Mehrangarh : The Pride of Jodhpur

Mehrangarh Fort

Rajasthan is the land of Forts and Palaces, each one unique in its own way, each one more beautiful than the other, each one more majestic than the other, each one more intriguing than the other and each one carrying more stories than the other. Let's take a tour of The Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur - a privately owned and managed Fort in Rajasthan, the present descendants of the erstwhile Royal Family of Jodhpur own and maintain the Fort and the museum housed within the Fort Complex.

Welcome to The Museum!

History

The transition of Marwar to Jodhpur happened at the strong and able hands of Rao Jodha (1459) after the need to shift out of Mandore was felt. Mandore being an old and dilapidated fort was crumbling and since it was in the plains was always at risk of being attacked. The rocky hill of Bhakurchiriya was then chosen and its only inhabitant a sage, the bird man Chiriya Nathji was approached and coaxed to vacate and allow the construction of the fort. After much pleading when the sage gave consent and a curse ; followed by efforts of appeasement and eventual reluctant appeasing, the construction of the mighty fort began. A human sacrifice as per the norm of the day and the mammoth task of building one of the mightiest forts started. It took many many years and many generations to complete the task thus taken, one feature being added at a time and finally the Fort took its present shape. Much of the progress happened during the reign of Maharaja Jaswant Singh Ji (1638-1678). One must nor forget the sacrifice of Raja Ram Meghwal, a commoner who voluntarily agreed to get buried with the foundation of the fort to nullify the effects of the curse. A commoner, meghwal's name is immortalised in a plaque at the fort.

The Blue City

The Fort

Mehrangarh - Up close

The expansive multidimensional fort is accessed through seven gates or pols. Of these pols some are still intact while others’ remnants remain. These are named as Jai Pol, Fateh Pol, Loha Pol and so on. To make the Fort easily navigable and simpler to understand, the museum trust that maintains the Fort Complex has very brilliantly designed a one-way path through the entire length and breadth of the Fort which eases the walk and the tour for the many tourists the fort attracts all the year long. 

Jai Pol

From the Ramparts

The parking lot, ticket counters and you begin your tour through the magnificent world of history of Marwar through Jai Pol. A slight incline, a couple of steps and an elevator that takes you up thirteen floors and you are on the ramparts of one of the mightiest fort ever built, looking down at the sea of indigo of the famous Blue City. The houses are painted blue to keep the sun’s heat away as the Sun City is blessed with bright and cheery (sometimes too fiery though) Sun all the year round. Photographers, go wild and take as many shots as you want. Get your creative best! Feel the breeze caressing your face and twirl 360 degrees to see the landmarks of Jodhpur, all at once from your perch here : fort wall against the old city, the small water bodies, rocky hills with many temples, Jaswant Thada and the statue of Rao Jodha, snaking road that leads up to the fort, The One And Only Umaid Bhawan Palace, Ajit Bhawan Palace, Ratanada Ganesh Temple, Clock Tower, Old City Markets and Gulab Sagar.

Umaid Bhawan Palace as seen from The Mehrangarh Fort

The passages lead from one palace to another, each one more beautiful and luxurious than the other. Aptly named Moti Mahal (palace of pearls), Phool Mahal (palace of flowers), Sheesh Mahal (palace of mirrors), Sileh Khana (armoury) and Daulat Khana (Treasury), these sections are all interconnected and presently are used for the display of the treasures of history. Then there is a Zenana Dyodhi (ladies’ apartments) and a Mardana Dyodhi (gentlemen’s apartments). The Fort also houses a few temples, the well-stocked museum (in the palaces mentioned above), a museum shop where you can find replicas of the famous art pieces and a restaurant by the name of Chokelao.

