Location : 260 km From Udaipur, Rajasthan
Founded In : 1459 AD
Tourist Attractions : Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace
Best Time To Visit : October To March

Jodhpur is the second largest city of the state of Rajasthan. It has been drawing the attention of tourists from all over the world. Standing as the sentinel of the country's western border, Jodhpur is famous for its magnificent forts and palaces. The Rajput chief Rao Jodha founded the city of Jodhpur in 1459. Earlier, it was the capital of the Marwar state of Rajasthan. A 10-km-long wall made of stone surrounds the city. Eight doors stand all through the wall leading to different places of Jodhpur. The city has about 100 towers most of which are surrounded by defensive battlements. The guards' chambers, constructed high up above the ground and fitted with iron spikes on top, could be seen alongside these walls.

Jodhpur is situated at the edge of the Thar Desert with Jaisalmer on its west, Barmar, Jalor and Pali on its south, Bikaner on its north, and Nagaur on the eastern side. It has a typical desert climate, dry and hot. The ideal time to visit this place is the period between November and March. The city is like an oasis in the vast desert, with a variety of thorny shrubs all over the area. It also has some of the animal species that can survive in an arid and dry environment.

Jodhpur is situated at the edge of the Thar Desert with Jaisalmer on its west, Barmar, Jalor and Pali on its south, Bikaner on its north, and Nagaur on the eastern side. It has a typical desert climate, dry and hot. The ideal time to visit this place is the period between November and March. The city is like an oasis in the vast desert, with a variety of thorny shrubs all over the area. It also has some of the animal species that can survive in an arid and dry environment. There is much to do in town and for shoppers, it is a delightful treasure trove of goodies. Amongst other things, Jodhpur is famous for its tie-dye fabrics and leather goods.

Major Attractions of Jodhpur
Mehrangarh Fort : One of the largest forts in India, it is unsurpassed in beauty and grandeur. Innumerable palaces in the fort, interspersed with sprawling courtyards, are intricately carved. Various folk musicians and bands gather here on important occasions and perform against the magical backdrop of the fort – reviving the regal splendour of a bygone era. A unique feature of this palace is the fact that the hand chiseled sandstone blocks have been put together in a special system of interlocking, there is not mortar binding.

A portion of the palace has been converted into a hotel, the other remains on view to visitors in form of excellent museum which houses model airplanes, weapons, antique clocks and bob watches, priceless crockery, and hunting trophies. Both sections retain the ambience of royal splendor .

Umaid Bhawan Palace : Built by Maharaja Umaid Singh (1929 -1942) and named after him, this exquisite palace is also known as Chittar Palace because of the local chittar sandstone used. It is a splendid example, of Indo-colonial and art deco style of the 30s.

Sardar Samand Lake & Palace : As you go up to the shimmering lake and palace, a meandering and interesting drive will keep you entraced. The countryside with its lively villages and smiling, gay village folk of Jhalamand and Goora, will make you stop by and taste a bit of their hospitality. Photographers and adventurists can have day packed with enthralling excitement. Freely roaming herds of Chinkaras and Black Bucks can be seen here in large numbers.

Maha Mandir Temple : Leterally, the great temple, a place where sacred glory reigns in a peaceful tranquility. Situated on Mandore road, the temple is an architectural splendor, supported by 84 pillars and ornamented with detailed designs and figures depicting various postures of Yoga. The entire structure is marked by a unique and original style.

Jaswant Thada : A cluster of royal cenotaphs in white marble built in 1899 A.D. in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Within the main cenotaph are the portraits of various Jodhpur rulers.

Government Museum : Nestling in the middle of the Umaid Public Garden, this museum houses a rich collection of exhibits - armoury, textiles, local arts and crafts, miniature paintings. Portraits of rulers, manuscripts and images of Jain Tirthankars. Umaid Public Garden houses a zoo also. Timing : 1000 to 1630 hrs (Friday closed).

Climate in Jodhpur
Jodhpur has extreme type of climate with temperature range variation being very high. Average rainfall is 32 cm annually. The best season to visit the city is between October and March.

Shopping in Jodhpur
The Sadar Market near the Clock Tower gives immense shopping pleasure to the locals as well as the visitors. The colourful but hectic bazaar consists of many narrow lanes, lined with tiny shops. Look for the tie & dye textiles, embroidered leather shoes, lacquerware, antiques, carpets and puppets. Here, one can buy exquisite Rajasthani textiles, clay figurines, miniature camels and elephants, marble inlay work and classic silver jewellery.

Festivals in Jodhpur
The Marwar festival is held in the month of September to October on the full moon day. The festival conforms to the culture of the Marwah community. It transforms them to a mood of dance and festivity with lively performance by the artists on folk music. Visitors often go to the place to view the festival in its full blossom.

How to Get there Air : Indian Airlines connect Jodhpur with Jaipur, Delhi, Udaipur and Bombay.

Rail : Jodhpur is connected by rail with Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Jaipur, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Abu Road, Bombay via Ahmedabad Barmer and Udaipur via Marwar.

Road : The state transport has bus services from other cities of the state and some services are interstate too.