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Mehrangarh Fort,
Jodhpur
Rao Jodha founded it in 1459 but subsequent rulers of Jodhpur
have also added to it over the centuries. A meandering road leads to the from
the city 5 kms below. Battle scars of canon ball hit by attacking armies of Jaipur
can still be seen on the second gate.
To the left is chhatri of Kirat
Singh Soda, a soldier who fell on the spot while defending the fort against the
armies of Amber. There are seven gates, which include Jayapol meaning victory
built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner
armies. Fattehpol also meaning victory gate was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to
mark the defeat of Mughals.
 And
Lohapol meaning iron gate has a moving memorabilia on palm print of the queens
of Maharaja Man Singh who threw themselves on his funeral pyre in an act of sati
[self-immolation]. The palm imprints still attract devotional attention and are
covered by vermilion paste and paper-thin silver foil.
Mehrangarh fort
is about 5km from Jodhpur Town. Guarding the city below, crowning a perpendicular
cliff, the fort was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459 AD when he shifted his capital
from Mandore.
Standing sentinel to the city below, it over looks the rugged
and rocky terrain and houses a palace intricately adorned with long carved panels
and latticed windows exquisitely wrought from red sandstone.
The apartments
within, have their own magic -the Moti mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower
Palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana and Daulat Khana with a rich
varied collection of palanquins, howdas, royal cradles, miniature paintings of
various schools, folk music, instruments, costumes, furniture and an impressive
armoury.
The display of cannons on the ramparts near Chamunda temple is
among the rarest in India. As you climb up, folk musicians revive the grandeur
of a bygone era.
FORT MUSEUM
This is one of the finest
museums in Rajasthan and certainly the best layed out. In the palanquin section
of the fort museum, you can see an interesting collection of old royal palanquins
including the elaborate domed gilt Mahadol palanquin, which was won in a battle
from the Governor of Gujarat in 1730. The museum exhibits the heritage of the
Rathores in arms, costumes, paintings and decorated period rooms.
PHOOL
MAHAL
The grandest of Mehrangarh's period rooms, the Phool Mahal
was in all likely hood a private and exclusive chamber of pleasure dancing girls
once swooned in exhaustion here under a ceiling rich in gold filigree. The Phool
Mahal was created by Maharaja Abhaya Singh (1724-1749) and the gold came from
Ahmedabad in Gujarat as war booty after his famous victory over the rebellious
Mughal governor, Sarbuland Khan. The paintings, royal portraits and the ever-popular
raga mala, came much later, in the reign of Jaswant Singh II.
Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur,
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