Jodhpur in a Day

The first advise your travel services provider will give you is : Jodhpur can not be covered in a day. Exactly! Because there is so much to do and see in and around the Blue City that even a week is not enough to explore the Gateway to Thar. But here is a quick guide for the millennials and jet setters who want quick breaks and want sight seeing and shopping added to those many hours.

Arrive in Jodhpur previous night to have a full day here. Next morning start early to cover maximum attractions in the limited time. Start with a nice filling breakfast and head for a Village Safari. The safari covers a truly rural experience in a desert village. Visit the vegetable market, potters’ homes, opium cultivators homes, meet the shepherds, the nomadic tribals who camp around here and click many pictures of camels, peacocks, sheep, goat, mongoose, partridges, deer, chinkara / chital, bluebulls and if you get lucky some black bucks too. See the countryside in its original rustic form. Visit the local temples and shrines and artisans who create the world famous durries. Spend time here and if it pleases you, shop for some marvellous durries right from the makers themselves. A cup of tea with them, if you like and we head back to the city. The whole safari is spread over a roundtrip of around 75 kms and takes approximately 3-5 hours depending upon what captures your interest.

Once back from the safari, head to a local restaurant for some delectable Marwari food - choose between a vegetarian Rajasthani Thali or Laal Maas (the famous mutton preparation from Marwar) with some butter naans (breads). Wash it all down with a tall glass of buttermilk. Next we drive around the cityscape of Jodhpur where you see beautifully carved facades of homes and offices in red or yellow sandstone. The sandstone from Jodhpur is sent all over the country and many iconic buildings are made in this stone. Snaking through the city lanes we now reach the magnanimous Umaid Bhawan Palace, a part of which is a hotel. The other two parts house a thoughtfully curated museum and the private residence of the erstwhile Maharaja of Marwar. The museum has a lovely collection of time pieces, trophies and crockery besides other artefacts. Make it a quick trip to save time for the Mehrangarh Fort.

Don’t forget to take pictures at Umaid Bhawan Palace and then leave for the Fort. Your guide will regale you with interesting facts and stories that will transport you back to the era gone by. Reach the Fort complex and make sure you carry water bottles and use the washrooms before you embark on this mesmerising experience. The plan is to see the Fort, museum that is housed inside the Fort and walk all the way to The Clock Tower in the main city - yes! Your heritage walk through the old city of Jodhpur. 

Comfortable shoes are a must as there are many inclines and declines along the path. An elevator will carry you up 13 floors to the ramparts of the Fort. Take in the spectacular view of the Blue City from here. The view of the Umaid Bhawan Palace from here is breathtaking. Your guide will show you the important landmarks - Gulabsagar, Ghantaghar (clock tower), Nai Sarak, Jaswant Thada etc. A functional Persian Wheel which was used for lifting water in olden times is perched on a side of this section. Move on to the Mardana and Zenana Dyodhis and get lost in the world of exhibits from the past. The Elephant Houdas, Palanquins, Paintings, Armoury, Artefacts, clothings, tents and even a section containing the Royal Cradles will keep you totally absorbed and amused. The living quarters of the Royals - Phool Mahal and Sheesh Mahal and the precious Belgian Coloured Glass everywhere are to be seen and photographed. Goosebumps inducing Sati Hand Prints near the exit will make you wonder how courageous the women of those times were. A very quick stop at the museum shop and we start our heritage walk.

Since the Fort is on a rockhill, the walk is all downwards from the Fort. Old narrow lanes where a car can not enter but are lined with clean homes that are all built on a higher plinth than the street for obvious reasons of keeping the homes clean. Lot of indigo around, the walls are painted blue to keep the homes cool in the Sun City. Women sitting on the steps and porches casually chatting away and children managing to play gully cricket in these narrow lanes keep the atmosphere very lively. People on two wheelers appear and disappear from the many side lanes. People take their tea breaks in the open verandahs that some of the homes have. Carved and decorated facades of old Havelis which are still inhabited by the descendants of the original inhabitants. People from mixed cultures and castes live in these narrow bylanes. You will see small jewellers’ workshops on the way, bangle makers, gota (shimmery lace) shops, stores that keep marriage ceremony essentials, fabrics, saree stores line the markets. Navchowkiya is a market square where nine streets branch out from. There is an old well and a temple here. A turn from here and you reach Toorji Ka Jhalra - an ancient step well. Rajasthan is home to many step wells which were made to store rain water for use during the long dry spells. Jodhpur city has three of such step wells, the most picturesque one being Toorji Ka Jhalra built in 1740 by Maharani Tanwarji (Toorji) wife of Maharaja Abhay Singh Ji . Walk along and you will reach Ghantaghar. Thirsty and tired? Mishrilal Lassi Wala has an elixir to offer in the form of Makhaniya Lassi and Rabri. Got a sweet tooth, pick a few imartis too. Hungry? Samosas and mirchi badas are the answer.

Time for some shopping now. Chiffon sarees in badhni and leheriya, turbans, sarees in gotapatti and zardozi work, Jodhpuri Jutis, silver jewellery, lac bangles, cotton dress material and if you wish to indulge in some exclusive jewellery shopping then Polki and Jadau jewellery is famous here. Uncut diamonds and stones are set in Gold and are made in beautiful traditional and modern designs.

Dinner at a heritage hotel to savour some more of Rajasthani delicacies in the form of Ker Sangri, Gatta curry, Kadhi or Khato with rotis. Some mouth watering Makhkhan Badas as dessert and its time to hit the bed after such a busy day. Hot water shower before that is highly recommended!

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