The Blue City - Jodhpur
Do you know why Jodhpur is known as the The Blue City? No, it is not because we get blue stones there. Haha, that was my first guess as well. Jaipur is called The Pink City because of the stones we get there and Jaisalmer is known as The Yellow City because of the rich yellow sandstone. But, Jodhpur has got it’s nickname because of the Brahmins there. The story goes like this - When the king of Jodhpur built the city fort, the Brahmins asked for land around the fort and not within the fort walls. We all know how popular the caste system was back then. So the Brahmins to make sure their houses stand out from the common folks, started painting their houses with rich blue color. However, with time two things happened; 1) caste system started wearing off and 2) people realized the blue indigo that was used in the paints acts as mosquito and insect repellant. Thus, today almost all of them use this color, irrespective of which caste they belong to, to keep their houses safe.
What to see?
1. Mehrangarh
This is the only fort I know of that has a lift inside the fort. I mean, seriously? How royal can that get? The climb to the fort is not a difficult or a long one but it is a bit steeper than usual. Because of our daughter we had opted for the elevator, but a healthy individual can easily climb the fort on foot. The entry to the fort is INR 100 per adult and an additional INR 50 per adult for the elevator access. The fort museum has some amazing well preserved pieces of ancient art, culture and personal belongings of the royal family of Jodhpur. The huge courtyards and rich architecture of the fort only speaks about the grandeur of the Rajputs of Rajasthan. This fort is at an height of approx. 400 feet above the city and thus gives a bird’s view of the beautiful blue city under it. When in Jodhpur, this fort should definitely be on your list of must visits.
Tip: Do not forget to visit the museum shop. We absolutely loved the store and ended up picking quite a few souvenirs for our close ones from here.
Mehrangarh
Mehrangarh
2. Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada is locally known as the The Taj Mahal of the Marwar because 1) built with pristine white marble 2) Is a cremation site for the royals and 3) was built by a royal in memory of someone he loved, his father. Phew! so many similarities. Beautiful architecture with amazing views of Meherangarh makes this a must visit when in Jodhpur.
Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada
3. Umaid Bhavan Palace
This is a marvel in itself. This is the current place of residence for the royals of Jodhpur. Built on a hill, this palace gives some amazing views of the city as well as of the Meherangarh fort. 1/3rd of the portion is reserved for the private residence, very little has been given to the government and converted into a museum and the remaining huge area is now an ultra luxury hotel stay owned by Taj Hotels. The palace was run as a heritage hotel before Taj took over in 2005. Taj brought down the room count from 170 to 70 just to keep the standard of the hotel and give their customers a royal stay experience. Obviously, the palace and the hotel are out of bounds to the visitors but you can visit the museum with a nominal entry fee.
Umaid Bhavan
Umaid Bhavan
4. Vintage Car Museum
In the palace’s premise, there is an area where all the vintage cars belonging to the Maharaja have been displayed. Apparently, all the cars are in working condition and the Maharaja drives them around in the city or when going to play Polo. If you are a car fanatic, definitely take a look as some of them are collectibles and rare to see.
Vintage Car Museum, Jodhpur
5. Pachetia Hills
If you miss the sunset from Meherangarh fort, this is another option where you can enjoy the beautiful sunset overlooking the blue city. However, this is not an easily accessible hill. You have to navigate through the tiny by-lanes to get there. If you have your car, best not to drive it. Catch hold of a local rickshaw guy and ask him to take you there. Once you reach, there are some 200-300 steep steps before you reach the top of the hill. But once you are on the top, the views are incredible and rewarding. Especially during the sunset hour.
The funny thing that I observed was that the temple on the top makes money off the tourists. The pandits know that the travelers will do anything for that perfect view and to capture ‘that’ perfect photo. They let you access their terrace (meaning some more elevation and unrestricted views) ONLY if you drop something in their donation box. Ridiculous!
Sunset from Pachetia Hills
6. Navchowkiya Village
Although Jodhpur is known as The Blue City, not whole of Jodhpur is covered with blue houses. So if you want to see and photograph some of these blue houses, Navchowkiya is your place. It is right below the foothills of the Pachetia hills and you have to cross this village to get to the hills. So, if you want to explore the village on foot, reach this place a little early (so that you do not miss the sunset) and explore the houses and the streets. Do not miss the colorful (blue being prominent color) graffiti on the walls of the houses.
Navchowkiya
7. Clock Tower
This is the center of the city and the most busiest and noisiest. My iWatch kept warning me about the decibel reading and making sure I move away from there as soon as possible if I din’t want to damage my ears permanently, haha! This area is the main bazaar of Jodhpur with plenty of local shops and sweet shops (mishthan bhandar). Do not miss the famous Shahi Samosa and Janta Sweet House while you are here.
8. Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
This is a piece of land, approx 70 acres of land around Meherangarh fort that has been utilized to ecologically restore the local flora and fauna of the region. It also has various interesting sandstone rock formations. While exploring you may also come across various species of birds which you normally would not see in the cities. Hike around this landscape to transport yourself to a different world. Please avoid hot days to explore this as there is absolutely no shade to take refuge.
Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
Where to eat?
1. RAAS Jodhpur
On an expensive side, but the food here is amazing. Since it is a roof top restaurant, avoid lunch times during summer months. Expect some incredible views of the Meherangarh fort from this rooftop.
RAAS Jodhpur
2. On the Rocks
This is a bit away from the main city and is a collection of multiple restaurants listed below. My husband and I enjoyed the food and it truly was delicious. However, I was a bit disappointed as they did not have anything for babies/toddlers. I asked if they could provide me some curd and steam rice. But the curd was super sour and the rice was not edible for toddlers. They were not fully cooked. So if you have a kid, avoid this place. Otherwise it is definitely a must visit.
On the Rocks
3. Jharokha 360
Ohhhh this is one place we truly enjoyed. Belongs to the same owner as RAAS Jodhpur and again a rooftop restaurant with incredible views of the blue city and the fort. We loved their peanut chaat and nice warm veg pizza on a chilly night was truly satiating. Try that out if you want some break from Rajasthani local food.
Jharokha 360
4. Stepwell Cafe
A quaint cafe with some good views of the Jodhpur stepwell.
Stepwell, Jodhpur
5. Janta Sweet Home
Mishthan Bandaar as they call it locally are in abundance in the whole of Rajasthan. But finding some good ones is a challenge. However, I really enjoyed the local delicacies at Janta sweet home. Also, dont forget to pack some to bring them back home.
6. Shahi Samosa
While we got talking to the hotel staff where we were staying, all of them highly recommended having samosas from Shahi Samosa near Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower). We had no intention of eating samosas but when we crossed that place, we thought let us at least try one. And to our surprise, it was actually one of the best samosas we have ever had. So yes, please visit and have some samosas when you are in Jodhpur. You will not be disappointed.
Hope you have a good time in Jodhpur as much as we had. Happy Traveling. And if you like or try the restaurant recommendation, do not forget to comment below. Would love to know that it has helped you in some way.
You may also like….
