Rajasthan
WESTERN
R AJASTHAN
Rajasthan
DRiNK iNG
Rajasthan
JODHPUR
vegetarian food, including some Rajas-
thani specialities, and some particular to
Jodhpur, such as chakki-ka-sagh (wheat
dumpling cooked in rich gravy), bajara-ki-
roti pachkuta (bajara wheat roti with local
dry vegetables) and kabuli (vegetables with
rice, milk, bread and fruit). It also serves
beer (from ₹188). It’s right beside Kalinga
Restaurant.oIndique ̈ iND iAN $$$
(%3293328; Pal Haveli; mains ₹250-350) This
candlelit rooftop restaurant at the Pal Have-
li hotel is the perfect place for a romantic
dinner. Even murky Gulab Sagar glistens
at night and the views to the fort, clock
tower and Umaid Bhawan are superb. The
food covers traditional tandoori, biryanis
and North Indian curries, and you won’t be
disappointed by the old favourites – butter
chicken and rogan josh. Has a full drinks
menu too (beer from ₹200).6 ̈Drinking
Coffee drinkers will enjoy the precious beans
and espresso machines at the deliciously air-
conditioned Cafe ̈Sheesh ̈Mahal (Pal Haveli;
coffee from ₹80; h9am-9pm), which also has
free wi-fi. Plenty of rooptop restaurants do
real coffee too, with varying results. For a
reliable dose of double-shot espresso, there’s
a branch of Café ̈Coffee ̈Day (High Court Rd,
Ansal Plaza; coffee from ₹50; h10am-11pm) in the
shopping mall on High Court Rd.Shri ̈Mishrilal ̈Hotel ̈ CAFE
(Sardar Market; lassi ₹30; h8.30am-10pm) Just
inside the southern gate of Sardar Market,
this place has been going since 1927 and
although it looks nothing fancy it whips
up the most superb creamy makhania las-
sis; the best you’re likely to try anywhere onyour travels. Also does tasty kachori (₹30)
and other Indian snacks.18 ̈Century ̈Bar ̈ BAR
(Pal Haveli; beer from ₹200; h11am-5pm) Pal
Haveli’s delightful hotel bar, halfway up the
stairs to the rooftop restaurant Indique, is
replete with horse-saddle stools and enough
heritage paraphernalia to have you ordering
pink gins. It closes at 5pm, after which you
can continue ordering drinks on the rooftop
until the restaurant closes.7 ̈Shopping
Plenty of Rajasthani handicrafts are avail-
able, with shops selling textiles and other
wares clustered around Sardar Market and
along Nai Sarak (you’ll need to bargain
hard).
Jodhpur is famous for antiques, with a
concentration of showrooms along Palace
Rd, 2km southeast of the centre (cross the
railway footbridge just before Raika Bagh
train station, walk straight on, then turn left
at the roundabout). These warehouse-sized
shops are fascinating to wander around,
but they’re well known to foreign antique
dealers, so you’ll be hard-pressed to find
any bargains. Also remember that the trade
in antique architectural fixtures may be
contributing to the desecration of India’s
cultural heritage (beautiful old havelis
are often ripped apart for their doors and
window frames). Restrictions apply to the
export of Indian items more than 100 years
old. However, most of these showrooms deal
in antique reproductions, and can make a
piece of antique-style furniture and ship it
home for you. The best bets for quality rep-
lica antiques are Ajay ̈Art ̈Emporium (Palace
Rd; h10am-7pm) or Rani ̈Handicrafts (www.
ranihandicrafts.com; Palace Rd; h10am-7pm),
which also have more portable and oftenJODHPUR’S ̈JODHPURS
A fashion staple for self-respecting horsey people all around the world, jodhpurs are
riding breeches – usually of a pale cream colour – that are loose above the knee and
tapered from knee to ankle. It’s said that Sir Pratap Singh, a legendary Jodhpur states-
man, soldier and horseman, originally designed the breeches for his polo team, the
Jodhpur Lancers. When he led the team on a tour of England in 1897, the design caught
on in London and then spread around the world.
If you fancy taking home an authentic pair from the city they originated in, head to
Monarch ̈Garments (%9352353768; http://www.monarch-garments.com; A-13 Umaid Bhavan
Palace Rd; h10.30am-8.45pm), opposite the approach road leading up to Umaid Bhawan
Palace, where you can buy ready-made jodhpurs or have a pair tailored for you within
two days. Prices start at ₹3500 for cotton, ₹5500 for linen.