Tour to Jodhpur

Jodhpur is a fascinating city of India. It houses one of Rajasthan's finest forts called the Mehrangarh Fort. Jodhpur is renowned for its magnificent forts and palaces. Travel to Jodhpur which is the second largest city of Rajasthan. It is a major tourist attraction in the country and one of the most reputed tourist cities in India.

Location of Jodhpur

The city is situated at the edge of the Thar Desert with Jaisalmer on its west, Barmar, Jalor and Pali on its south, Bikaner on its north, and Nagaur on the eastern side.

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History of Jodhpur

Travel to Jodhpur, a city founded by the Rajput chief Rao Jodha in 1459. Jodhpur was the erstwhile capital of the Marwar state. There is a 10-km-long wall made of stone that was built about a century after the city was founded that surrounds the old city. If you travel to Jodhpur you can see about 100 towers in the city, most of which are surrounded by defensive battlements. The city has got a long and checkered history.

It was actually the Rathore Rajputs who moved to Marwar - 'the region of death' in 1211 and when reached they were defeated by Muhammad Ghori at Kannauj. Rao Jodha, the Rathore chieftain was forced to leave the former Rajput capital at Mandore in 1459. This was because the place was not located strategically. As a result they chose a new place, located 8 kms. from Mandore on the edge of Thar Desert.

The Rathores controlled a large part of Rajasthan, especially during the reigns of Rao Udai Singh (1581 AD) and his son Raja Sur Singh ((1595), who conquered Gujarat and a good part of Deccan for the Mughal Emperor Akbar. They always had good relationships with the Mughals.

The story goes that Maharaja Jaswant Singh (1678) supported Shahjahan in the Mughal struggle for war of succession. However, they did not have a cordial relationship with Aurangzeb. After the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, Maharaja Ajit Singh became the ruler of Jodhpur. He drove out the Mughals from Ajmer. After that the city of Jodhpur prospered a lot due to its location on the strategic Delhi - Gujarat trading route.

When to Visit Jodhpur

The best time to travel to Jodhpur is from November to March.

How to Reach Jodhpur by Air

You can travel to Jodhpur by plane as the city is connected to Delhi, Jaipur and Udaipur with flights of state owned Indian Airlines and its subsidiary Alliance Air. The airport is located 5 km south of the city. Thus, a travel to Delhi from here is easy for any traveler.

How to Reach Jodhpur by Rail

One can reach Jodhpur even by the rail route. The city's rail connections are available to Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Kota, Ahmedabad, Delhi and Bikaner. Tourist quotas are available in such cases.

How to Reach Jodhpur by Road

You can also travel to Jodhpur by bus from the neighboring places of Jaisalmer and Udaipur. Buses are available for Udaipur, Jaipur, Ajmer, Jaisalmer, Ahmedabad and Delhi.

Local Transport in Jodhpur

When you are in the city, bikes are the best means of transportation. One can explore the city by means of that. Cycling is another way of exploring the beauty of the landscapes. Taxis, autos and tourist cars are also available at reasonable rates to explore places nearby.

Tourist Attractions in Jodhpur

Travel to Jodhpur and get lost in its mesmerizing beauty. View the enchanting Mehrangarh Fort. It is one of Rajasthan's finest forts. This fort is situated at an altitude of about 125 meters and is spread over an area of 5 sq. km with seven gates. You can drive up or walk to the top of the small and lightly steep hill from where the fort emerges.

Jaswant Thada on the other hand is a white marble cenotaph dedicated to Maharaja Jaswant. This memorial was built in 1899.It has red sandstone stairs that leads up to the chessboard checked courtyard. There are several portraits of Jodhpur royalty inside this memorial. It is a peaked structure with trellis work and excellent carving.

Umaid Bhawan is another masterpiece structure of the city. It is a palace of beautiful corridors and staircases. It is a wonderful palace of beige sandstone built by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1928 and designed by the President of the British Royal Institute of Architects. This fort is a blend of several styles. It portrays the Raj influence and pre-independence royal living. It is a palace of royal auditorium ballrooms, huge dinning-room, gilded royal furniture, majestic tiger and deerskins on the walls, a library of old books, crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows, liveried menservants and doormen, swimming pool in basement, various old photographs. The lawn outside is filled with rows of red and white flowering bushes.

Besides, do not forget to pay a visit to the famous Jodhpur Museum when you travel to Jodhpur. This museum exhibits a rich collection of armory, textiles, arts and crafts, miniature paintings, portraits, manuscripts and images of Jain Tirthankaras.

Excursions from Jodhpur

When you travel to Jodhpur do visit Mandore which was the established capital of the old Marwar Kingdom. It is only nine kilometers away from the city of Jodhpur. Mandore is a fascinating complex of sprawling gardens, massive cenotaphs, temples, ruins and sculpture. It has several cenotaphs in memory of the Jodhpur Maharajas. These cenotaphs are intricately carved, peaked, temple-like structures of sculpted facades. The walls and pillars are decorated with the images of Gods, goddesses, animals, lotuses, etc. The largest and most noteworthy cenotaph is dedicated to Maharaja Ajit Singh. In the halls you will find the various deities and rulers with rows of beautiful old tiles and excellent ceramic art. Some of these depict Lord Rama or Lord Krishna. Tour to Jodhpur India

The Mahamandir Temple should also be a part of your itinerary. It is just two kilometers away on the Mandore Road. It is an impressive temple with 84 pillars adorned with carvings of yogic postures.

Kailana Lake is another exciting tourist attraction in Jodhpur. It has a picnic spot in the vicinity. The sunset is beautiful from here. It is 11 kilometers from Jodhpur.

Balsamand Lake and Palace on the embankments of this calm lake is a must watch. Balsamand Lake is located 7 kilometers away from Jodhpur. Sardar Samand Lake is another such nearby lake.

Osian is a place in the city that has the ruins of 16 Jain and Hindu temples. It was built between the 8th and 11th centuries and is located 65 km away from Jodhpur.

Nagaur should also be a part of your travel to Jodhpur. It is known for an old fort and palace with beautiful murals of lore and legends. It is 135 kilometers from Jodhpur. It is best known, in fact reputed in the whole of Asia, for arranging the annual cattle fair in the months of January or February.

Make sure you visit all these places when you travel to Jodhpur. TSI Holidays.com offers online information on Travel to Jodhpur. Tour to Jodhpur India