Jodhpur - The Sun City (Surya Nagari Jodhpur)


Jodhpur  (RajasthaniजोधाणाHindiजोधपुर), is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 335 kilometres (208 mi) west from the state capital, Jaipur and 200 kilometres (124 mi) from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palacesforts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar desert.
The city is known the Sun City for the bright, sunny weather it enjoys all year. It is also referred to as the Blue City due to the blue-painted houses around the Mehrangarh Fort. Jodhpur lies near the geographic centre of Rajasthan state, which makes it a convenient base for travel in a region much frequented by tourists. The old city of Jodhpur is surrounded by a thick stone wall.

History :-
According to Rajasthan district Gazetteers of Jodhpur and Ramayana Abhiras were the original inhabitants of Jodhpur and later Aryans spread to this region.


Jodhpur was also part of the Gurjara - Pratihara empire and until 1100 CE was ruled by a powerfulBargujar King. Jodhpur was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a Rajput chief of the Rathore clan. Jodha succeeded in conquering the surrounding territory and thus founded a state which came to be known as Marwar. As Jodha hailed from the nearby town of Mandore, that town initially served as the capital of this state; however, Jodhpur soon took over that role, even during the lifetime of Jodha. The city was located on the strategic road linking Delhi to Gujarat. This enabled it to profit from a flourishing trade in opiumcoppersilksandalsdate palms and coffee.
Early in its history, the state became a fief under the Mughal Empire, owing fealty to them while enjoying some internal autonomy. During this period, the state furnished the Mughals with several notable generals such as Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Jodhpur and its people benefited from this exposure to the wider world: new styles of art and architecture made their appearance and opportunities opened up for local tradesmen to make their mark across northern India.

Panorama Of Jodhpur :-



Aurangzeb briefly sequestrated the state (c.1679) on the pretext of a minority, but the rightful ruler Maharaja Ajit Singh was restored to the throne by Veer Durgadas Rathore after Aurangzeb died in 1707 and a great struggle of 30 years. The Mughal empire declined gradually after 1707, but the Jodhpur court was beset by intrigue; rather than benefiting from circumstances, Marwar descended into strife and invited the intervention of the Marathas, who soon supplanted the Mughals as overlords of the region. This did not make for stability or peace, however; 50 years of wars and treaties dissipated the wealth of the state, which sought and gratefully entered intosubsidiary alliance with the British in 1818.
During the British Raj, the state of Jodhpur had the largest land area of any in Rajputana. Jodhpur prospered under the peace and stability that were a hallmark of this era.The land area of the state was 23,543 sq mi (60,980 km2) its population in 1901 was 44,73,759. It enjoyed an estimated revenue of £35,29,000/. Its merchants, the Marwaris, flourished without let or limit and came to occupy a position of dominance in trade across India. In 1947, when India became independent, the state merged into the union of India and Jodhpur became the second city of Rajasthan.
Oswal Jains were mainly concentrated in Gorwar Region which was again ruled by Maharaja of Jodhpur . And Oswal jains also played main role in strengthening foundation of Jodhpur by donating mass wealth , gems to Maharaja of Jodhpur & in turn Maharaja of Jodhpur used to honour these wealthy Oswal Jain Merchants as Nagar Seth or various other honourable titles.
At the time of partition, ruler of Jodhpur Hanwant Singh did not want to join India, but finally due to the effective persuasion Maharana of Mewar and Sardar Vallab Patel the then Home Minister at centre princely state of Jodhpur was included in Indian Republic. Later after State Reorganization Act, 1956 it was made part of the state of Rajasthan.

Demography :-
As of 2011 India census, Jodhpur had a population of about 1.4 million. Men constitute 53 percent of the population and women 47 percent. Jodhpur has an average literacy rate of 87 percent, higher than the national average of 59.5 percent: male literacy is 85 percent, and female literacy is 59 percent. In Jodhpur, 14 percent of the population is under six years of age.

Economy :-


The Handicrafts industry has in recent years eclipsed all other industries in the city. By some estimates, the furniture export segment is a $200 million industry, directly or indirectly employing as many as 200,000 people. Other items manufactured include textiles, metal utensils, bicycles, ink and sporting goods. A flourishing cottage industry exists for the manufacture of such items as glass bangles, cutlery, carpets and marble products.
After handicrafts, tourism is the second largest industry of Jodhpur. Crops grown in the district include wheat and the famous Mathania red chillies. Gypsum and salt are mined. The city serves as an important marketplace for wool and agricultural products. The Indian Air ForceIndian Armyand Border Security Force maintain training centres at Jodhpur.

Forts And Palaces Of Jodhpur :-


Umaid Bhawan Palace :-

Umaid Bhawan Palace, located at Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India, is one of the world's largest private residences. A part of the palace is managed by Taj Hotels. Named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, grandfather of the present owners of the palace, this monument has 347 rooms and serves as the principal residence of the erstwhile Jodhpur royal family.
Umaid Bhawan Palace was called Chittar Palace during its construction due to its location on Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodhpur. Ground for the foundations of the building was broken on 18 November 1929 by Maharaja Umaid Singh and the construction work was completed in 1943.
Built on the Chittar Hill in southeastern area of the Jodhpur, construction employed more than 5000 men for fifteen years. The building does not use mortar or cement to bind stones together; all of its pieces are carved stones joined together by a system of carved, interlocking positive and negative pieces. A specially constructed train line was used to transport these large blocks of stone. Umaid Bhavan is designed in such a manner that it always maintains the temperature at approximately 23 degrees Celsius.





