Jodhpur, the Blue City of Rajasthan

Jodhpur is one of the top tourist destinations in Rajasthan. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Rajasthan. This beautiful destination has a rich cultural history which is hoarded by domestic tourists as well as international tourists, all around the year. This second largest city of the state was founded by Raja Jodha of the Rathore clan in the year 1459.  

The rich history of Jodhpur is also filled with numerous wars that fought against the neighboring states to protect its abundant wealth. During the colonial period the ruler of this region finally signed a peace treaty with British in 1818, to ensure peace and stability which had almost completely destroyed use to the fifty years of wars that it had fought against the invaders of different origins. Among the attractions of this place the most important ones are the forts, which tell you the story about the rich bygone era of Jodhpur.

Attractions  

There are plenty of tourist attractions in Jodhpur, among which some of the top attractions have been mentioned below.

Mehrangarh Fort

Mehrangarh fort is one of the top tourist attractions of Jodhpur. This magnificent structure has been preserved as a heritage monument and there is plenty to explore at this place. One of the chief highlight of this place is the museum which exhibits an interesting collection of excellent and applied arts that existed during the Mughal rule in India. One can also enjoy the breath-taking view of Jodhpur city from the top of this fort. Another special factor about this fort is that it holds annual Rajasthan International Folk Festival in the month of October along with the renowned World Sufi Spirit Festival, which is held in the month of February.

Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park

The Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park was established in the year of 2006, with a prime motive of restoring the natural ecology of a large rocky wilderness located beside a fort. The place was neglected for many years and over the years large thorny shrubs had overgrown at this location. The local Tourism Department removed this wild outgrowth on the rocks and replaced it with 80 local species of plants that grow on these rocks.  The plants of this park were brought from the Thar Desert. The park stretches over 200 acres of land including a walking trail. The park can be visited throughout the year, as it will have diverse flora according to the different seasons of the year.

Achal Nath Shivalaya

Achal Nath Shivalaya is one of the top religious sites of Jodhpur. The temple was constructed in the year 1531 by Rao Ganga's queen Nanak Devi. The temple is made of Chittar stone, involving different parts like Garbh Griha, Kirtan Bhawan and Mandap. The chief highlight of this temple is the Ganga Bawari, which is a big water reservoir found beside the Shivlinga of the temple.

Umaid Bhawan Palace

This fabulous palace was built during the 20^th century, as a famine relief project which provided employment to the famine struck people for around 16 years. The palace, built by Maharaja Umaid Singh and named after him, is also known as the Chittar Palace, due to the local chittar sandstone used in the construction of this monument. The place has now been turned into a well maintained museum, which houses items like the belongings of Ummaid Singh and the royal family. The items that you can find at this museum are old age weapons, stuffed leopards, intriguing crockery and many other antiques.  

How to Reach

By Road: Jodhpur is easily accessible by road as the city is connected with regular bus services from Delhi, the capital of India.  If you are on a trip to Rajasthan, this flamboyant city can be reached from Bikaner or Jaisalmer through regular bus services and also by hiring a cab. If you are travelling from Delhi, it just takes 8-9 hours to cover the distance of 571 kms to reach Jodhpur.

By Train: Jodhpur Railway Station lies in the Northern railway network of India and connects the place with many major cities of the country such as Jaipur, Delhi, Mumbai and others. The railway station itself is located at the heart of the city, making it quite easier to reach Jodhpur.

By Air: The Jodhpur Airport is also a very good option for arriving at this place as the airport is just 5 kms away from the main city. The airport is again well connected by all the important cities and states of India, making it quite easier for the visitors to reach Jodhpur.