Jodhpur Tourism

Jodhpur

Jodhpur:- (जोधपुर ) is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and officially the second metropolitan city of the state. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name. The capital of the kingdom was known as Marwar. Jodhpur is a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar Desert.

The city is known as the "Sun City" for the bright and sunny weather it enjoys all the year round. The old city circles the fort and is bounded by a wall with several gates. Jodhpur is also known as the "Blue City" because of the blue colours that decorate many of the houses in the old city area. However, the city has expanded greatly outside the wall over the past several decades.

Jodhpur lies near the geographic centre of the Rajasthan state, which makes it a convenient base for travel in a region much frequented by tourists.

Mehrangarh Fort , Jodhpur

History:-According to the Rajasthan District Gazetteer's of Jodhpur and the Hindu epic Ramayana (composed up to the 4th century AD), Abhiras (Ahirs) were the original inhabitants of Jodhpur and later Aryans spread to this region. There may have been small settlements before Rathore rule.

The Jodhpur city was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a Rajput chief of the Rathore clan. Jodha succeeded in conquering the surrounding territory and thus founded a state which came to be known as Marwar. As Jodha hailed from the nearby town of Mandore, that town initially served as the capital of this state; however, Jodhpur soon took over that role, even during the lifetime of Jodha. The city was located on the strategic road linking Delhi to Gujarat. This enabled it to profit from a flourishing trade in opium, copper, silk, sandals, date palm and coffee.

After the death of Chandrasen Rathore the state became a fief under the Mughal Empire, owing fealty to them while enjoying some internal autonomy. During this period, the state furnished the Mughals with several notable generals such as Maharaja Jaswant Singh. Jodhpur and its people benefited from this exposure to the wider world as new styles of art and architecture made their appearance and opportunities opened up for local tradesmen to make their mark across northern India.

Aurangzeb briefly sequestrated the state (c.1679) on the pretext of a minority, but the prior ruler Maharaja Ajit Singh was restored to the throne by Veer Durgadas Rathore after Aurangzeb died in 1707 and a great struggle of 30 years. The Mughal empire declined gradually after 1707, but the Jodhpur court was beset by intrigue; rather than benefiting from circumstances, Marwar descended into strife and invited the intervention of the Marathas, who soon supplanted the Mughals as overlords of the region. This did not make for stability or peace, however- 50 years of wars and treaties dissipated the wealth of the state, which sought and gratefully entered into a subsidiary alliance with the British in 1818.

During the British Raj, the state of Jodhpur had the largest land area of any in the Rajputana. Jodhpur prospered under the peace and stability that was a hallmark of this era. The land area of the state was 90,554 km² (34,963 sq mi) its population in 1901 was 44,73,759. It enjoyed an estimated revenue of £3,529,000. Its merchants, the Marwaris, flourished and came to occupy a position of dominance in trade across India. In 1947, when India became independent, the state merged into the union of India and Jodhpur became the second largest city of Rajasthan.

At the time of partition, the ruler of Jodhpur, Hanwant Singh, did not want to join India, but finally due to the effective persuasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Home Minister at the time, the state of Jodhpur was included in Indian Republic. Later after the State Reorganisation Act, 1956 it was included within the state of Rajasthan.

Industrial plant near Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Economy:-The handicrafts industry has, in recent years, eclipsed all the other industries in the city. The items manufactured include textiles, metal utensils, bicycles, ink and sporting goods. A flourishing cottage industry exists for the manufacture of such items as glass bangles, cutlery, carpets and marble products.

After handicrafts, tourism is the second largest industry of Jodhpur. 

Major agricultural exports in the district include wheat and the famous Mathania red chilies. The city serves as an important marketplace for wool and agricultural products.

Gypsum and salt are commonly mined exports. The Indian Air Force, Indian Army, Indo Tibetan Border Police and Border Security Force maintain training centres in Jodhpur.

The upcoming 9 MMTPA Refinery and Petrochemical complex to be set up by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) in Pachpadra, Barmer will transform the industrial scene of the city drastically. Pachpadra lies just 60 kilometres from the industrial area of Boranada in Jodhpur. Around 120 by-products that are produced by the refinery are going to provide opportunities for new industries to be set up in and around Jodhpur.

India's most ambitious industrial development project, the over USD 100 billion dollars Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project is also going to impact industries in Jodhpur. Marwar Junction, which is located about 103 kilometres from Jodhpur will be one of the nine freight loading points along the DMIC route. Jodhpur and Pali districts fall under the region that is going to be developed as a manufacturing hub for the DMIC.

