Tourist Places in Jodhpur

An Oasis In The Vast Desert.

Introduction

Jodhpur famously dubbed as the Sun City is a land of chivalry and regalia. It is an oasis in the desert which calls on large number of tourists from across the globe. The captivating charm of this city lies in its palaces, forts, monuments, museums, lake ,gardens and fairs and festivals.
This beautiful city was founded by the chief of the Rathore Clan - Rao Jodha in 1459.  It is also known as the Blue City due to the indigo tinge of the whitewashed houses around the Mehrangarh Fort. The soul stimulating charm of Jodhpur captured the heart of the famous Rudyard Kipling who shot some of the scenes of his film the Jungle Book in this city.

History
The enchanting city Jodhpur was founded by Rao Jodha, the erstwhile ruler of the Rathore clan in the 15th century. This place was ruled by the Rathores who controlled much of Marwar region in western Rajasthan. Later on this place became a fief of the Mughal empire and it entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British empire.

Jodhpur Attractions

Mehrangarh Fort
This is one of the finest and most formidable forts in India spread over an area of 5 sq km. It is a magnificent fort situated on a steep 125 meter high hillock and graciously overlooking the city. The fort is renowned for its beautiful palaces like the Phool Mahal, Moti Mahal and Sheesh Mahal. An exquisite collection of musical instruments, palanquins, furniture and cannons are another popular attractions of this fort.

Umaid Bhawan Palace
It is a stunning palace located on the Chittar Hill. This is one of the largest residence in the world. The unique striking feature of the palace is that it always maintains pleasant climate. Its interiors are simply breathtaking.

Fort Chanwa Luni
This fort is famous for its architectural design and decoration. The captivating charm of this fort lies in its intricate windows carvings or jharokas, latticeworks on the stairways, corridors, secret rooms, passages and  courtyards.

Raj Ranchhodji Temple
This temple is famous for its beautiful filigree work in red sandstone. The temple was built by the  queen Jadechi Rajkanwar wife of king Jaswant Singh. The temple has a black marble statue of Ranchhodji.

Mandore
It is renowned for the royal cenotaphs which are the perfect example of architectural brilliance and aesthetic design. This place was the capital of the valiant Rathores before Rao Jodha established Jodhpur.

Jaswant Thada
This is famous for the 19th  century royal cenotaph. It is located north of the Mehrangarh Fort. The cenotaph of Jaswant Singh II which was built in 1899 is the most impressive with ornamental gardens and chattris made of white marble.
Balsamand Lake and Palace
This was once an enchanting royal summer palace situated on the embankments of a beautiful and serene Balsamand Lake.

When to Visit Jodhpur
The best time of the year to visit Jodhpur is between October to March.

Jodhpur Cuisine
Jodhpur is famous for its several delectable food items such as Makhaniya Lassi (a drink made with curd and sugar), Mawa Kachori, Pyaaj Kachori and Mirchibada (a hot and spicy food).

Jodhpur Shopping
Jodhpur is famous for its wide varieties of bandhini (tie and dye fabric), footwear (mainly embroidered jutis),  handicrafts, lac works and bangles, utensils and several other antique items. 

Jodhpur Accommodation
Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination of Rajasthan. Here tourists can find hundreds of accommodation units ranging from star rated hotels to budget or economy hotels and resorts. RTDC also runs several hotels which are also better places to stay among tourists during their Jodhpur visit.

How to Reach Jodhpur

Jodhpur by Air
Jodhpur airport is connected to Jaipur, Delhi, Udaipur and Mumbai by daily regular flights. The airport is nearly 5 km away from the city centre.

Jodhpur by Train
Jodhpur railhead is an important rail junction. It is well connected to all major cities in India including Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai.

Jodhpur by Bus
Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation provides bus services to all cities in Rajasthan from Jodhpur. Private deluxe buses are available from Jaipur, Delhi, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Agra.