We'd really enjoyed Udaipur, the Lake City of Rajasthan, and were now heading to Jodhpur, the Blue City of Rajasthan. To take us the 250 km from Udaipur to Jodhpur, we organized a taxi. This meant that we could stop half way to visit a UNESCO fort that we wanted to see.
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| The massive walls of Kumbhalgarh Fort (UNESCO) |
The main fort and wall of Kumbhalgarh were built between 1445 and 1458, but it is believed that it was built over the remains of an earlier structure dating back to the 6th century.
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Kumbhalgarh Fort's walls-8 horses wide
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The fort wall is huge, and built to accommodate eight horses abreast. It is around 38 km long making it the second longest wall in the world, after the Great Wall of China. Needless to say, we didn’t walk around all of it!
But we did get around to quite a few of the buildings inside the fort, enjoying the architecture and in particular, the detailed carvings on some of the Jain temples.
But we did get around to quite a few of the buildings inside the fort, enjoying the architecture and in particular, the detailed carvings on some of the Jain temples.
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| The Great Wall of India-Kumbhalgarh Fort walls |
Moving on, our driver was doing his best for the cross-India rally, and taking terrible risks on the narrow winding road. Marg asked him to slow down; and just as well, because around the next bend, we met a very big bus coming toward us. Fortunately, we had slowed enough to miss it.
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| Marg and locals in Jodhpur the Blue City |
After a couple more hours, we reached Jodhpur, the Blue City, sitting on the edge of the Thar Desert.
The small street at the homestay entrance was clogged with refuse, but once inside, we were very happy. It was a gorgeous old building, decorated with traditional pieces, old film posters, and beautiful furniture.
A very narrow and steep staircase led us to our spacious and clean room, with a lovely modern bathroom.
We were there quite a while enjoying it, and stopped for a cooling drink and some food at a lovely restaurant in one of the fort’s beautiful courtyards.
Then we wandered some more, visiting opulent palace rooms, enjoying seeing the items on show, and managing to avoid the tour groups. It is a stunning fort in terms the architecture, and the historic art and antique pieces.
When we left, we walked back down toward the town slowly, so that we could admire some of the fort's seven imposing gates.
The above blog is part of our 2-month tour of India. The first blog on this tour is called "Off to Delhi".
There are a few theories about why Jodhpur is blue. One is the presence of copper sulphate which, known to repel insects, turns blue in the limestone used on Jodhpur buildings. Another is that blue is a sacred colour to Hindus, and a third is that blue houses were occupied by Brahmins, the high-caste Indians. Whatever the reason, it sure gives this city character.
While we were admiring the blue buildings, our driver got lost in the city streets. So for about the 5th time on this India tour, Leigh used her phone’s offline GPS to guide the taxi driver to our accommodation.
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| Street to the Raj Mandir Boutique Homestay, Jodhpur |
We were staying at the Raj Mandir Boutique Homestay, and we learned later, that it's in a part of the old city where cars couldn’t go.
Unaware of this, we drover deeper into the old city until our driver realised that the street was becoming too narrow for his small Suzuki car, and he suddenly stopped.
Then we heard some alarmingly raised voices from the angry tuktuk drivers behind us. So after a loud conversation between our driver and the tuktuk drivers, we swapped our taxi for a small tuktuk which took us the final 1 km through the tiny streets to our homestay.
Unaware of this, we drover deeper into the old city until our driver realised that the street was becoming too narrow for his small Suzuki car, and he suddenly stopped.
Then we heard some alarmingly raised voices from the angry tuktuk drivers behind us. So after a loud conversation between our driver and the tuktuk drivers, we swapped our taxi for a small tuktuk which took us the final 1 km through the tiny streets to our homestay.
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| Marg in a waiting room at the Raj Mandir Homestay |
A very narrow and steep staircase led us to our spacious and clean room, with a lovely modern bathroom.
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The Mehrangarh Fort viewed from our homestay |
At the top of the building was a rooftop restaurant. It provided a wonderful view of the ancient Mehrangarh Fort looming above us on a huge rocky outcrop. It looked spectacular!
The next day, the temperature was 40 degrees but bearable in the shade, so we took the short walk up the road to the visit the fort.
This imposing 15th century fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The original fort has been developed into a museum, with a wide range of interesting exhibits ranging from palanquins to turbans.
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| The Mehrangarh Fort walls, elaborate palace decoration, and two courtyards |
It has very high and imposing walls, and inside the walls, we found temples, spacious courtyards, and several palaces. The palaces are sumptuously adorned and quite amazing.
We were there quite a while enjoying it, and stopped for a cooling drink and some food at a lovely restaurant in one of the fort’s beautiful courtyards.
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| One of the beautiful Palace rooms at the Mehrangarh Fort |
When we left, we walked back down toward the town slowly, so that we could admire some of the fort's seven imposing gates.
The next day, we spent some time just wandering around the old town of Jodhpur which dates back around 550 years.
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| Commerce in the streets of the old town of Jodhpur, the Blue City |
The streets are narrow and kinked, with elaborately carved two and three-storey houses towering over the them, providing much-needed shade. The shops are very small, and open to the street so you can see what's on offer.
We loved looking into these tiny one-man shops, while avoiding the roaming cows, Brahma bulls, dogs, pigs, whizzing scooters and tuktuks.
People were very friendly and we got lots of smiles and greetings.
People were very friendly and we got lots of smiles and greetings.
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| Spice seller in Jodhpur market area |
The following day, we went walking through the lovely old market area toward the clock tower, passing many spice sellers and other street vendors.
However, the heat got to us (it was 42 degrees), and it was too hot to walk far, so we grabbed a tuktuk for the rest of our little trip.
Coming back towards our hotel later, a large bevy of tuktuks (including ours), became gridlocked at an intersection of the narrow streets.
However, the heat got to us (it was 42 degrees), and it was too hot to walk far, so we grabbed a tuktuk for the rest of our little trip.
Coming back towards our hotel later, a large bevy of tuktuks (including ours), became gridlocked at an intersection of the narrow streets.
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| Tuktuk havoc |
We sat for ages baking in the heat of the day with everyone tooting, yelling, and waiting for someone to move.
Then a policeman directing traffic spotted us, and stopped everyone to let our tutuk through. Nice man! We drove through waving at everyone like royalty, simply because they all waved at us.
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| Marg in beautiful blue Jodhpur |
Actually, it’s been like that everywhere we have been (except in Delhi and Kolkata). People are so lovely, and they say hi, want a selfie with us, and want to know where we are from; and people are constantly waving and smiling at us. It makes you feel pretty special.
And, in case you were wondering…….those sexy (not) pants with giant thigh space called jodhpurs in colonial India, were designed by the Maharaja of Jodhpur's son, here in Jodhpur. They were worn by his polo team when visiting the Queen of England in 1887 and the English adopted them – hence the name…….Jodhpurs.
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| Some doors and streets of photogenic Jodhpur |
Jodhpur has been a lovely place to visit and we have really enjoyed it here. But the temperature is climbing as we move on to Jaisalmer, the Golden City in the Thar Desert.
The above blog is part of our 2-month tour of India. The first blog on this tour is called "Off to Delhi".