Nestled atop a hill, at a peak of 410 toes above the city of Jodhpur, Mehrangarh Fort stands as a majestic castle of tremendous proportions. Also called Mehran Fort, it boasts of a records of greater than 550 years and is surrounded via imposing partitions. It is one of the most important forts in the usa and is many of the most ambitious ones in Rajasthan. While the citadel itself is an ode to Rajputana grandeur and architectural brilliance, the view it offers of the Jodhpur town spreading out under is not any much less amazing both. It’s now not a surprise that the grand Mehran Fort is a prime attraction for travelers while making plans a trip and booking rooms in the accommodations in Jodhpur. If you are planning to visit Jodhpur in on your next trip then must visit Outstation Cab Service in Jodhpur and go to explore the biggest fort, Mehrangarh Fort.
Want to realize more approximately Mehrangarh, one of the pinnacle ancient forts in Rajasthan? Here’s everything you want to recognize together with the records, architecture, things to look, museum, and different sights at Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur.
Mehrangarh Fort: History
Mehrangarh Fort owes its beginning to Rao Jodha, the ruler of Mandore and the founder of the city of Jodhpur. When Rao Jodha determined to shift his capital to a safer and elevated area in Jodhpur, he laid the inspiration of this big fort in 1459 on a hill named Bhakurcheeria aka the Mountain of Birds. The cornerstone of the citadel turned into laid via Shri Karni Mata, a female warrior sage.
Legend has it that Rao Jodha had to relocate the sole occupant of the hill, a hermit named Cheeria Nathji, that allows you to construct the castle. The enraged hermit cursed that the castle would go through shortage of water forever. To appease him, the king built a temple and a house for him within the fort premises. Some nearby stories even say that Rao Jodha buried alive a commonplace guy named Raja Ram Meghwal inside the foundations of the fort to nullify the effect of the curse. Since the person had agreed to sacrifice his lifestyles willingly, the king promised to appearance after his family and endured to satisfy his promise diligently.
Over the years, Rao Jodha’s successors contributed a lot to the citadel’s structure. They strengthened the fort’s partitions and gates and additionally built new palaces and temples within the premises. It became in the 17th century, during the reign of Jaswant Singh of Marwar, that the citadel become constructed into what we see nowadays.
Mehrangarh Fort Architecture
Mehrangarh, one of the great places to visit in Jodhpur, is a party of various architectural styles. The fortress and the systems within it had been built over a long duration of five centuries starting from the middle of the 15th century until the 20thcentury. So, its structure displays affects and factors from one of a kind eras, giving it a completely unique appeal.
The fortress is unfold across a place of five km and is encircled via partitions that are around 117 ft lengthy and 70 toes huge. In some locations, the walls of the fort upward push as much as a top of a hundred and twenty toes, which adds to its formidable shape. There are seven lovely gates decorating the fort partitions, built at different points of time for specific reasons. The fort complex also functions a number of exquisitely adorned palaces and temples.
Mehrangarh Fort: Today
Today, a visit to Mehrangarh Fort counts a few of the most high-quality activities in Jodhpur. Apart from the impressive palaces and expansive courtyards, the fort additionally homes a grand museum and an in-residence museum store. Folk dance and cultural performances take area almost every day in the citadel.
Another key enchantment at the castle is Chokelao Bagh, a superbly restored 18th-century garden which is likewise the vicinity of the open-air Chokelao Mahal Restaurant. You can relish a memorable candlelight dinner on the restaurant while enjoying the beautiful perspectives of the illuminated fortress on one side and the city underneath on the alternative. If you're an adventure seeker, you may also try zip-lining at the fort.
Every year, the Rajasthan International Folk Festival is widely known at the fortress for 5 days in the month of October. The citadel is also one of the venues for the World Sufi Spirit Festival held in February. Traditional festivals like Gangaur and Dussehra also are celebrated with a great deal pomp and beauty at the castle. Currently, Maharaja Gaj Singh II, the existing Rathode clan head, is the custodian of Mehrangarh.
Museum in Mehrangarh
The museum at the Mehrangarh Fort has extraordinary galleries showcasing an terrific collection of artifacts and ornamental arts. The galleries at Mehrangarh Fort museum include:
Elephant Howdah Gallery: Howdahs (seats used for riding the elephants) from the 18th and nineteenth centuries, along with the silver howdah that Shah Jahan provided to Maharaja Jaswant Singh
Daulat Khana Gallery: Some of the extraordinary treasures of this fort, inclusive of a few memorabilia of Emperor Akbar
Turban Gallery: Various sorts of turbans used in Rajasthan by way of specific communities and regions on numerous festivals and events
Palanquin Gallery: A dazzling series of palanquins which includes Pinjas (blanketed palanquins) and Rajat Khasa (lotus-formed palanquin), to say some
Painting Gallery: A nice collection Miniature Paintings and artwork belonging to the Marwar School
Textile Gallery: Precious carpets, canopies, floor-spreads, tent partitions, clothes, and different fixtures from exceptional centuries
Sileh Khana or Arms Gallery: The swords of many kings and emperors, such as Rao Jodha’s Khaanda that weighs over 7 kilos and the swords of Emperor Akbar and Timur
Wood Craft Gallery: A quantity of artifacts carved out of timber and decorated with gold polish and ivory
Cradle Gallery: A uncommon series of cradles which encompass the electric cradle designed for the existing king
Lesser-known Facts approximately Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
1. The call Mehrangarh manner ‘the Citadel of the Sun’, which refers back to the legendary claim that the Rathodes are the descendants of the Sun god.
2. A wall of the fort bears handprints which might be believed to be of the royal women who performed Sati or self-immolation on their husband’s pyre.
3. The citadel became the region for many Hollywood and Bollywood movies, inclusive of The Dark Knight Rises (2012), The Jungle Book (1994), and Awarapan (2007).
4. In 2015, Radiohead guitarist and composer Jonny Greenwood, manufacturer of Radiohead Nigel Godrich, and composer Shye Ben Tzur recorded a joint musical album on the fortress.
5. A large number of eagles gather on the citadel each day in the afternoon from around three:30 pm to 4:00 pm. The fort control has someone engaged to feed the eagles from atop a tower overlooking the Chokelao Gardens.
6. Rudyard Kipling described the citadel because the paintings of angels, giants, and fairies.
So, now which you understand all about Mehrangarh, Jodhpur why not plan a experience to this surprising fort? Whether you're a history buff, informal backpacker, art gourmand or journey seeker, we are sure you gained’t have a dull second here.
How to reach: Hire a cab services in Jodhpur from airport or Railway station and then go to Mehrangarh fort.