Tourism:- Jodhpur's most notable attractions are Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jaswant Thada, and the Ghanta Ghar, or Clock Tower. Tourists are also within proximity to Fort Auwa, Mandore, Kaylana Lake and Garden, Balsamand Lake, Mandaleshwar Mahadev Temple (Mandalnath), Ratanada Ganesh Temple, Sardar Samand Lake and Palace, Masooria Hills, Veer Durgadas Smarak (monument, park and museum), Bhim Bhirak Cave, and Ravan Ka Mandir, the only Ravan temple in India.

Mehrangarh Fort , Jodhpur

Jaswant Thada

Balsamand Lake

Ghanta Ghar

Kaylana Lake

Umaid Bhawan Palace

1.Places of recreation

Some of the recreation places worth mentioning are:

• Mandore Gardens
• Kaylana Lake
• Shastri Circle
• Masuria Hill Garden
• Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
• Science Park
• Ummed Garden
• Chokelav Baag
• Machiya Safari Park

2.Fairs and festivals

            Folk dance of Rajasthan.

• Marwar Mahotsav
• Gangaur
• Baithmaar Gangaur Mela
• Teej
• Nag Panchami Fair
• Sheetla Mata Fair
• Baba Ramdev Pir Mela
• Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF)
• World Sacred Spirit Festival

3.Temples

• Chamunda Mata Temple (near Mehrangarh Fort)
• Raj Ranchhodji Temple
• Achal Nath Shivalaya
• Siddhanth Shiv Temple
• Rasik Bihari Temple
• Ganesh Temple
• Baba Ramdeo Temple, Masuria hill
• Shiv Temple, Shiv Sagar, Mata ka than
• Udai Mandir in city area
• Kunj Bihari Temple
• Dauji Temple, Hathi Ram ka Oda
• Ravan Temple

Footwear Design and Development Institute, Jodhpur

National Law University Jodhpur

Jodhpur National University

Education and Research:-

Jodhpur is fast becoming a major education hub for higher studies in India. With many renowned academicians, Jodhpur is India's largest hub for preparation of the Chartered Accountant (CA) entrance examination held throughout India by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

The most notable include:

• Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur (IITJ) is a technical education institute in India, one of the new IITs. (It started in 2008.)
• All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur (AIIMS Jodhpur)
• National Law University Jodhpur (NLU Jodhpur) is one of the 17 universities imparting law education (established in 1999).
• National Institute of Fashion Technology Jodhpur (NIFT Jodhpur): a fashion design institute (started in 2010).
• Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Rajasthan Ayurved University (DSRRAU Jodhpur) is a university in the field of Ayurveda. A second university of its kind in India was started in 2003.
• Jai Narain Vyas University (JNVU, Jodhpur), formerly known as University of Jodhpur, is run by the State Government of Rajasthan (established in 1962).
• Dr. S.N. Medical College, Jodhpur (established in 1965)
• MBM Engineering College: the oldest engineering institution in Rajasthan, now a faculty of Engineering and Architecture, under JNVU, (established in 1951)
• Footwear Design and Development Institute Jodhpur (FDDI Jodhpur) is an institute established by the Government of India, Ministry of Commerce & Industry for the design and development of footwear, fashion and leather (started in 2012).
• Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT Jodhpur) is one of the five institutes nationwide to provide research, development and technical education to the handloom industry.
• Sardar Patel University of Police, Security and Criminal Justice, started in 2013, is a university for research and education in the field of security, policing and criminal justice.
• Government Polytechnic College
• Government College of Physical Education
• Government College, Chenpura
• Lachoo Memorial College of Science & Technology (LMCST)
• Onkarmal Somani College of Commerce
• Mahila P.G Mahavidyalaya
• Prof. A.D Bohra Memorial Law College
• Jodhpur National University
• JIET (Jodhpur) (Jodhpur Institute of Engineering & Technology)
• Marwar Engineering College & Research Centre
• S.L.B.S Engineering College
• Mayurakshi Institute of Engineering & Technology
• Raj Engineering College
• Vyas Institute of Higher Education
• Aishwarya college of education

How To Reach:-

Rail:- Jodhpur railway station is the divisional headquarters of the North Western Railways (NWR). It is well connected with railways to major Indian cities like Alwar, Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Trivandrum, Pune, Kota, Kanpur, Bareilly, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Dhanbad, Patna, Guwahati, Nagpur, Lucknow, Gwalior, Jaipur etc. To decongest the main Jodhpur station (JU), the suburban station Bhagat ki Kothi (BGKT) is being developed as the second main station for passenger trains. At present 106 trains serves to both the stations. Some of the important trains originating from Jodhpur railway station are- Ranthambore Express (Jodhpur to Indore), Mandore Express (Jodhpur to Delhi), Suryanagri Express (Jodhpur to Mumbai), Marudhar Express (Jodhpur to Lucknow), Howrah Superfast (From Jodhpur to Howrah) etc.

