MEHRANGARH FORT

"A Palace that might have been built by Titans and colored by the morning sun" - Rudyard Kipling

Mehrangarh is made up of two words- Mihir (sun or sun-deity) and Garh (Fort), means ' Fort of the sun'. In 1459 the ruler of the Rathore clan of Rajputs, Rao Jodha moved his capital from Mandore to the site of Jodhpur today. He built his fort on the rocky promontory which dominates the surroundings area and so arose the Mehrangarh fort. Down below the old town was enclosed by a 10 km(kilo meters)long wall. It stands a 100 feet in splendor on a perpendicular cliff, 400 feet above the sky line of Jodhpur. It is over 500 yards long making it one of the largest and greatest forts in India. It is from Mehrangarh fort that one can see and understand why Jodhpur is called the Blue city, At one point Brahmin could live in Brahminpuri (another name of Jodhpur) and were also the only community allowed to paint the exteriors of their houses blue. The blue, so characteristic of Jodhpur act as a heat and mosquito repellent. 

The fort has seven famous gates which have to be crossed to reach the fort. The gates still bear the marks of the various battles fought in the bygone era. The famous of all is Jai Pol (means Victory), the first gate when you enter, was built by Maharaja Man Singh after his victory on Jaipur and Bikaner. Another gate, Fateh Pol (means Victory) was raised by Maharaja Ajit Singh to celebrate the defeats of Mughals. The last gate Loha Pol, as in any Rajput forts, displays the palm imprints that are smeared with vermilion paste and paper thin silver foil on a gateway leading to the funeral pyre site, reminds the tourists of the princesses and queens who committed Johar (self-immolation) for the sake of their consorts.

Within the fort are several brilliantly crafted and decorated palaces. These include Moti Mahal (pearl palace), Phool Mahal (Flower palace), Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), Sileh khana and Daulat khana.

The museum the fort is one of the most well-stocked museums in Rajasthan. It exhibits the heritage of Rathores. The palace museum has exquisite rooms filled with lavish royal elephant carriages (howdahs), palanquins, thrones, costumes,furniture, musical instruments, miniatures, paintings and even a giant tent. It also has an interesting weapons gallery.

The 500 year old fort is a popular site for filming. It was one of the filming locations for the movie 'Batman- The dark knight rises(2002)' and 'Veer'.
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Chand Baori-The Deepest Stepwell In The World

Chand baori, Abhaneri (literally translated as "Moon Well") is the oldest and deepest step well in the world. Abhaneri is a village in the Dausa district of Rajasthan, India. It is situated at a distance of 95 km from Jaipur,Rajasthan on the Jaipur-Agra highway. It was so named as it was built by king Chand Raja of Nikumbha dynasty in 9th century A.D. Abhaneri was originally named Abha Nagri,which means "city of brightness," but due to mispronunciation, that name was changed.It is located opposite Harshat Mata (goddess of joy and happiness) temple and was constructed in 800 AD. It consists of 3500 narrow steps over 13 stories and extends approximately 100 ft. into the ground making it one o the deepest and largest step wells in India. Three out of the four sides have steps that lead down to the bottom of the well and one side of the well has a pavillion and resting room for the royals. The state of Rajasthan is extremely arid,and the design and final structure of Chand Baori was intended to conserve as much water possible. At the bottom of the well, the air remains 5-6 degree cooler than at the surface, and it was also used as a community gathering place for locals during periods of intense heat. The steps and the whole surrounding is a fine example of architectural expertise of the great Indian architectures. It also displays the geometrical intelligence of the architects of the bygone era. It has been featured in blockbuster Hollywood movies like The Fall and The Dark Knight Rises.

For more blogs visit https://www.ethnicrajasthan.com/blogs/blogImmerse yourself and your loved ones in the spirit of Rajasthan with a wide range of vibrant outfits ,home furnishing and accessories choices at Ethnic Rajasthan.