17th April 2019 / In the morning, I visited Jodhpur city and Mehrangarh fort with my brother.
My Walking Story: Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, India
Today I am going to describe my day 4 at Mehrangarh Fort: Jodhpur, India (Apr’19). On 17th April 2019, there was a marriage at night at my side almost for the whole night marriage going with all its rituals. I had my breakfast in the morning along with my family members and it was a hot April month in Rajasthan, I got ready and thought that marriage would be in the night at 8 pm, meanwhile, the whole day was free, I asked my brother to go out and explore something new in Jodhpur.
We both got ready and went out in a local auto-rickshaw, we both were done with our lunch as well and by meeting everyone we went out after having our lunch. We both had less time to explore the place, while the forts would be open by 5 pm. We both went to the Mehrangarh Fort, it was the nearest to the city. It was one of the largest forts in India. First, let’s talk about the history of Mehrangarh: Mehrangarh Fort owes its beginning to Rao Jodha, the ruler of Mandore including the founder of the city of Jodhpur. When Rao Jodha determined to shift his capital to a more reliable and noble location in Jodhpur, he placed the foundation of this huge fort in 1459 on a hill named Bhakurcheeria aka the Mountain of Birds.
The foundation of the fort was designed by Shri Karni Mata, a female warrior sage. The Legend has it that Rao Jodha had to relocate the remaining occupant of the hill, a skeptic named Cheeria Nathji, to construct the fort. The enraged ascetic cursed that the fort would undergo scarcity of water forever. To satisfy him, the king built a temple plus a house for him within the fort premises.
Remarkable local stories even say that Rao Jodha buried alive a normal man named Raja Ram Meghwal in the foundations of the fort to invalidate the impact of the curse. After the man had agreed to sacrifice his life willingly, the king vowed to look after his family including continue to fulfill his promise diligently. Across the years, Rao Jodha’s followers contributed much to the fort’s construction. They established the fort’s walls and gates plus also constructed new palaces including temples within the premises. It was in the 17th century, through the reign of Jaswant Singh of Marwar, that the fort was formed into what we see today.
Now, coming up to Mehrangarh Fort Architecture: The Mehrangarh, one of the best spots to visit in Jodhpur, is a celebration of several architectural styles. The fort including the structures inside it was built over a long duration of five ages starting from the middle of the 15th century till the 20th century. Therefore, its architecture shows influences including elements from various eras, giving it a novel charm. The fort is scattered across an area of 5 km and is encircled by walls that are around 117 feet long also 70 feet wide. In a few spots, the cliffs of the fort rise to a height of 120 feet, which sums up its impressive structure. There are seven beautiful gates decorating the fort walls, built at various points in time for several reasons. The fort complex also highlights several exquisitely decorated palaces plus temples.
Today, a visit to Mehrangarh Fort includes among the most astonishing things to do in Jodhpur. Aside from the magnificent palaces including expansive courtyards, the fort also houses a great museum plus an in-house museum shop. Folk dance including cultural performances takes place nearly every day inside the fort. The extra key fascination at the fort is Chokelao Bagh, a magnificently renovated 18th-century garden which is also the place of the open-air Chokelao Mahal Restaurant. One can enjoy an extraordinary candlelight dinner at the restaurant while appreciating the beautiful scenes of the lighted fort on one side including the city below on the other.
If you are an event seeker, you can also try zip-lining at the fort. Each year, the Rajasthan International Folk Festival is honored at the fort for five days in October. The fort is also one of the venues for the World Sufi Spirit Festival kept in February. Legendary festivals like Gangaur including Dussehra are also celebrated with full pomp plus splendor at the fort. Currently, Maharaja Gaj Singh II, the present Rathode clan leader, is the custodian of Mehrangarh. The Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park, which is placed proximate to the fort, is another key charm for tourists visiting Mehrangarh.
I visited this fort with my brother and we both spent a fabulous time there as I am in deep love with historical places. I guess I am one of those who embrace history like it is an inevitable part of life. The history of a place is mystic to me. It is like traveling back in time.
As I inspect every structure, I imagine the incidents that might have happened in that place in the past. I had clicked numerous pictures of this fort along with my brother, do check them on my blog. We also wanted to visit Umaid Bhavan Palace, which was 6.8 Km away from the Mehrangarh Fort and a famous place to visit but unfortunately, they didn’t allow us to enter because of their timing issues.
They have their specific time to visit, so we both came out into the central area of Jodhpur and had the popular tandoori chai of that place. Clicked pictures and roam around the city center, while my brother did some shopping as well. Then after we came back to the hotel. This was the end of the story; hope you like it!
