Rajasthan
WESTERN
R AJASTHAN
Rajasthan
Si GHTS
& A CT iViTiES
Rajasthan
JODHPUR
from Hill View Guest House in the old city.
Or you can take a winding 5km autorick-
shaw ride (around ₹100). The audio tour,
included with the museum ticket, is in
multiple languages and requires a deposit
of passport, credit/debit card or ₹2000. You
don’t need a ticket to enter the fort itself,
only the museum section.
Jai Pol was built by Maharaja Man Singh
in 1808 following his defeat of invading
forces from Jaipur. Past the museum ticket
office and a small cafe, the 16th-century
Dodh ̈ Kangra ̈ Pol was an external gate
before Jai Pol was built, and still bears the
scars of 1808 cannonball hits. Through here,
the main route heads up to the left (down
to the right is the way to Chokhelao ̈Bagh
gardens and the fort’s back entrance at
Fateh ̈Pol), through the 16th-century Imri-
tia ̈Pol and then Loha ̈Pol, the fort’s original
entrance, with iron spikes to deter enemy
elephants. Just inside the gate are two sets of
small handprints, the sati (self-immolation)
marks of royal widows who threw them-
selves on their maharajas’ funeral pyres –
the last to do so were widows of Maharaja
Man Singh in 1843.
Past Loha Pol you’ll find a restaurant
and Suraj ̈Pol, which gives access to the
museum. Once you’ve visited the museum,
continue on from here to the panoramic
ramparts, which are lined with impressive
antique artillery.
̈ ̈Museum
This beautiful network of stone-latticed
courtyards and halls, formerly the fort’s pal-
ace, is a superb example of Rajput architec-
ture, so finely carved that it often looks more
like sandalwood than sandstone.
The galleries around Shringar ̈ Chowk
(Anointment Courtyard) display India’s best
collection of elephant howdahs and Jodh-
pur’s royal palanquin collection.
One of the two galleries off Daulat ̈Khana ̈
Chowk displays textiles, paintings, manu-
scripts, headgear and the curved sword of
the Mughal emperor Akbar; the other gal-
lery is the armoury. Upstairs is a gallery ̈
of ̈miniature ̈paintings from the sophisti-
cated Marwar school and the beautiful 18th-
century Phul ̈Mahal (Flower Palace), with
19th-century wall paintings depicting the 36
moods of classical ragas as well as royal por-
traits; the artist took 10 years to create them
using a curious concoction of gold leaf, glue
and cow’s urine.
Takhat ̈ Vilas was the bedchamber of
Maharaja Takhat Singh (r 1843–73), who
had just 30 maharanis and numerous con-
cubines. Its beautiful ceiling is covered with
Christmas baubles. You then enter the ex-
tensive zenana, whose lovely latticed win-
dows (from which the women could watch
the goings-on in the courtyards) are said
to feature over 250 different designs. Here
you’ll find the Cradle ̈Gallery, exhibiting
the elaborate cradles of infant princes, and
the 17th-century Moti ̈Mahal (Pearl Palace),
which was the palace’s main durbar hall for
official meetings and receptions, with gor-
geously colourful stained glass.
̈ ̈Flying ̈Fox
This 45-minute circuit of six zip ̈lines (www.
flyingfox.asia; ₹1400; h9.30am, 10.30am, 11.30am,
2.30pm, 3.30pm, 4.30pm) flies back and forth
over walls, bastions and lakes on the north
side of Mehrangarh. Safety standards are
good and ‘awesome’ is the verdict of most
who dare.Jaswant ̈Thada ̈ HiSTORiC BU il DiNG
(indian/foreigner ₹15/30, camera/video ₹25/50;
h9am-5pm) This milky-white marble memo-
rial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, sitting
above a small lake, within walking distance
of Mehrangarh, is an array of whimsical
domes. It’s a welcome, peaceful spot after
the hubbub of the city, and the views across
to the fort and over the city are superb. Built
in 1899, the cenotaph has some beautiful
jalis (carved marble lattice screens) and is
hung with portraits of Rathore rulers going
back to the 13th century.Clock ̈Tower ̈ MONUMENT
The century-old clock tower is an old-city
landmark surrounded by the vibrant sounds,
sights and smells of Sardar Market, which
is marked by triple gateways at its north
and south ends. The narrow, winding lanes
of the old city spread out in all directions
from here. Westward, you plunge into the
old city’s commercial heart, with crowded
alleys and bazaars selling vegetables, spices,
sweets, silver and handicrafts.Umaid ̈Bhawan ̈Palace ̈ PA lACE
(museum indian/foreigner ₹25/60; hmuseum
9am-5pm) Consider taking an autorickshaw
(about ₹50) to this hilltop palace, 3km
southeast of the old city. The current royal
incumbent, Gaj Singh II (known as Bapji),
still lives in part of the building. Built in
1929, the 365-room edifice was designed by