Mehrangargh Fort

The massive Mehrangargh Fort is situated about 5km from Jodhpur Town, the former capital of the Marwar state, on the steep hill hidatoonk, at an altitude of about 125 metres. The red sandstone fort dominating the city has the appearance of an elegant peacock and so is also known as Moradwaj Garh. The fort spread over an area of 5 sq. km, was originally started by Rao Jodha in 1459 A.D., the founder of the capital city of the Rathores (a Rajput clan) but the major part of the fort which stands today dates from the period of Maharaja Jaswant Singh (1638 -78).

It is said that its unsuspecting architect was ordered buried alive so that he could not reveal its secrets. The enormous Fort stands high above the plains with walls up to 36m high and 21m wide. On Jaswant Singh's death in 1678, Mughal ruler Aurangzeb occupied the fort, bringing the first major period of fort extension to an end. Meherangarh came back under the Rajput control of Jaswant Singh's posthumous son Ajith Singh after the death of Aurangazeb.

This fort was run by the Maharaja of Jodhpur for over 500 years until he changed his residence to Umaid Bhavan Palace when it was completed in 1943. Today the complex is maintained as a museum, and houses 18 different  apartments, each full of carefully displayed antiquities, rare books and manuscripts. The museum displays collection of palanquins, elephant howdahs (saddles), royal cradles, weapons, musical instruments, paintings, costumes, ivory and wood antique furniture, a tent etc.

The employees in the palace, dressed in traditional Jodhpuri dress with shield, hookah welcome the tourists and offer information related to the various rooms in the palaces, adding some folklore, legends and royal stories in their friendly dialogue.

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