Jodhpur, also known as "Sun City" in the second largest city of Rajasthan, located at the edge of the Thar desert. Jodhpur was founded in 1459 A.D. by Rao Jodha-chief of the Rathore clan of Rajputs who claimed to be descendants of Rama - hero of the epic 'Ramayana'. The Rathores enjoyed good relations with all the Mughals, except Aurangzeb. Maharaja Jaswant Singh even supported Shahjahan in his struggle for succession. After Aurangzeb's death, Maharaja Ajit Singh drove out Mughals from Ajmer and added it to Marwar (now Jodhpur). Under the reign of Maharaja Umed Singh, Jodhpur grew into a fine modern city.
Jodhpur having Graceful Palaces, Beautiful Forts and Temples strewn throughout the city bring alive the historic Grandeur, Exquisite Handicrafts, Folk Dances, Folk Music and the brightly attired people lend a romantic aura to the city.
Area of Jodhpur : 22,850 Sq. Kms. (approx.)
Population in Jodhpur : 28,86,505 (approx.)
STD Code of Jodhpur : 0288
Altitude of Jodhpur : 230 meters above the sea level.
Best time to visit Jodhpur : October to March
Languages Spoken in Jodhpur : English, Hindi, Rajasthani, Marwari
Jodhpur Tourist Attractions :
Mehrangarh Fort : The 5 km long majestic fort on a 125 m high elevated land is one of the most impressive and formidable structure in Jodhpur. Although invincible from the outside, the fort has four gates approached by a winding road. Within the fort are some awesome palaces with interestingly carved panels, latticed windows and evocative names.
Umaid Bhawan Palace : Also known as Cheetar Palace, the Umaid Bhawan Palace is the only 20th century palace built under the famine relief project that gave employment to famine struck population. The palace was completed in 16 years. The brilliant monument built in sandstone is still the residence of the former rulers with a section of it running as a hotel and remaining part as a museum.
Dhawa Doli Wildlife Sanctuary : 40 km south west of Jodhpur, once can spot blackbucks, partridges, desert fox and blue bull or nilgai at this sanctuary.
Balsamand Lake : Balsamand lake (7 km from the main city) a popular picnic spot built in 1159 A.D. Next to the lake stands the Balsamand Palace, a red sand stone structure exhibiting fine Rajput architecture. The palace was built by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1936 and is today a heritage hotel. Lush green gardens have been created around the lake and groves of mango, guava, papaya and other fruits have also been developed.
Sardar Samand Lake : Sardar Samand Lake (55 km from Jodhpur) beckon countless varieties of migratory birds and animals. Blackbuck, neelgai and chinkara are some of the animals that can be easily spoted near the lake. Besides the lake is the Sardar Samand Lake resort built by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1933. The resort was a hunting lodge which was later converted into a luxury hotel
Museums in Jodhpur : Government Museum, Jodhpur : Government Museum of Jodhpur is situated on the High Court Road. It stands in the middle of the Umaid public gardens. The museum building and the garden were developed during the time of Maharaja Umaid Singhji. It encompasses a wide collection of weapons, textiles, miniature portraits and local arts and crafts. Also displayed in the museum are, portraits of rulers and the manuscripts and images of Jain Tirthankars. There is also a military section, exhibiting cumbersome wooden biplane models and an extraordinary brass battleship.
Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum : The museum is very well maintained, displaying an exclusive range of items belonging to the Maharaja and the royal family. Rajasthan's famous Umaid Bhavan Palace Museum is highly recommended for its display of items ranging from weapons to an array of stuffed leopards to antiques to some fascinating crockery to various trophies. Also exhibited is a huge banner presented by Queen Victoria and an amazing collection of clocks. Tthe services of a well-known Edwardian architect, Henry Vaughan Lanchester to get Umaid Bhavan palace constructed. A part of the palace now houses the Umaid Bhavan Palace of Jodhpur.
Gardens in Jodhpur :
Mandore Garden : The rocky terrain and the cenotaphs of Jodhpur's former rulers make this garden attractive to tourists. Its extensive Mandore garden, with high rock terrace, makes it a popular local attraction. The garden is open for tourists from 8 am to 8 pm. Also in this garden of Jodhpur, is "The Shrine of the Three Hundred Million Gods", filled with brightly colored images of the various Hindu Gods.
Umed Garden : Umed garden has a zoo along with an aviary which acts as a special attraction to kids. It is spread on an area of 82 acres. The famous Umed garden of Jodhpur, Rajasthan was developed by Maharaja Umed Singh. It is named after him only. The garden has five separate gates around it to facilitate entry to the garden from different directions. It has lush green lawns with beautiful roses and other seasoned flowers. Also inside the garden, is a museum, towering Ashoka trees, artistically designed fountains, a library and a zoo.
Nehru Park : Developed specifically for children, this park is famous for its fountains, ponds, etc. The park is covering an area of 14 acres. Nehru Park was developed as a park for children. Earlier there was a pond named Bakhat Sagar pond. But slowly and gradually the pond deteriorated with the city's dirty water getting collected there. In order to solve the problem, its upper portion was converted into Bakhat Sagar residential colony. The lower portion of the pond contains the Nehru park now.
