Thursday, July 3, 2008

Jodhpur, and the great Meherangarh Fort.


















Jodhpur is 195 kms south of Bikaner and 285 kms south-west of Jaipur. I would call Bikaner Jodhpur and Jaisalmer the "dessert triangle."
The 'ruling' dynasty, the Rathore clan of Rajputs have their origin in the Deccan as the Rashtrakuta dynasty that ruled as the vassals of the Kannauj rulers.(Kannauj-link) Shivaji Sihoji, grandson of the last ruler of Kannauj, Jai Chand(- the latter defeated by Shatab-uddin,) left on a pilgrimage to the north; at a place near present Jodhpur, Pali, he was befriended by the local Brahmins he saved from marauders, and who then persuaded him to settle there! Nine generations later, Rao Chanda (1383-1424) beat back a Muslim invasion in the region and acquired the city of Mandore, few kilometers from present Jodhpur, and then on, the fortunes of the Rathore clan turned for the better. Chanda's grandson Rao Jodha(1438-1489) founded Jodhpur city in 1459; he is also credited by many as the actual founder of the State of Jodhpur. But Rao Jodha had fourteen sons and twenty-three brothers from whom the rulers and nobles of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kishangarh, Ratlam, Idar and Ahmednagar are descended ! This link for history of the Princely State of Jodhpur.
Jodhpur is referred as the Blue City, as most of the houses in the old city are washed in blue colour.
The city is famous for its impregnable hilltop forttress, the Meherangarh Fort, and the huge majestic Umaid Bhavan Palace, now a heritage hotel. The well known Jodhpur shoes get their name from here.
more info on Jodhpur link, and link 2.

Jodhpur, getting there

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