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.

In the fort are magnificent palaces, courtyards and other buildings such as Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana, Rani Bas, Top Khana, Vichala Mahal, Sringar Chauki and Daulat Khana. Carved panels and porches, maze of interlocking palace interiors, inner marble courtyards, audience halls, exquisite latticed zenana ( women's quarters) chambers, elaborately adorned walls and windows are worth seeing. The palaces in this fort have their own peculiar style, with narrow staircases, serving as the only means of access to the royal rooms within. The beauty and the grandeur of numerous palaces in the fort evoke the glorious past of the Rajput era.

The entrance is through a zigzag pathway up the west side originally fortified by seven gateways, each a short turn to the next, which provide a series of locks along the main access to the fort. Enroute to the fort is 'Jaswant Thada' the distinctive marble memorial of Jaswant Singh II. The main gate or the Fateh Gate is heavy, spiked and still has cannon ball hit marks. Then comes the smaller Gopal gate and the Bhairon Gate, with large guardrooms. The gates include  Jayapol, built by Maharaja Man Singh. The fourth, Toati Gate, is no more. Dodhkangra Gate stands over a sharp turn in the path. The Amarti Gate, has a long passageway with guardrooms on the sides. The Loha Gate or Iron Gate is the last gate at the final turn into the fort and there are 15  handprints of royal satis, the wives of Maharaja Man Singh who threw themselves upon his funeral pyre in 1843. They are usually covered in red powder.