subject: Jodhpur The Sun City [print this page] Rajasthan is a state in Northern India which offers unlimited tour options and innumerable travel destinations which can be dream destinations for travel enthusiasts. Visit any part or city of the state you will return with memories of a lifetime. Jodhpur is one such city of this royal Indian state which is no exception.
Located right next to the Thar Desert, Jodhpur is the second largest city of Rajasthan, after Jaipur, the state capital. Centrally located, Jodhpur has evolved as an important tourist base of Rajasthan. Also referred as 'The Gateway to Thar' due to its proximity to Thar Desert, Jodhpur is known as the Gateway to Thar which is home to some of the very popular tourist spots such as Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Khejaria Fort, and Umaid Bhawan Palace. The city is also popularly called as The Sun City due to it being sunny throughout the year and also as the 'Blue City' as all the houses in the city are painted in indigo blue. The city is famous for its many elegant palaces, extravagant temples, huge forts and mausoleums that feature much admired sculptures, moldings and art works.
One of the principal centers of attraction of the city id the majestic Mehrangarh fort. It is the focal point of attraction for the domestic as well as the international tourist. The Mehrangarh Fort is the largest of all forts in Jodhpur that dominates the skyline. Situated on a hill in the outskirts of Jodhpur city, 5 km away, this imposing fort houses several intricately carved palaces, spacious courtyards and imposing gates.
Built by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1944, Umaid Bhawan Palace is amongst Indias last of the greatest palaces. It is a must visit place in Jodhpur. A unique feature of the palace is its distinctively British architecture, which reflects taste for a colonial way of life of the Maharaja.
Jaswant Thada is also an architechtural masterpiece which is situated between the city of Jodhpur and the fort of Mehrangarh. It is a cenotaph built out of sheets of pure white marble in the memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh.
Mahamandir temple is another must visit spot durin a tour of Jodhpur which is just 2 km out of the city and is a very unusual piece of early 19th century architecture. Literally meaning the big temple it holds its own among the other architectural masterpieces in and around Jodhpur.
Some of the lakes in Jodhpur are star attraction for the travellers. Kailana Lake is a popular picnic spot and the main drinking water source for the city. Balsamand Lake has been converted into a resort. Gulab Sagar Lake was constructed for the storage of water. This lake was constructed by Gulab Rai in 1788.
Jodhpur has evolved into a modern city under the reign of Maharaja Umed Singh. Jodhpur had even prospered during the British era. The city's strategic location on the route connecting the state of Gujarat to Delhi played a major role in turning it into a flourishing trade centre that dealt in the trade of opium, copper, silk, sandals, date palms and coffee.
The tour of Jodhpur is incomplete without tasting some of the special cuisine of the city. There are some luscious delicacies of India that have origins from the city of Jodhpur. Some of the special delicacies of this wonderful city are spicy hot mirchi bada, mawa kachori, makhniya lassi, lapsi, panchkuta etc. Apart from these cuisines, there are many others like Ras Malai, Kadi, bajre ka sogra and much more.
Jodhpur is a wonderful city and is famous all over the world for its royal elegance and it is also described as the window to one of the most splendid deserts of the world known as Thar Desert. Renowned for its forts, palaces, gardens and cenotaphs dotting the landscape, Jodhpur offers a wonderful travel experience to the visitors.
