Jodhpur Tourism

Jodhpur is one of the most enchanting cities of Rajasthan, with its mighty Mehrangarh fort overlooking the city. An architectural masterpiece in itself, Mehrangarh Fort is a magnificent fort and is among one of the largest forts in Rajasthan. The city is called the Blue City as it looks completely blue in colour from an aerial view because of its blue walls and blue houses. Also seen in the backdrop of the movie, The Dark Knight Rises, Jodhpur attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world. Nearby Jaswant Tada and Umaid Bhawan Palace are also among the top attractions in Jodhpur. Apart from the old blue city, Jodhpur has grown as a city with wider and cleaner roads in some parts. However, the magic lies in the old city itself with hundreds of shops, guesthouses, eating joints and vendors make it a chirpy bustling city, especially near the landmark clock tower and Sardar Market.

Jodhpur History
Jodhpur history revolves around the Rathore Clan. Rao Jodha, the chief of the Rathore clan, is credited with the origin of Jodhpur in India. He founded Jodhpur in 1459. The city is named after him only. It was previously known as Marwar. The following paragraphs will tell you more about the past of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. The Rathores were driven out of their original homeland, Kaunaj, by Afghans. They fled to Pali, near to the present day Jodhpur. Rathore Siahaji married the sister of a local prince. This helped the Rathores to establish and strengthen themselves in this region. In some time they ousted the Pratiharas of Mandore, just 9 km of today's Jodhpur. Initially, Mandore served as their capital, but, by 1459, Rathores felt a need for a secure capital. This lead to the formation of Jodhpur, the Sun City, by Rao Jodha. The Rathores enjoyed good relations with all the Mughals, except Aurangzeb. Maharaja Jaswant Singh even supported Shahjahan in his struggle for succession. After Aurangzeb's death, Maharaja Ajit Singh drove out Mughals from Ajmer and added it to Marwar (now Jodhpur). Under the reign of Maharaja Umed Singh, Jodhpur grew into a fine modern city.

How to Reach Jodhpur
By Air: The Jodhpur Airport is 5 km from the city center. Regular flight services connect the city with other major cities in and around Rajasthan. There are daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur and Jaipur.
By Train: Jodhpur is well connected by railway lines. Trains to Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata are easily available. The 'Palace on Wheels' also visits this city of royal splendor.
By Road: Another convenient mode of transportation to Jodhpur is by road. The main highway between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer is via Agoli and Pokaran. The highway is well connected with Agra, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Delhi, Jaipur, Jaisalmer and Udaipur by bus.