For further train running information, timings, halts etc. visit the official website of Indian Railways

Luxury train service- For experiencing the true magnificence and royal opulence of Rajasthan, luxury trains Palace on Wheels and Royal Rajasthan on Wheels are run jointly by RTDC and Indian railways. Jodhpur is one of the destinations of both of the trains. Recently a plan to start metro train service in Jodhpur was proposed to decongest the city traffic. However, this proposal is still pending with the state government for its approval.

Jodhpur Airport

Air:- Jodhpur Airport is one of the prominent airports of Rajasthan. It is primarily a military airbase with a civil enclosure to allow for civilian air traffic. Due to Jodhpur's strategic location, this airport is regarded as one of the most important ones for the Indian Air Force.

At present, there are daily flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jaipur and Bangalore to the city operated by Air India and Jet Airways and Spicejet. The bill and basic formalities for the long-awaited expansion of the airport were cleared by all the concerned authorities in June 2016, clearing the way for the expansion of the airport in two phases beginning Feb 2016. Post the expansion, it is expected that there will be morning and evening flights from the city to more cities than presently available in addition to more airlines coming to and fro the city.

Road:- Jodhpur is connected by road to all major cities in Rajasthan and neighboring states like Delhi, Ahmedabad, Surat, Ujjain, Agra etc. Apart from deluxe and express bus services to cities within the state, Rajasthan Roadways provides Volvo & Mercedes Benz bus service to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer . Recently, Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) is launched in the city with low floor and semi low floor buses plying on major routes. Jodhpur is connected to the National Highway network with three National Highways and to the Rajasthan State Highway network with ten state highways. National Highways passing through Jodhpur:

• NH-62, Ambala-Kaithal-Hissar-Fatehpur-Jodhpur-Pali, total length= 690 km
• NH-112, Junction with NH-14 near Bar connecting Jaitaran-Bilara-Kaparda-Jodhpur-Kalyanpur Pachpadra-Baloootra-Tilwara-Kher-Bagundi Dhudhwa-Madhasar-Kawas and terminating at its junction with NH 15 near Barmer, total length= 343 km
• NH-114, Junction with NH-65 near Jodhpur connecting Balesar - Dechhu and terminating at its junction with NH-15 near Pokaran, total length= 180 km

State Highways passing through Jodhpur:

• SH-19, Phalodi (NH 15) to Needar via Ahu, Chadi, Pachudi, Nagaur, Tarneu, Khatu Kalan, Khatu khurd, Toshina, Kuchaman City, Bhuni, Maroth, Deoli Minda, Renwal Crossing, Kaladera, total length= 368 km
• SH-21, Dantiweara to Merta City via Pipar City, Borunda, total length= 97 km
• SH-28, Phalodi (NH 15) to Ramji ki Gol via Deeechu, Shergarh, Pachpadra, Balotra, Sindri, Guda Malani.total length= 259 km
• SH-58, Jodhpur to Bheem up to NH 8 via Vinakiya, Rajola Sojat, Rendiri, Bhaisana, Sojat Road, Kantalia, Baban. total length= 142 km
• SH-61, Phalodi ( NH 15) to Mandal via Osian, Mathania, Jodhpur, Khejrali, Bhatenda, Saradasamand, Jadan, Marwar Junction, Auwa, Jojawar, Kamalighat, Devgarh, Rajaji ka kareda.total length=349 km
• SH-62, Bilara to Pindwara via Sojat, Sireeyari, Jojawar, Bagol, Desuri, Sadri, Sewari.total length=187 km
• SH-63, Banar to Kuchera via Bhopalgarh Asop.total length=129 km
• SH-65, Sheo (NH 15) to Shergarh via Bhiyad, Barnawa Jagger, Patodi, Phalsoond.total length=155 km
• SH-66, Siwana to Dhandhaniya (NH 114) via Samdari, Kalyanpur, Mandli Rodhawa Kalan.total length=90 km
• SH-68, Dangiyawas (NH 112) to Balotra via Kakelao, Khejarli, Guda Kakani, Luni, Dhundhara, Rampura, Samdari.total length=131 km

Visit By Map

Happy to journey

                                                                                             

indiantourist100.blogspot.com

 facebook.com/ajay.gouttam1

By:- Ajay Gouttam