BLUE
Pics by Misha
On the night of the 3rd
of November, we boarded a bus from Jaipur, slept through the journey and, at 6am the
next morning, alighted at the main bus stand, Paota, Jodhpur.
Jodhpur – The Blue City
November 04 – 05, 2019.
It was still quite dark with another
hour or so for the sunrise. There were, however, quite a few auto-rickshaws
around the bus stand and, hiring the services of one, we drove through the dark
and deserted streets of Jodhpur, past the famous clock tower and stopped
outside our B&B of choice – Namaste
Café. Knocking lightly on the café door, we were greeted by a very sleepy
eyed Dinesh, who guided us to the roof-top café where we could rest until
check-in time at 11. The café was very comfortable, with thick mattresses and
cushions lining the floor.
Tossing our bags to one side my friends promptly lay
down and fell asleep. I, on the other hand, climber up to the roof top to watch
the spectacular view of the rising sun lighting up majestic Mehrangarh just a
short distance from the B&B. As I stood there alone in the wee hours of the
morning, the silence was cut by the sound of the Azan calling the faithful to prayer. Elsewhere, the musical strains
of the morning aarti were carried by
the breeze and mingled with the notes of the Azan, creating a sense of calm and peace over Jodhpur as it slowly
opened its eyes to a new day.
Day 1.
Visiting Mehrangarh.
Save for a few local tea stalls and
cafes, sleepy Jodhpur comes to life not before 10am. Ordering a delicious, hot
breakfast of puri-bhaji & paratha at the café itself, we sat
awhile enjoying the meal and the view.
Until then, our hosts at Namaste
Café were kind enough to allow us use of a room where we could bathe and rest
until our room was ready for check-in. In a short while, we were led to our
room, all tidied and waiting for us. And what a room it was! Overlooking the
inner courtyard, the room was very spacious and tastefully arranged with a huge
four poster bed, a couch and a divan at one end. Colorful cushions and rugs
graced the couch, the floor and the walls. The bathroom, too, was quite large
and clean. We had expected a basic room with a bed, a spare mattress and some
space to unpack. What we got was far more than we had expected. It was a
delight!
Bathed and rested, we set out to
explore the narrow streets of the town.
All
guesthouses are located in and around Makrana Mohalla which is
located in the old quarter of Jodhpur. The streets are very narrow and are only
accessible on foot, two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws. We spent an hour or so
walking around the local markets and sitting at Tulji ka Jhalra, a really beautiful step-well, much larger
than the one we saw at Amer. Since there was no restriction on climbing down to
the water, we planned to return to the well the next evening and click a few
pictures. For now, we sat in the shade of a tree and watched the many squirrels
scampering about.
For
lunch, we went to the nearby Dagley
Rooftop Restaurant. It was past noon & the sun was burning bright
in the clear blue sky. Jodhpur was hot. Really hot. Sitting under a little
umbrella, we ate yummy rajma-chaval and
a Rajasthani thali. We ended the meal
with tall glasses of cool lassi, a
drink much needed to beat the dry heat.
From
here, it was a short walk to the fort, but considering that it would be all
uphill in the heat, we took an auto to the fort and planned to return on foot.
Mehrangarh, one of the largest forts in India,
is a magnificent citadel standing atop a huge hillock called Bakurcheeriya, or mountain of birds.
Even today, there are a huge number of birds circling the fort all day long. It
is said that, in order to build this citadel, Rao Jodha had to displace a
hermit who was lived atop the hillock. In a rage, the hermit cursed the citadel
with scarcity of water.
Although
the construction of this fort was originally begun by Rao Jodha, most of what
stands today is from the period of Jaswant Singh of Marwar.
There
are two options to explore Mehrangarh, walk up, or take the elevator to the
upper level & then, walking through the fort, make your way down. There's
much to see here by way of beautifully decorated palaces. Some of these are Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal & Sheesh Mahal. There are also some
well-sculpted lawns, numerous canons, a cafe and a store selling articles of
tourist interest. On a clear day, Mehrangarh offers breathtaking views of the
Blue City stretched out far below. The Brahmins living here, in a bid to
distinguish themselves from other residents, used to paint their homes blue,
thus giving the city of Jodhpur it's moniker, 'Blue City'. This sea of blue is
best viewed from the fort.
Post
sunset, we made our way back to Namaste Cafe on foot. It took us not more than
15 minutes of walking downhill with the fort behind us. Dinner was had on the
rooftop of our own B&B and, like before, it was delicious.
If
you thought yesterday was a long day, today wasn't any less. We began the day
by visiting the Jaswant Thada,
a cenotaph in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. It is located very close to
Mehrangarh & features gazebos, tiered gardens, a small lakes & three
other cenotaphs. The site also functions as the cremation ground for the royal
family of Mewar. The mausoleum itself is beautiful and built of thin, highly
polished sheets of marble with intricate carvings. We fell in love with the
beauty & serenity of Jaswant Thada. Locals were surprised to hear that we
found it more fascinating than the oppulent Ummaid Bhavan Palace.
Boasting
of 347 rooms, the Ummaid Bhavan Palace is the official residence of the former
royal family of Jodhpur. Parts of the Palace have been converted into a museum
while a larger part is now under the management of the Taj Group of Hotels. The
palace with its dun-coloured sandstone & domes is a blend of Western &
Indian architectural styles. When it opened in 1943, it was said to be one of
the largest royal residencies in the world. The Palace Museum focusses on the
20C history of the royal family & has a beautiful collection on display.
There is also a display of vintage cars owned by the royal family.
Having
completed our visit to the Ummaid Palace, we headed back to Makrana Mohalla and
stopped for lunch at Jhankar. The ambience and food are quite pleasant and,
judging by the clientele, it is quite popular with foreign tourists. We,
however, found that service is slow & the waiter seems to have forgotten
how to smile. There was also a little mouse scurrying around that had us curl
up our legs us on the chair.
Not
wanting to go back to the room yet, we made our way to Sardar Market surrounding the century old clock tower. The
garment market was a riot of colour and sound. The narrow streets that
criss-crossed into one another were packed with people out shopping.
Apparently, these markets, selling fabric, utensils, snacks, jewelry etc etc
etc are very popular and attract buyers from neighbouring towns as well. We
purchased a few dupattas and then
stopped for the famous, creamy makhania lassi, something you really
must try. Chai & sweet masala milk at any of the
local tea-stalls by the wayside are also delicious with freshly ground spices
and dry fruits.
The rst of the evening was spent sitting at Tulji ka Jalra.
Back
in our room, we bathed and began packing for the next leg of our journey. We
had a train to catch early in the morning...we came like thieves in the dark
and we're leaving in the same manner, but far more enriched & happier for
having visited the blue city.
Pics by Misha
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