Jodhpur,
also referred to as the 'Sun City' is the second largest city of Rajasthan.
Situated amidst the sand dunes and thorny vegetation of Thar Desert, the
imperial city of Jodhpur is major tourist destination. Founded by King Rao
Jodah in 1459 A.D, Jodhpur was once the capital of Marwar state. The old
Jodhpur city is encircled by a 10 Kms long wall, with eight entrances and
numerous bastions. The new city of Jodhpur is settled around the walled
area. The magnificent forts, palaces and havelis speaks of royal grandeur.
Apart from the ancient monuments, the city is famous for handicrafts, folk
dance & music, traditional lifestyle, festivity and the smiling people.
Climate of Jodhpur
Jodhpur has a typical desert type of climate, dry and hot in summers and
chilly in winters. The temperature during summers are Max 42.2°C - Min
27.3°C, while during winters the temperatures are Max 27.5°C - Min
9.5°C. Rainfall usually occurs between July to Mid September, which is
very humid. The best time to visit the city is between October and March.
Major Tourist Attractions of Jodhpur
»
Umaid
Bhawan Palace - The palace built in between 1929 and 1943, is one
of the recent palaces of India. Built by Maharaja Umaid Singh, the Palace is
the largest private royal residence of the world. Umaid Bhawan Palace was
built to provide employment to the famine struck people. Chittar sandstone
was used to built the Palace, so it is also called as Chittar Palace. A
portion of Umain Bhawan Palace is now operational as a hotel, which is one
of the luxurious hotels of Rajasthan. While another portion has been
converted into a museum, which displays the story of the Umaid Bhawan
Palace, Art Deco style of architecture and the lifestyle and family
treasures of Royal family.
»
Jaswant Thada - The 19th century white marble cenotaph, was built in the
memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Jaswant Thada is a cluster of royal
cenotaphs, which is a famous for its architectural splendour. There are two
more tombs inside the cenotaph, where some of rare portraits of the rulers
are displayed.
»
Mehrangarh
Fort (Majestic Fort) - The fort located at the top of 125 metre
high hill, is one of the largest forts of the country. Situated in the city
centre, the fort has been a witness to the imperial grandeur of a bygone
era. The original fort was built by Maharaja Rao Jodha in 1459, further
addition were made constantly in the fort by the Jodhpur rulers. Mehrangarh
Fort encloses numerous palaces, which are famous for delicate carvings and
sprawling courtyards. Some of the famous palaces are the Moti Mahal (Pearl
Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh
Khana and Daulat Khana. The fort is still run by the Maharajas of Jodhpur
and it also has a museum. The museum displays the palanquins, howdahs, royal
cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furnitures etc.
» Government Museum - The Government Museum, is
situated in the middle of the Umaid public gardens. The museum has a huge
collection of weapons, textiles, miniature portraits, local crafts and
images of Jain Tirthankars.
»
Mandore - Situated 8 Kms north of Jodhpur, Mandore is the ancient
capital of Marwar. The major attractions of Mandore are the royal cenotaphs,
Hall of Heroes with sixteen big figures carved out of a single rock and the
shrine of 330 million Gods. Other attractions are the caves in crags and the
sprawling gardens, which are ideal picnic spot.
» Balsamand Lake & Palace - Built in 1159, the
picturesque artificial lake, is situated 5 Kms from the main city. Summer
Palaces standing along the side of lake, beautiful gardens and a bird
sanctuary make it an ideal picnic spot.
Shopping in Jodhpur
The Sadar Market in Jodhpur is the popular market, which gives immense
pleasure to shoppers. The colourful market consists of several narrow lanes
is dotted with small shops. The items on sell are tie & dye fabric,
embroidered leather jutis (slippers), lacquerware, antiques, carpets and
puppets etc. One can buy Rajasthani textiles, clay figurines, miniature
camels and elephants, valvet items, marble inlay work and classic silver
jewellery etc.
Reaching
» Air - Jodhpur city has its own Airport. The
airlines operate flights for Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jaipur and Udaipur etc.
» Rail - Jodhpur Railway Station is well connected
to major cities of the country. The trains run to Jodhpur from Delhi,
Jaipur, Mumbai and Kolkata.
» Bus - Jodhpur is connected by good roads with
major cities of the country. The state transport has bus services from other
cities of the state and some services are interstate too. Regular buses run
from Delhi to Jodhpur.
Accommodation at jodhpur Hotels
The city is dotted with a variety of hotels and guest houses, which are
best to stay. The accommodations is available to suit the requirements of
the tourists. Some of the famous hotels are Taj Hari Mahal, Ajit Bhawan
Palace, Bal Samand Lake Palace, Hotel Karni Bhawan and Umaid Bhawan Palace.
