subject: Jodhpur The Beautiful Sun City [print this page] Situated at a distance of about 355 km west of Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan is Jodhpur, the second biggest city of the state. As it is geographically located at the centre of the state, Jodhpur has emerged as an important tourist centre and transit base to reach other tourist destinations of the state.
Jodhpur has earned many sobriquets like Gateway to Thar, Sun City and Blue City among others. Jodhpur is called the Gateway to Thar because it is located right next to the border of the Great Indian Desert the Thar Desert. It earned the name Sun City because it experiences bright, sunny days all through the year. Jodhpur is called the Blue City as all the houses around the Mehrangarh Fort are painted in blue colour.
Jodhpur is named after its founder, Rao Jodha, who was the chief of the Rathore Clan. Rao Jodha founded Jodhpur in the year 1459 to serve as his capital city. The erstwhile name of Jodhpur was Marwar. The history of Jodhpur can be dated back to the period when Rathores settled near Pali, after fleeing from their homeland Kaunaj because of the Afghans. Soon, they strongly established their kingdom here by marrying princesses of the powerful local kingdoms, which added to their strength and power.
The fact that the Rathores enjoyed healthy relations with the Mughal emperors also helped in the growth of their kingdom. However, it was under the reign of Maharaja Umed Singh that Jodhpur started its transformation into a modern city. Finally, under the British rule, it achieved greater prosperity.
Jodhpur is a well-known tourist destination famous for its forts, palaces and havelis that throw light upon the rich culture, architecture and heritage of Rajasthan. A land of festivals and fairs, Jodhpur hosts many cultural extravaganzas like the Marwar Festival, Desert Kite Festival and the Nagaur Fair, to name a few.
Jodhpur has contributed a uniquely styled trouser called the Jodhpurs. The Jodhpur trousers are normally loose around the thigh and tight at the calf. It was mainly designed for comfortable horse riding as well as for playing polo. It was Sir Pratap Singh who invented it in 1887. Before long, it caught the fancy of the British nobility who soon made it popular.
The major sightseeing attractions of Jodhpur are the Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Rai ka Baag Palace, Balsammand Lake, Kaylana Lake, Umed Garden and Nehru Park, to list a few.
The best time to visit Jodhpur is the winter months extending from November to March. Well-connected and easily accessible from all parts of Rajasthan, Jodhpur has emerged as a favourite tourist destination of the desert kingdom, drawing in tourists from all over.
