A monument whose praises do it little justice. Mehrangarh truly is the towering jewel of Jodhpur, standing tall and proud like a watchful guardian over the splendid city that’s just a short drive away from our luxury desert camp in Jodhpur. Mehrangarh is where Jodhpur’s story began, and continues to this date to a large number of people and communities that call the fortress walls their home.
On your vacation at our luxury resort in Jodhpur, a trip to Mehrangarh is everything. Learn more about the intricacies that make this place so special and why Rudyard Kipling called Mehrangarh “the work of giants”.
Mehrangarh was initially home to the most revered clan in Rajasthan, the Rathores. Rao Jodha, the 15th Rathore of the then Mewar region, formed the city of Jodhpur. In the process of construction, Rao Jodha discovered a hill that was locally known as Bhakurcheeria. Upon setting foot and disturbing the life in the area, he invoked the wrath of a local hermit known as Cheeria Nathji: A man who was said to be friends with the birds of that hill.
The hermit cursed the region to have a water scarcity, but was later appeased when Rao Jodha established construction of a fortress on a cliff nearly 100ft tall on that very hell, overlooking the citadel. Mehrangarh was slowly being conceptualized; the name that meant “house of the sun” being a reference to Lord Surya, the primary deity of the Rathores.
The fortress’ construction was slow and in fact most of the final touches were done only in the 20th century. However it certainly paid off in this case; the fort is an astonishing work that is prominent from anywhere in the city; no wonder Rudyard Kipling said those famous words. There are construction styles from all 500 years it took for the fortress to be complete; Mughal elements and Indo Saracenic elements are subtler, but very much a part of the fort. You’ll see glass stained windows as well across the fortress’ rooms and a wide variety of materials used for the fort walls and buildings. From rammed earth to marble to steel.
There are several prominent parts of Mehrangarh Fort. 7 gates scattered across town lead you into the vast fort walls where a great number of people still live today. The various palaces within the fort greet you as you step inside: Moti Mahal that exudes the beauty of white pearls, phool mahal with many glass stained windows and as dainty looking as a flower, or sheesha mahal, with its hundreds of thousands of mirrors that adorn the palace walls
Mehrangarh is the definitive place to see in Jodhpur. When staying at our luxury desert camp in Jodhpur, take some time off to see Mehrangarh, if nothing else. The sprawling and imposing fort walls coupled with expansive views of Jodhpur and the Thar in the distance invoke in everyone feelings of being a Rajput and how life must have been in the era of the Rajputs.
Along with the palaces we’ve mentioned above, the fort is also home to a number of temples. The Mehrangarh Museum Trust has an immaculate museum with displays of a number of fascinating items of cultural significance. Some of Rao Jodha’s personal belongings, like the howdahs on which he sat, are also present! For your Rajasthan tirp in 2020, the museum trust and state government are also equipped to deal with COVID-19. Strict sanitation measures, social distancing rules and safety checks are in place so you can leisurely explore the great secrets of this fort when staying at our luxury camp in Jodhpur. You can also book your tickets to the fort online so that you can go contactless with payments, and therefore enjoy a safe experience at one of India’s most famous forts in Rajasthan!