History of Jodhpur

History of Jodhpur The district of Jodhpur, was for long known as the ancient kingdom of Marwar, which literally History of Jodhpurtranslates to ‘The Land of Death’. It was the largest kingdom of the Rajputana, and the third largest kingdom in India after the Indian Kingdoms of Kashmir and Hyderabad. As chronicled by the Gazetteers, the original inhabitants of Jodhpur were the Abhiras or the Ahirs, and later the Aryans invaded and spread through the region. After that the Gurjara-Pratihara Empire made Jodhpur a part of their, kingdom till about 1100 C.E. Jodhpur came into existence as we know it today, under the Rathore clan.

According to the Rathore tradition, the warrior clan, traces its origins to the Hindu God Rama, the hero of the great epic, Ramayana, and hence they belong to the clan of the Sun or the Suryavansha, which is one of the branches of the Kshatriyas or the warrior caste of the Hindus. It is chronicled that in the year 470 A.D. Nayal Pal, the Rathore chief conquered the kingdom of Kannauj which was near present day Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and made it their capital. The Rathores were finally driven out of the homeland Kannauj, which had been their capital for almost seven centuries by the Afghans, led by Mohammad Ghori in 1193 and they had to take shelter in the city of Pali, which is quite close to Jodhpur.
The chief of the then Rathore clan, Rathore Siahaji married into the local royal household, and hence fortified their presence in the region. After ousting the Pratiharas from the city of Mandore, the Rathores made it their capital, and hence the capital of the Marwar Empire. However by the year 1459, the need for a stronghold, that was secure and fortified was felt quite strongly by them, and hence Jodhpur was established by Rao Jodha, and it is after him that the city takes its name. Since Jodhpur was strategically located between Delhi and Gujarat, the trade route flourished, and Jodhpur saw major revenues pouring in with silk, opium, copper, sandals, coffee and date palm being their major exports.

Being a major kingdom of North India, Jodhpur was directly influenced by the historical standings of the dynasties that ruled the nation since its inception. Many rulers of Jodhpur, were made lieutenants under the Mughal Empire. Raja Surender, conquered Gujarat and much of the Deccan region for Akbar, and it was Raja Gaj Singh, who quelled the rebellion of Prince Khurram against his father Jahangir. It was under the Mughal rule that Jodhpur flourished as a kingdom and traded with several parts of Central Asia.

Under the rule of Maharaja Jaswant Singh, the relations between the Mughals and the Rajputana soured, after the Maharaja backed the wrong son, in the war of succession for the Mughal throne. As a result of this, the kingdoms of Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udaipur, formed a triple alliance, and were able to break apart the Mughal Yoke. A direct result of this was the marriage between the princes of Jodhpur and the princesses of Udaipur, under the condition that the children born to the princesses of Udaipur, would be the heir to the Jodhpur Throne. This pact, resulted in a lot of jealousy and opposition, which weakened the kingdom, because of almost a century of turmoil, and eventually Jodhpur came under the influence of the Marathas and then in 1818, the British.

Jodhpur’s fortunes finally did a turn around with the advent of Sir Pratap Singh as the ruler in the 1870’s, who was truly a remarkable man. The son of the Maharaja of Jodhpur, he was the ruler of the kingdom of Idar, whence he abdicated to become the Regent of Jodhpur, a position that he held for almost fifty years. Touted as the epitome of Rajput valor and chivalry, he was respected by the various British Sovereigns and was intimate friends with them. He laid down the foundation of the modern day Jodhpur, which was them built upon by Maharaja Umaid Singh, who gave Jodhpur the fabulous Umaid Palace, the last palace of India.

Geography of Jodhpur
The walled city or old Jodhpur has eight gates, of which Jalori Gate and Sojati Gate on the south are the most important - the busiest commercial centers surround them. The new city expands to the south and east of the old city.

Jodhpur Railway station lies to the southwest of Sojati Gate along Station Road. Outside the station three main roads fan out from a statue of a horseman. Olympic Cinema Road to the far left, leads to the telegraph office. The road directly in front of the state leads to the Jalori Gate, which is the best way into the old city. Station Road, leading off to the right towards Sojati Gate, is lined with cheap hotels and restaurants. High Court Road is the main east-West Avenue, running from Sojati Gate past the Umaid Gardens and the Tourist Reception Centre to the distant Raika Bagh Railway Station, just opposite the bus stand, where it bends north towards Paota Circle. Trains from the east stop at the Raika Bagh station, which is before the main station.

Nai Sarak, or New Road, leads through Sojati Gate to the biggest shopping thoroughfare and then to the market area, Sadar Bazaar, at the base of the deck tower that marks the centre of Jodhpur. The magnificent Meherangarh Fort (above the city) and Jaswant Thada can be seen from almost everywhere.

Tourist attractions of Jodhpur
On a tour of Jodhpur one can visit the famous Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhavan Palace, Jaswant Thada, Mahamandir, Mandore Gardens and Bel Samand Lake and Palace among other tourist attractions of the city.

Mehrangarh Fort
One of the finest and most formidable forts in India, the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort is located on a steep 125 m high hillock, graciously overlooking the city. Spread over an area of 5 sq. km, the Fort has seven splendid gates to enter into. Standing as a mute spectator to the splendors of an era replete with chivalry, glory and grandeur, the Mehrangarh Fort houses a number of beautiful palaces like the Phool Mahal, the Moti Mahal and the Sheesh Mahal. The Fort also houses a Museum.

Umaid Bhawan Palace
Located at 2 km southeast of the Jodhpur city at the top of a hill, Umaid Bhawan Palace is another major landmark of Jodhpur. Commissioned by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1929 as a famine relief scheme, the impressive rose sandstone and marble palace was built between 1923 and 1940, providing employment for 3,000 famine-stricken people. Now a famous hotel, the Palace also houses a Museum.

Jaswant Thada
The 19th century royal cenotaph of Jaswant Thada is located north of the Mehrangarh Fort. The memorial is made of white marble and dedicated to Jaswant Singh II (1878-95), one of the most famous kings of Jodhpur. Inside, the reverent ambience is framed with several portraits of Jodhpur royalty.

Mandore Gardens
Located at just 9 km from Jodhpur, Mandore is famous for its sprawling gardens, massive cenotaphs, temples, ruins and sculpture. A popular picnic spot, the gardens are famous for its manicured lush green lawns, rock-carved sculptures, all from a single piece of stone, and a small museum displaying sculptures and ivory and lacquer pieces.

Mahamandir Temple
Located at just 2 km from Jodhpur on the Mandore Road, the Mahamandir Temple is famous for its 84 intricately carved pillars, ornamented with detailed carvings of yogic postures.

Balsamand Lake and Palace
Located at only 7 km from Jodhpur, the beautiful Balsamand Palace is the erstwhile summer palace on the embankments of a serene and calm Balsamand Lake.