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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).
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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.
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