Location
The
city of Jodhpur stands at the edge of Thar Desert in the western part of the
state Rajasthan, India.
The City Jodhpur
The Desert City of Jodhpur is the second largest city in Rajasthan after
Jaipur. It was the capital of the Marwar state and was founded by Rao Jodha,
the chief of the Rathore clan of Rajputs, in 1459 A.D. The city is
surrounded by a massive fort with a 10km long wall. The magnificent forts,
palaces and temples are the major attractions of the city that represent its
glorious past. The city Jodhpur is also known as the 'blue city' because of
the indigo coloured houses in the old town. The exquisite handicrafts, folk
dances and music talk about its historic grandeur.
Climate
The city of Jodhpur experiences a typical desert type climate with high
temperature difference. The maximum temperature during summers is 40 degrees
C and the minimum average temperature during winters is 11 degrees C. The
city receives an average annual rainfall of 359.5 mm during July and August.
Sightseeing
The forts, palaces and temples are the major attractions of the city which
offers an insight view of its rich history, religion and culture.
» The Mehrangarh Fort - Spreading over an area of
5km on a hilltop, it is one of the largest fort in India. The fort complex
houses several palaces inside it like Moti Mahal, Sheesh Mahal and Phool
Mahal, Sukh Mahal, Maan Vilas with many halls and courtyards. There is also
a museum inside the complex that exhibits ancient weapons, portrait and
miniature paintings. The fort complex is open from 9 am to 5 pm daily.
»
Umaid Bhawan - The palace was built by Maharaja Umaid Singh under a
famine relief programme in the 20th century. It is also known as the Chittar
Palace as a particular type of sandstone named Chittar was used to construct
it. A portion of the palace is now converted into a heritage hotel and a
museum. The entry time to the palace is from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm and no
photography is allowed inside.
» Jaswant Thada - This attractive white marble
memorial was built in the memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Some
portraits of the rulers of the city are also displayed here. The monument is
open daily from 9 am to 5 pm with an entry fee of Rs 10.
Other Attractions
Some other tourist places are Sadar Government Museum, Kalayan Lake and
Clock Tower.
Fairs and Festivals
The people of this princely state celebrate their rich past and culture
with countless fairs & festivals. The major ones are the Marwar
Festival, Nag Panchami and Nav Sati. These festivals serve as a platform to
showcase the local folk music, dances, arts, crafts and traditional
cuisines.
Shopping
The shopping in Jodhpur provides a delightful experience. Exquisite
handicraft items, carved furniture, traditional clothes are the major
purchasing items. Several handloom houses including the Sankhala handloom,
Thar Handloom, National Handloom Corp. are some shopping places for
handicraft items. Also one can go to the Sadar Market, Mochi Bazaar and
Kapra Bazar for traditional Jodhpur shoes(Jutis) and textiles.
Accommodation
The
city of Jodhpur provides some of the best accommodation facilities for
luxury and budget class travellers. Hotels of all categories ranging from
deluxe to budget provide all kinds of basic modern facilities for a
comfortable stay. Some of the major ones are :
» Deluxe - Umaid Bhawan Palace, Karni Bhawan,
Fortune Ummaid etc.
» Economy - City Palace, Hotel Kalinga, etc.
» Budget - Hotel Chandra Inn, Shri Ram
International, etc.
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