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The rich hues of history
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Jodhpur surprises you with its richness in more ways than one, says Anuj Kumar
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Grandeur at its best (from left) Umaid Bhavan Palace and Mehrangarh Fort
Looking for life? Jodhpur is the place for you. Vibrancy defines Rajasthan and the city lives the definition by the day, presenting a rich amalgamation of history and culture. I for one wait for moments when I can get transported to the world of roya
lty and a recent visit to the city provided an opportunity to touch and feel the Rathore legacy. The Mehrangarh Fort towers over the city. So it happened to be our first destination. Riding up the Fort we came to know why it is called Blue City. The houses in the vicinity are painted in indigo. At some point of time, the guide told us they belonged to Brahmins but later on other sections also started using colour. Today in the days of ‘H
ar ghar kuch kehta ha
i’, it is still the dominant but not the only colour. In form, the guide told us the fort’s construction was started by Rao Jodha, who also founded the city in 1459, and moved his capital from Mandore. “Oh! That’s why the train we took to Jodhpur is called Mandore Express,” exclaimed an enthusiastic mate. The fort has a lift for those who don’t have the fitness to explore the past and its construction took 10-odd years certifying the strength of the rocks and the ingenuity of the architects.
Waiting for the lift we gauged the experience of our guide. “I could tell you how many people could take the lift in one go – eight Indians, 10 Europeans and 12 Japanese.” Fortunately, the lift broke down that day and I could break away from the weak to test my lungs. The first stop was Shringar Chowk where the raj tilak ceremony was performed. In a hushed tone, the guide told me this was also the place for opium ceremony, where opium was distributed not only during celebrations but also during war, as it was considered a medicine.
A mix of Indian and Moghul architecture, the fort is divided into zenana and mardana sections. Without giving much thought we asked the guide why the female section is much bigger than the male section and he doubted our credentials as journalists. “Don’t you know Maharaja used to have many consorts?”
A peek into the past
The magnificent palanquins, swords – one of them weighs seven kilograms – and paintings answered lots of queries regarding the friendship between the Rajputs and Moghuls and later on with the British and how they survived the period when Aurangzeb briefly sequestrated the Jodhpur state.
The colourful lady dumbbells are really unique and reflect the fitness of things in those days. The Rang Mahal reminded of Mughal-e-Azam’s “Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya” and the guide told us that the crystal glass was imported from Belgium. Size of sections notwithstanding, that gender equality was high on agenda and reflects from the little windows that open into the court . They were meant for the queens to attend the proceedings. Around the fort one can find Rajasthani folk dancers looking for tourists’ attention. A kalbeliya performer does a salaam in Umrao Jaan mode. “Tourism has turned the folk artistes into monkeys. They will do anything to please the tourist,” lamented Vinod Joshi, a social anthropologist who works in the region.
To keep the rewind mode going, we hopped into a taxi to take us to Umaid Bhawan, a little more than a stone’s throw. One of the youngest palaces in India, Umaid Bhawan was completed in 1944 by Maharaja Umaid Singh, the grandfather of present Maharaja Gaj Singh. Part of it is used as a hotel run by the Taj Group and the rest is the residence of the Maharaja. Built on the Chittar Hill, the highest point in Jodhpur its construction took 16 years. The building does not use mortar or cement to bind stones together.
The architect, H.V. Lanchester designed the palace in Indo-Art-Deco style. The palace, when it was built, was the world’s largest private residence, with 347 rooms. Though the information in the Palace Museum describes it as a development project where 5000 men found employment as they were paid quarter rupee a day, today it is an epitome of luxury and grandeur. It is the most expensive hotel in Jodhpur where the royal suite costs more than a lakh a night and its underground swimming pool is a spectacle in itself.
Spice of life
Coming back to the ground realties, a walk in the local market brought back the vibrancy. Known for its spices, papads and tea flavours, you could see local businessmen cajoling foreign tourists in funny accents. Sample the marketing gimmicks: “No hold ups, tease each other after drinking tea,” says the signboard at Mishrilal Tea Centre which sells everything jasmine tea to almond tea. Close on the heels there were shahi samosas (filled with cashewnuts) and pyaaz ki kachoris waiting for us. I have limited knowledge of food but my well-endowed colleagues told me that these local delights are India-famous. Pyaaz ki kachoris could last for days so they have become gift items. Then there was ‘world famous makkhan lassi’. The name said it all. At the end of the snack route, there was Mohan Paan Bhandar. Some of the gentlemen amongst us asked for sweet paans and Mohan countered, “You mean ladies’ paan?”
That is Jodhpur for you!
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