Castles and Forts of Jodhpur

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Jodhpur is one of the major towns in the state of Rajasthan, India. Jodhpur is known as the "blue city of India", with Jaipur being the pink, and Jaisalmer the golden city of Rajasthan. Like other cites of Rajasthan, Jodhpur is also famous for castles and forts. The castles and forts of Jodhpur represent the prominent royal culture that once prevailed in the city.

Jodhpur is also known as the "sun city of Rajasthan" as it enjoys bright sunny weather most of the year. Winter is the best time to visit Jodhpur. The forts of Jodhpur are historical monuments that are flocked with tourists from October to February.

Although there are a couple of small and big historical monuments, the major fort of Jodhpur is the Mehrangarh fort. The fort is iconic of the royal Hindu kingdom. It shows the hardship and mightiness of the Rajasthani rulers. Mehrangarh looks like a massive stone structure with impenetrable gates.

Here is a brief description of the Mehrangarh Fort in Johpur:

Mehrangarh Fort

Mehrangarh Fort

Located on 400 feet above the town of Jodhpur, Mehrangarh fort overlooks the city of Jodhpur. From the top of the Mehrangarh fort you can see the indigo blue houses of Jodhpur that gives the city its blue landscape.

Mehrangarh fort was built by Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur. Rao Jodha belonged to the Rathore clan and was the fifteenth Rathore ruler. Mehrangarh is not simply a palace. It is a fort built by a true Khashtriya ruler in typical Hindu style.

The fort has seven gates and thick walls encompass the fort making it unassailable by enemies. Many portions of the fort still bear the marks of the attacks that it has survived. The mark of cannon ball on the second gate is one such example.

The gates of the fort are devoted to special cause. For example Jayapol was made to celebrate the victory over Jaipur and Bikaner. Similarly Lahapol was made in the memory of queens who performed "sati" or self-immolation after Maharaja Man Singh's death.

However the design of the fort has been repeatedly altered by different kings who ruled Jodhpur. Many renovations have also been done by Mughul rulers and thus some parts of the fort are influenced by Mughul architecture.

The rampant of the fort glows golden in the bright sunshine of Jodhpur. The whole fort is built is yellow sandstone. From the top of the fort one can see the huge walls that formed the boundary of the once walled city of Jodhpur. And then one understands why the castles and forts of Jodhpur are so popular.

Tourists can reach the top of the fort with the help of elevator. They can see various important sections like Moti Mahal, Sringar Chowk, Pearl Palace, temple, and so on. It takes 2 hours to go through the whole fort.

Mehrangarh fort brings alive the life and story of Hindu rulers who put up a brave front against Mughuls and later Britishers. It is worth seeing experiencing the colors of a strong Khashtriya kingdom and their stories of bravery.

Mehrangarh fort is totally dedicated to tourists now. The royal family now stays in another castle that is known as the Umaid Bhavan Palace. Umaid Bhavan is another great destination among the castles and forts of Jodhpur. But Mehrangarh is a true fort for all practical purposes.