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Introduction
This bustling desert city is the second
largest city in Rajasthan after Jaipur and has landscape dominated
by the massive Meherangarh Fort topping a sheer rocky ridge.
The old city is fenced by 10 km long wall with eight Gates leading
out of it. The new city is outside the walled city. Rao Jodha, a
chief of the
Rathore
clan, founded the city in
1459 and it is
named after him.
The Afghans drove the Rathores out of their original homeland Kaunaj
and they fled to this region around Pali a short distance from
present day Jodhpur. A manoeuvre lead to marriage between Rathore
Siahaji and the sister of a local prince that helped the Rathores to
establish and strengthen themselves in this region. In fact they
flourished so well that managed to oust the Pratiharas of Mandore,
just 9 km of present day Jodhpur. By 1459 a need for more secured
capital lead to the founding of Meherangarh Fort on its ro cky perch
and Jodhpur was thus founded by Rao Jodha.
The Rathores
enjoyed good relations with the Mughals and Maharaja Jaswant Singh
(1678) supported Shah Jahan in the
latter's struggle for war of
succession. Only problematic relationship they had was with
Aurangzeb.
After Auranzeb's
death
Maharaja Ajit Singh
drove out Mughals from Ajmer and
added it
to
Marwar.
In the reign of Maharaja Umed Singh Jodhpur grew into a fine modern city.
The quintessence of Jodhpur was its valour and equestrian skill.
Polo has been the traditional sport of the Jodhpur
nobility since medieval times.
Jodhpur has two railway stations, City and Rai ka Bagh both
are outside
the walled city. The bus stand is right outside the Rai ka Bagh
Station. The High Court is a while from the bus stand after the Umed
Gardens, after which is located the tourist reception centre and
RTDC Hotel Ghoomer. Ahead is the main market and entry in to the
wall from Sojati Gate. This area also has many hotels. Jodhpur is
also military and air force station and has a large cantonment and
airbase.
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