Meherangarh Fort, Jodhpur

Described by Kipling as the work of angels and giants, Jodhpur's Meherangarh Fort, provides what must be the most authentic surviving taste of the ceaseless round of war, honour and extravagance that characterized Rajputana. It wasn't always so stunning, however. For decades it was locked up, caked in bat droppings, until in 1972, the current, Oxford-educated maharaja - who was born a midnight child in the year of India's Independence and took office at the age of four - created a foundation to rescue the derelict edifice. Unlike the fort in Jaisalmer it is uninhabited, its paths trodden only by visitors to the temples and palaces within its high crenellated walls.

On the wall next to Loha Pole, the sixth of seven gates designed to hinder the ascent of charging enemy elephants up a steep winding cobbled road, you can see the handprints of Maharaja Man Singh's widows. Following the Rajput code of honour, they voluntarily ended their lives in 1843 on their husband's pyre, in defiance of the law against sati passed in 1829 by the British. Beyond the massive Suraj Pole, the final gate, lie the palaces that now serve as the superb Meherangarh Museum. From the courtyards, you can see the fantastic jali (lattice) work that almost entirely covers their sandstone walls and balconies, as well as a portrait of Rao Jodha himself. Solid silver howdahs (elephant seats) and palanquins are on display, as well as daggers and photos of the maharajas' coronations. One prize exhibit is a 250-year-old pure silk tent seized during a raid on the Moghul court in Delhi. In the Jhanki Mahal, or "Queen's Palace", there's a colourful array of cradles of former rulers, while Moti Mahal ("Pearl Palace") holds the nine cushions reserved for the nine heads of the Jodhpurian state (and one central cushion for the maharaja).

Outside, in Shangar Chowk ("King's Coronation Courtyard"), is the majestic marble coronation seat upon which all the rulers apart from Jodha have been, and still are, crowned. Nearby, the royal astrologer provides consultations for a Rs150-300 fee. The most elaborate of the apartments is Phool Mahal ("Flower Palace"), a dancing hall for the entertainment of the maharaja and his guests. Pictures of dancers, deities and rulers look out from its walls and wooden ceilings.

The walk up to the fort from the old city passes through busy bazaars, with some streets so narrow that pedestrians must advance in single file. You can also get there by taxi or rickshaw along the much longer road (5km) that enters the old city at Nagauri Gate. The outstanding self-guided audio tour takes a couple of hours to complete, and finishes with a stroll out to the Durga temple, perched on the far southern tip of the precipice. The fort's café restaurant gets busy during the day and is only really worth a refresher. But be sure to leave time to explore the first rate gift shop, which sells expensive, high-quality crafts, vintage jewellery and even Jodhpur riding britches, which were the height of fashion in Europe when brought over in 1887 by a royal emissary.

Visiting Details

Daily:

• summer 8.30am-5.30pm
• winter 9am-5pm

Entry:

• Rs250 entry includes audio tour if you leave ID as deposit
• Plus Rs50 for camera
• Rs200 video
• Elevator Rs 15

For more info visit www.maharajajodhpur.com

For Jodhpur Hotel and Accomodation Guide Visit Jodhpur Hotel Guide

This fort is worth visiting. It will give you a life time experience.