Clock Tower / Ghanta Ghar

The Museum

Ivory carved toys

One of the best stocked Museums in Jodhpur, the Mehrangarh Museum Trust maintains the collections and their upkeep. Very neatly and immaculately categorised and displayed, the many exhibits are well preserved and protected. Difficult to enumerate all of them here, but we will highlight a few favourite ones. The tour starts with the Coronation courtyard and the Coronation Seat of the present His Highness when he was coronated at a tender age of four. The marble carved seat is permanently fixed in the courtyard with a little description about the ceremony and its significance written on a placard near it.

Silver Houdah

Palanquin

Walking along, you would enter the hall of Houdahs (seats fixed on elephants). Many Houdahs are exhibited here, some made out of wood and some in silver, some for the kings and some, with curtains, for the queens, some gifted and some won as trophies. Next hall is the Palanquin Hall which stores different types of Palanquins or Palkhis as they are locally referred to. Elaborately carved, with velvet curtains, paintings and some even with shutters, these were the means of transport for the women of the Royal household. A few palkhiwalas would carry them around with the lady sitting inside. These Palanquins also travel for various exhibitions all over the world. 

Shiva Temple / Opium Filter

A collection of spears

Painting 

Opium was an integral part of daily lives of people of Marwar before it was banned for regular consumption by the Govt. Just as we step out of the Palanquin Hall, there is a very interesting miniature Shiva Temple made out of silver which is kept in a niche in the courtyard wall. This actually is a filter that was used for filtering opium water through filters made out of felt. The filtered clear water which had the essence of opium was offered to guests as the highest mark of hospitality and respect and also consumed by the Rulers themselves. Opium was regarded as a magical nectar and painkiller and was thus consumed by this warrior clan of Rajputs.

Painting

Next you would see the Halls of Armoury, Paintings and Artefacts. There are very interesting daggers, spears and rifles on display here. Some daggers even have a pistol concealed in their handles. The painting collection has intricately painted miniature works with paints made out of real Gold and Silver. The artefact gallery has very beautifully carved ivory toys, some very lovely and functional silver hookahs and a door lock so big and heavy that a few people are needed to just lift it let alone fasten it!

Locks

Phool Mahal

The many palaces are a sight to behold, the Moti Mahal and The Phool Mahal are particularly very lavishly decorated. The Sheesh Mahal has mirrors fixed all around, even in the ceiling and is kind of a prayer room with paintings of Gods embedded in the mirror covered walls. The architectural design is such that the whole room can be illuminated by the use of a single candle lit and placed at a designated spot! The Palaces’ windows are adorned in Belgian Coloured Glass, Ivory and intricately carved wood with polished brass fittings. In one of these Palaces is displayed the Marwar Flag all surrounded by Red and Gold.

Moti Mahal

Carvings on a window

The winding staircases within the Fort take you up further into these halls and through many rooms, big and small, bring you to the textile collection where garments worn by the Royal Family and the common man are displayed, many different types and styles of turbans are next and a tent so beautiful that one would want to wear it to an event! This tent was rolled up and carried along when the Royal Family went out for game and hunting. The fan made out of cloth and frills is also hung over the tent and kept safe from decay and wear and tear by special techniques used by the curators at the museum.

Sheesh Mahal

Exit to The Wonderland

The exit is just as ceremonious and grand as was the entry to this beautiful wonderland of history. A temple on the right and the museum shop on the left of the last courtyard that you traverse. Just around the corner are traditionally attired folk musicians playing their most mellifluous melodies. The descent is a bit steep and a good soled pair of shoes is highly recommended. The Loha Pol will again leave you speechless if the tour so far already hasn’t dumbfounded you. On both the sides of the gate are sati hand prints carved into red sandstone by the descendants of these Satis who willingly or maybe under the influence of opium decided to leave the world with their beloved husbands on the same pyre cradling the husband’s head in their laps. A chill runs down the spine on hearing this fact, isn’t it? 

Sati Hand Prints carved in Red Sand Stone

The Fort timings are 9 am to 5 pm everyday but there are also special evening champagne tours that are conducted here. To get further details get in touch with us by clicking here.

Mehrangarh