Mehrangarh Fort :-

Mehrangarh Fort, located in Jodhpur city in Rajasthan state, is one of the largest forts in India.
The fort is situated 400 feet (122 m) above the city and is enclosed by imposing thick walls. Inside its boundaries there are several palaces known for their intricate carvings and expansive courtyards. A winding road leads to and from the city below. The imprints of cannonball hits by attacking armies of Jaipur can still be seen on the second gate. To the left of the fort is the chhatri of Kirat Singh Soda, a soldier who fell on the spot defending the Mehrangarh fort.
There are seven gates, which include Jayapol (meaning 'victory'), built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Fattehpol (also meaning 'victory') gate was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to mark the defeat of the Mughals. The palm imprints upon these still attract much attention even today.
The museum in the Mehrangarh fort is one of the most well-stocked museums in Rajasthan. In one section of the fort museum there is a selection of old royal palanquins, including the elaborate domed gilt Mahadol palanquin, which was won in a battle from the Governor of Gujarat in 1730. The museum exhibits the heritage of the Rathores in arms, costumes, paintings and decorated period rooms.
Rao Jodha (1438–1488), one of Ranmal's 24 sons became the fifteenth Rathore ruler. One year after his accession to the throne, Jodha decided to move his capital to the safer location of Jodhpur as the one thousand years old Mandore fort was no longer considered to provide sufficient security.








Jaswant Thada Jodhpur :-

The Jaswant Thada is an architectural landmark located in Jodhpur. It is a white marble memorial built by Sardar Singh in 1899 in memory of Maharja Jaswant Singh II.
The monument, in its entirety, is built out of intricately carved sheets of marble. These stones are extremely thin and polished so that they emit a warm glow when the sun's rays dance across their surface.Within this cenotaph, there are also two more tombs. The Jaswant Thada is a traditional cremation ground of Jodhpur rulers. The grounds also include exquisitely carved gazebos, a beautiful multi-tiered garden, and a small lake.






Excursions :-

  1. Mandore
  2. Kaylana Lake and Garden
  3. Balsamand lake
  4. Sardar Samand lake and palace
  5. Masooria Hill, Veer Durgadas Smarak, park, museum
  6. Dhawa (Dholi) forest area
  7. Khichan
  8. Osian
  9. Nakoda ji

Fairs And Festivals :-


  1. Marwar festival
  2. Gangaur
  3. Teej
  4. Nag Panchmi fair
  5. Mahavir Jayanti
  6. Shietla Mata
Folk Dance Jodhpur

File:Folkjodh.jpg


Cuisine :-

A number of Indian delicacies have originated in Jodhpur. To name a few, the Makhaniya Lassi, Mawa Kachori, Pyaaj Kachori, Hot & Spicy Mirchibada (chaudhary ka mirchi bada)(A preparation made with potato, onion, chilli and gramflour), Dal Bati ChurmaPanchkuta, Lapsi (a special kind of dessert made with wheat, Jaggery, and ghee), Kachar mircha curry (made with chilli and kachar, a special type of vegetable grown in desert area) and Kadhi (made with gramflour, curd and chilli) with Baajre ka sogra. Jodhpur is known for its sweets ranging from traditional "Makhanbada" to Bengali "Roshogollas".,"Ras madhuri". Jodhpur Sweets''' at Sardarpura and Ratanada is providing a high quality of sweets & namkeens.

Education :-


Jodhpur is fast becoming a major education hub for higher studies in India. Major Institutions areIndian Institute of Technology Rajasthan (A premier technical institute of India), NLU (National Law University, Jodhpur),Jodhpur National University (Jodhpur National University), National Institute of Fashion Technology, Ayurveda University (Second University of its kind in India), JNVU (Jai Narayan Vyas University) (NAAC accredited "A" Grade University).MBM Engineering College, which falls under JNVU university, is the world's only institute which has its own mines. Also a new campus of All India Institute of Medical Sciences is going to be established in CAZRI(Central Arid Zone Research Institute)campus. The other educational institutions include Dr. S.N Medical College, JECRC, JIET, ICMT, Lachoo Memorial College, Somani College, Marwar Engineering College,VIET etc. It is also India's largest hub for preparation of CA entrance.

IIT JODHPUR




Transportation :-


The city is very well connected with Road, Rail and Air. It is mostly connected with railways to major Indian cities like DelhiMumbai,KolkataChennaiBangalorePuneKotaKanpurBareillyHyderabadAhmedabadIndoreBhopalJabalpurGuwahatiNagpurLucknowand Jaipur.The railway station is also the originating point for various trains like Jodhpur - Indore Express, Jodhpur - Bhopal Express, Jodhpur - Puri Express , Mandore Express, Suryanagri Superfast Express etc.
Jodhpur Airport is one of the prominent airports of western india. It was primarily constructed as an Air Force base because of its important strategic location ( Jodhpur Airport played the crucial role during Indo-Pak wars in 1965, 1971).


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