Temples in Jodhpur :Religion and worship are deeply rooted in the people of Jodhpur. There are not only Hindu temples in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Rather, there are places of worship in Jodhpur, India for people of every religion. Jodhpur has churches for Christians, mosques for Muslims, gurudwaras for Sikhs and even Jain temples for Janis. This shows the amount of religious freedom in the city.
Some famous Jodhpur Temples : Chamundaji Temple, Raj Ranchhodji Temple, Achal Nath Shivalaya, Siddhanth Shiv Temple, Rasik Bihari Temple, Baba Ramdeo Temple, Udai Mandir (Temple), Kunj Bihari Temple, Ghanshyamji Temple, Lord Ganesh Temple, Badli Behron Temple, Rameshwar Mahadev Temple, Etc.
Fairs and Festivals in Jodhpur :
Marwar Festival Jodhpur : Marwar Festival is most famous festival of Jodhpur. Marwar Festival of Jodhpur was originally known as the Maand Festival. The festival is held in the month of Ashwin. Ashwin is a Hindu month between September-October. The Marwar festival in Jodhpur is celebrated during the full moon of Sharad Poornima. It goes on for two days. The main attraction of this festival is the folk music centered on the romantic lifestyle of Rajasthan's rulers. The music and dance of the Marwar region is the main theme of this festival. The folk dancers and singers assemble at the festival and provide lively entertainment. These folk artists give others a peek into the days of yore, of battles and of the heroes who still live on through their songs. Among other attractions at the festival, is the camel tattoo show and polo.
Nagaur Fair : Nagaur Fair, Jodhpur is the second biggest fair in India. The fair goes on for eight days and held every year during the month of Jan-Feb. It is popularly known as the Cattle fair of Nagaur. This is because the Nagaur Fair is mainly all about trading of animals. Approximately 70,000 bullocks, camels and horses are traded every year in this fair. The animals lavishly decorated and even their owners dress up wearing colorful turbans and long moustaches. Other trading in the Nagaur Fair consists of sheep to Marwari horses to spices. Some other attractions include the Mirchi bazaar (largest red-chilly market of India), wooden items, iron-crafts and camel leather accessories.
Jodhpur International Desert Kite Festival : The International kite festival of Jodhpur began only a few years. In the Jodhpur International Desert Kite festival, the best kite flyers from India as well as rest of the world take part. The aim is to show of your kite flying skills. A lot of excitement surrounds this festival. Generally, the date of this Kite Festival in India is 14th January (Makar Sankranti). It is a three-day festival, held at the Polo Ground in Jodhpur. Air Force helicopters also release a large number of kites from above. Hundreds of schoolchildren also release balloons. During the kite festival, the sky gets filled up with kites of various designs and colors. There is a lot of enthusiasm among the people also regarding this festival.
Other Popular Festivals : Teej Festival, Gangaur Festival, Deepawali (Diwali) Festival, Nag Panchami, Nav Sati, Veerpuri Fair, Holi Festival, Etc.
Shopping in Jodhpur : Jodhpur is a veritable shopper's paradise. There are so many markets to fulfill your thrust of shopping viz. Tripolia bazaar, Sarafa bazar, Sardarpura Market, Sojati Gate, National Handloom is most popular departmental shop where you will found all type of accessories and cloths situated in Nai Sarak and if you are tired with shopping take Jodhpur speciality- Mrichi bada and some sweets available near this shop. Jodhpur is home to many talented and skilled craftsmen like textile dyers, metal engravers and'die-makers, and probably the last of the tailors of the classic 'Jodhpur' breeches. Specially Jodhpuri suit gives you a royal identity to your dressing.
Given below information about the main Jodhpur shopping places and their famous items :
- Sojati Gate : Gifts shops and Tie & Dye Sarees
- Station Road : Leather, Embroidered Shoes and Utensils
- Sardar Market : General Mercandise
- Tripollia Bazar : Loacal Handicrafts and Textiles
- Mochi Bazar : Embroidered Shoes and Utensiles
- Lakhera Bazar : Lac Work and Bangles
Accommodations in Jaipur :There are a number of Hotels in Jodhpur. Accommodation in Jodhpur is available to suit tourists of every budget. Low budget accommodation is also easily available in Jodhpur. Following are some of the popular Hotels in Jodhpur :
- Abhay Days Jodhpur
- Ajit Bhawan Palace
- Balsamand Lake Palace
- Chandra Inn Jodhpur
- Karni Bhawan Jodhpur
- Park Plaza Jodhpur
- Ranbanka Jodhpur
- Ratanada Polo Palace
- Shri Ram International Jodhpur
- Taj Hari Mahal Jodhpur
- The Ummed Jodhpur
- Umaid Bhawan Jodhpur
How to Reach Jodhpur :By Air : The Jodhpur Airport is 5 km from the city center. Regular flight services connect the city with other major cities in and around Rajasthan. There are daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur and Jaipur.
By Train : Jodhpur is well connected by railway lines. Trains to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata are easily available. The 'Palace on Wheels' also visits this city of royal splendor.
By Road : Another convenient mode of transportation to Jodhpur is by road. The main highway between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer is via Agoli and Pokaran. The highway is well connected with Agra, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Delhi, Jaipur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur by bus.
