Bluecity Walk - Never ending footprints

Rajasthan is the most colorful state in the country with wide concoction of culture, tradition, music, cuisines, & people always looking forward to welcoming you. “padharo mhare des”.

Trip to Jodhpur

Jodhpur 2nd largest city in the State. The bird’s eye view of the city of Jodhpur was nothing less than ‘A sea of bright blue houses”. The old city of Jodhpur is primarily dominated by the blue colored houses. Jodhpur is probably the only city in India that is hegemonized to its tag of “The blue city”. A walk through the city streets lined with houses that reflect the clear blue skies will leave you refresh.

There is no proper explanation for why Jodhpur is called the “blue city”.

The reasons cited by the people is that the Brahmins(upper class) society started painting their houses in blue color to distinguished themselves from lower caste.Others reasons are that blue color acts as survival from heat. So to prevent themselves from deadly heat, houses were painted in blue color. There can be numerous reasons behind blue color. But what actually makes Jodhpur, as prominent place in India is its glorious past & prosperous history. The things you can’t miss out if you are in Jodhpur, smell of kachori & jalebi, busy street of people wearing their colorful traditional cloths, shopping at ghanta ghar where you have no time to bargain, because there is so much to shop. Those Colorful bandhani dupattas.

Jodhpur will take you to past history when you step inside Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Umaid Bhawan Palace and Mandore Garden.

Mehrangarh fort

There is much said and written about Mehrangarh fort. It is known as one of the best preserved fort in India and now I have seen it & I totally concur it. The fort has so much to capture. This fort can be the best place for photography lover. For heritage seeker this fort is a treasure trove.

Mehrangarh fort is located on the hillock of the city giving 360 degree bird eye view of the city. Four hundred feet above the sky line of Jodhpur, looks over the blue city.

Mehrangarh fort entrance itself has some interesting sights. There are total seven gates. We entered fort through The Loha Gate. So the entrance of the gate is steep one & colorful one showcasing the blue houses. You will find many musician, puppeteers & dancers presenting their culture & welcoming you in their unique way. “Padharo mhare des.” along the way you reach the huge iron gate apparently named “The Loha Gate”. Loha means Iron & gate with its sharp spikes totally justifies the name.

As you enter the gate, on the right hand side, you will see hand prints in orange color. These are not ordinary hand prints, but the last memories of women committing the act of ‘Sati’. A tragic practice indeed.

As you pass through the loha gate. You will admire the beautiful architecture of the fort. The gorgeous contrasting color of the fort was just mesmerizing.

The intricate details of the ornate red sandstone carvings of shringar chowk, Jaali windows, the gallery of paintings, ornate palanquins in the daulat khana,intricate mirror work in the Sheesh Mahal, large courtyards and the towering terrace of the fort gives you a sense of grandness and royalty.

2. Umaid Bhavan Palace

Umaid Bhavan Palace is one of the largest private residencies in the world. Built in between 1928-1943 by Umaid Singh of Rathore Dynasty. The palace streaches across 26 acres of gardens. Part of Umaid Bhavan Palace is now convereted into heritage hotel & renamed it Taj Umaid Bhavan Palace.

It was the last royal palace built in India before independence. The part of Grand palace houses a museum. The museum showcases the culture & rich history of marwar.The palace also offers the collection of vintage cars from around the world. The spectacular of the royal Umaid bhavan palace is one of the most ionic landmarks of Jodhpur.

3. Mandore Garden

As we started walking towards the garden, we saw at entrance there were no ticket counters, & as we know place without ticket counter is never maintained well. But it was not the same in his case, the path was so clean that you won't even find any littering. So we started walking towards garden. You will find many monkeys & langurs on your way to mandore garden. I bet you you will fall in love with the moneys. While visiting the Mandore Garden, don’t forget to take a pause and listen to the soulful Rajasthani folk songs by the local singer right outside the complex.

Mandore garden the unforgotten capital of marwar region is replete with old temples, cenotaphs (chattris), and several other monuments. A walk around the garden showcases the rich architecture. Climb a small hill & explore the old palace & enjoy the lovely nook of the city.

4. jaswant thada

Jaswant thada Taj Mahal of Marwar in Jodhpur. Built by Maharaja Jaswant Singh II (the 33rd ruler of Jodhpur).Jaswant Thada is a cenotaph situated right by the approach road to Mehranghan fort.

The splendid Jaswant Thada is a perfect example of Rajputana style of architecture. The flawless design & architecture is symbolic of fine craftsmanship of the bygone era. The main memorial is built like a temple with beautiful domes & fine carved sculptures.

While visiting the Jaswant Thada, don’t forget to take a pause and listen to the soulful Rajasthani folk songs by the local singer right outside the complex.

Where to stay?

When it comes to accommodation, Jodhpur has a variety of options ranging from budget hotels, hostels, home-stays to ultra luxury heritage hotels and resorts. You can choose accommodation based on your preferences. In case if you are looking for the best budget stay options, Zostel is the best to choose for backpackers, OYO Rooms where you can find budget hotels.

Getting there

Air: There are regular flights from the major cities like Mumbai, Jaipur, Udaipur and Delhi.

Train: Jodhpur is well connected via railway. There are regular flights to jodhpur from major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata. If you want to explore the luxury train ride to experience the royal Rajasthan you can also choose the super luxurious train palace on the wheels.

Bus: You can reach Jodhpur via road as well. The city is well connected by buses from Delhi and other places within Rajasthan. You can also take road trip to Jodhpur from Mumbai via private vehicle.