The Blue City Sojourn

Our motorised rickshaw dropped us off at the door of an old, quaint building which had windows that were covered in coloured glass. Barely had we got off the rickshaw that two local youths from the Haveli greeted us and insisted to carry our luggage inside. We were two couples and since we were coming from a wedding, I must confess, our luggage was not anywhere close to ‘light’. The moment we entered the Haveli, the owner came forward to greet us, walking down a winding staircase which had the touch of ‘old’ to it. There was no reception area you’d typically expect in a hotel and definitely nothing like the one we came from – a plush, lavish, 5-star hotel. The Haveli was very old, a heritage one, handed down from one generation to another, probably also changed hands from one family to another, but its ancient look had an elegant appeal to it. While my husband was busy carrying out the check-in formalities, I was enticed by the sheer oldness of the place. This was probably one of my first heritage stays ever. The ceiling was high and the staircase was a winding one. What caught my eye was that the different rooms were all bang along the staircase path. Each room had a wooden door and wooden windows with old-style handles and locks to them. Above the door and windows were the same coloured glass that greeted us when we got off at the door of the Haveli. ‘Enjoy your stay at the Shahi Guest House’, said the owner and asked one of his men to take us to our rooms. The rooms were very spacious yet the ‘heritage’ feel to it was engraved in its walls and even the furniture. Our room had a small window. As curious as I am, I opened the window to wanting to see what view we had. Our window overlooked a narrow, relatively busy lane for a town that size, with people going about their daily chores. Another striking thing about the by lanes were the quintessential blue walls – ‘Welcome to Jodhpur, to our very own Blue City Sojourn’ I said to my husband.

 

We chose to stay at a heritage hotel in the heart of the city of Jodhpur, popularly known as the ‘Blue City’, so we could get the feel of the local culture. The city got its name due to the blue rooftops and walls of the houses in the old part of the city. It is believed that the founder of the city, Rao Jodha, ordered the painting of the roofs and walls of the houses blue in order to help keep them cool during the hot summer months common in the towns of Rajasthan. Our stay, being right in the city centre, gave us the most magnificent, ethereal and divine view of the famous Mehrangarh Fort. The towering walls had this eeriness about them but, in the morning when the sun rays fall on it made it seem awfully calm and at peace.

This majestic city was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, who belonged to the Rathore clan. He founded the state of Marwar and named Jodhpur as its capital. The construction of the Mehrangarh fort began during his time but was completed much later. The entire structure is perched atop a hill about 410 feet above the city and is made from burnished sandstone and has seven gates.

We entered the fort from one of its seven gates, the one on the northeast called the Jai Pol. The other six gates are named Fateh Pol, Amrita Pol, Lakhan Pol, Loha Pol, Gopal Pol and Bheru Pol. At the entrance of the fort, we were greeted by some local Rajasthani music. The musicians were playing an instrument that is quite rare today and resembles the ektara, known as the Ravanhatta( a bowed- violin). As we walked further inside the initial archway, we were instantly attracted to the archway that still bears the handprints of royal windows who ended their lives by jumping into the pyre of their husbands, a tradition known as Sati. History buffs that we are, we couldn’t resist hiring a guide to take us through some historical facts and fiction along with some local folklore. I must mention here that hiring a guide was not only economical but totally worth the experience of exploring the fort. As we entered the fort through the tall archways, we began realising how formidable it was.

The fort comprises of many things, rather far many things to explore. It took us approximately 4 hours to explore the entire length and breadth of the fort. There are many artefacts that are preserved within the fort even today which include some royal possessions.

The many rooms and galleries to visit include the Shringar Chowl, the intricate mirror work in the Sheesh Mahal, a beautiful display of the palanquins used at different times of the empire, the Jharokha Mahal, and Takhat Vilas. The fort also houses a museum which further sheds light on the

many stories of the royal kingdoms of Rajasthan and the royals of Jodhpur. There are certain parts inside the fort that offer you some of the most enchanting views of the blue houses that surround the fortress.

After the Mehrangarh fort, we visited the Jaswant Thada, a cenotaph, which functions as the royal cremation ground even today. If the fortress talks about the regality of the bygone era, nothing comes close in comparison to the Ummaid Bhavan palace, which was our next stop. It is called as one of the last royal palaces standing in India today and is nothing short of luxury. Today, though a part of the palace has been converted and managed by the Taj Hotels, a significant part of the palace is still home to the erstwhile King Maharaja Gaj Singh and the royal family. The palace was constructed by his grandfather and was built in the early 1900s. The story of why the palace was built is indeed an interesting one. Due to a severe drought that hit the areas in and around Jodhpur in the 1920s, most farmers were left with no jobs or sources of income. The then Maharaja of Jodhpur, Maharaja Umaid Singh decided to build a palace to provide employment to the many without jobs.

The visit to the palace took us through a royal journey depicted in the various artefacts in the museum in one small part of the palace. What also attracted us was the large royal car collection maintained by the royal family. With my husband being an ardent auto-buff, we surely didn’t need a guide to look around this place. It was definitely a visual treat to see the history of automobiles owned by the royal family over the years.

It was time to head back and explore the local places in the heart of the city. While the history and royalty sway your imagination about the grandeur and opulence the Rajput kings once lived in, the bustling streets and bazaars of Jodhpur will bring you back to reality. From the Ummaid Bhavan Palace, it was relatively easy to hail an uber and reach our next destination – the Ghantaghar!

Yes! We mean the clock-tower which sits right in the centre of the most populous area of Jodhpur. It is actually a very famous landmark and especially so if you are looking to explore Jodhpur in a rickshaw. The clocktower is actually a functional one making its presence felt each hour. It is surrounded by the noisiest, and the most bustling market called the Sardar market. It is one of the most crowded and popular markets of Jodhpur. Not to miss here are the variety of delectable samosa chats one gets. After a historical tour of the city since morning, we were, you bet, extremely hungry. So, we began our exploration of the area around the clock tower by gorging into some local delights at the Arora chat centre and the Shahi Samosa centre, both of which were bang opposite the ghantaghar. Their menus serve some of the best chats and unique types of samosas. Beware of the spice though!

To beat the heat from the spicy chats and samosas, we indulged in some piping hot jalebis and a glass of lassi at Janta jalebi, again right next to the clock tower.

After loading ourselves with good local food, we began our hunt for some quirky handicrafts at the Sardar market. The market was home to all types of handicrafts like the tie & dye, Jodhpuri jutis(embroidered leather footwear), antiques, puppets, carpets and various other textile goods and figurines that are extremely popular there and a visit is a must if you are looking to take home a souvenir. We sure found a few keepsakes to take back home! Dinner time took us in search for some great Jodhpuri thalis. While our vegetarian friends indulged in some delicious vegetarian thalis, we dug into our non-vegetarian one which had a wide spread of dishes inspired by the royals of the city. Again, the hit of spice and chilly was remarkable in our dinner as well.

Next morning, we were all packed to head back home after an entire week of wedding festivities and the royal city exploration.   Jodhpur – a city known for its history, heritage, royalty, luxury, and grandeur yet for its simplicity, its bright rays of sun that fall over rooftops to reveal the different shades of blue, the narrow winding lanes– is full of humbleness and humility. I was going to miss the enchantment the city had over us for a week ever since we stepped here. It was a captivating and a fulfilling royal journey!