History
Acknowledged as the finest example of a Hindu fortress with a beauty that beckons, the Mehrangarh Fort stands tall on an upright cliff, four hundred feet above the horizon of Jodhpur. The foundation of this majestic fort was laid down by the Rajput ruler, Rao Jodha in 1459.
History has it that at the time of foundation of the fort on the hill called Bahuchera, there was only one single inhabitant, a loner named Cheeria Nathji. He gave a curse of water scarcity in the fort while leaving the place. To counteract the curse, King Jodha made a dwelling place for Cheeria Nathji to reside and also constructed a temple for the sage to meditate. To date even 500 years later the temple still stands and offerings of flowers are made every day to appease the sage who bestowed this curse.
Though the Fort was made by King Rao Jodha, today what we see has major contributions by successive rulers of Jodhpur over the centuries. Inside the royal citadel there are seven pols (gates) to commemorate different conquests, beautiful palaces and other residential complexes.
The Mehrangarh Fort has several gates which observe the many battles fought in the ancient times. One of the gates is Jayapol, put up by Maharaja Man Singh to mark his triumphs over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Another gate, Fattehpol, was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh as a festivity for conquering the Mughals. The Lohapol near the area where the wives of war martyrs observed ‘Jauhar’, by throwing themselves in the holy fire of their husband’s pyre, and the Surajpol which leads to the museum, are some other attractive gates inside the Mehrangarh Fort. Near the fort lies the Chhatri, the spot where a soldier, Kirat Singh Soda fell while shielding the fort against the armies of Amber.
Other attractions of Mehrangarh Fort include beautiful palaces and large open courtyards inside the fort. One of the palaces is the Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), which holds the imperial throne, the Sringar Chowki. It is the palace where the royal ladies held gatherings.
The Phool Mahal was the palace where royal dances took place. The stained glasses that seem to preserve the glitter of the gold plated ceiling enhance the regal beauty more so.
The Sheesh Mahal has intricate mirror-works with dazzling mosaic of mirrors on its walls and ceilings. The palaces inside the Mehrangarh Fort have an undeniable lure, and the fort, with its exquisiteness, is the finest example of the hard work and skills of the Jodhpuri sculptors.
The Mehrangarh Fort also has a museum which exhibits fine galleries and exquisite rooms with an array of lavish royal elephant carriages, palanquins, small canons, thrones, paintings, and even a giant tent. It also has an enthralling lethal weapons gallery. The museum also contains snapshots of the palace interiors.
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Best time to visit
The best time to visit the Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur is between October and March when the weather is cold and dry, with temperatures going down to 12 degrees Celsius. From end March it starts getting hot and humid with temperatures rising to the mid 40s in the summer months. There are also occurrences of desert sandstorms during the summer months of April, May and June.
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