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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Mount Abu's Summer Festival

Oasis in the deserted land of Rajasthan,a pilgrim spot,a land of serene lakes,waterfalls,green forests,stunning monuments-Mount Abu is the only hill station in Rajasthan as well as north west India which makes it a perfect spot for the summer festival. The summer festival is held every year during the month of may. It celebrates the warmth and cheerfulness of the people of the hill station-Mt. Abu who welcome the tourist from the depth of their hearts.

At the time of British rule in India, Mount Abu was one of the favorite summer destinations,since it was a kind of an escape from the heat of Rajasthan. So, it also become a famous summer resort for the kings of Rajasthan. Since then the people started this three day festival showcasing their colorful culture and tradition becoming the major source of entertainment for the tourists in summer. It offers ample time to the tourist to relax, enjoy and entertain themselves.

This summer festival commences with the singing of ballad and proceeds with a ceremonial procession,which starts from the RTDC hotel SHIKHAR and gathers at the Nakki lake chowk where folk performances of Rajasthan and Gujarat are mainly organised.

 Out of all the festivities the rowing competition at the Nakki lake is the most famous and the most awaited. The second and third days are more exciting and attractive since various competition and activities take place such as skating race,skaters show,camel polo, CRPF band show,boat race,horse race,tug of war, panihari matka race and an outdoor shaam-e-qawwali performnace in the evening adds to the extravagance. The audience is captivated by these mesmerizing vocalists from all over the country. People enjoy a host of dance styles of Rajasthan- ghoomer, daph, gair, kathputli, kalbelia, bhavai, countless Rajasthani food .and they also float hundreds of lighted diyas on the lake in the evening, which makes it an enchanting sight. The grand finale of the summer festival is a display of  dazzling  fireworks which catches the fancy of every tourist.

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Immerse 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.