : The villages are inhabitated by the Bishnoi tribe who are
staunch believers in the sanctity of plant and animal life. Villages are
marked by Khejri trees and deers, which thrive there. 25 kms from
Jodhpur.
LAKES AND PALACES
Balsamand Lake & Palace : This picturesque artificial lake is 7 kms from
the main city. Summer palaces along the embankment and a bird sanctuary
has made it a picnic spot.
Sardar Samand Lake and Palace : Rajasthani village life and vibrant
cultural colours come alive as you drive along the 55 kms stretch. The
monotony of the drive is broken by Chinkaras and Black Bucks who frisk
pass the road.
HOW TO GET THERE
Air: Jodhpur has its own airport and regular flight services conect the
city with other major cities in and around Rajasthan.
Rail: The city is also well connected by the railway lines and trains
are available for other major cities in the country from here. The
'Palace on Wheels' also visits this city of royal splendour.
Road: The state transport has bus services from other cities of the
state and some services are interstate too.
PLACES TO STAY
The variety of hotels and guest houses in Jodhpur makes one feel at
home. Accommodation here is available to suit tourists of every budget.
Hotel Karni Bhawan, Ajit Bhawan are heritage hotels. The Rajasthan
Tourism Department has the Ghoomar Hotel. The palace hotels options
include the Umaid Bhawan Palace, Ratanada Polo Palace, Rajputana Palace.
Raj Basera also provides good accommodation facilities. There are low
budget accommodations avaialable too.
FAIRS & FESTIVALS
The Marwar Festival - Held in October, this festival brings alive the
legend, folklore and romantic lifestyle of Rajasthan's rulers.
SHOPPING
The Sadar Market near the Clock Tower gives immense shopping pleasure to
the locals as well as the visitors. The colourful but hectic bazaar
consists of many narrow lanes, lined with tiny shops. Look for the tie &
dye textiles, embroidered leather shoes, lacquerware, antiques, carpets
and puppets. Here, one can buy exquisite Rajasthani textiles, clay
figurines, miniature camels and elephants, marble inlay work and classic
silver jewellery.
CLIMATE
Jodhpur has extreme type of climate with temperature range variation
being very high. Average rainfall is 32 cm annually. The best season to
visit the city is between October and March |