Jodphur

After our stay in Jaishalmer in our trip to Rajasthan in february 2020 we went to Jodphur by overnight train .

Here too we had booked with our

Club Mahindra resort time share .

Like in Jaisalmer the resort was a bit away from the main city and tourist areas .

We took a cab and checked in to the palatial royal resort which was once home to some royal personage .

It was called Pratap vilas .

We were impressed by the facade the driveway the antique car parked outside the horse farm closeby the manicured gardens and metal furniture .

The lobby too was very impressive the swimming pool the open air tgeater where by evening nimble limbed dancers danced to tune of drums and exotic folk songs .

The rooms were made in great taste with a fine bed ornamental windows with all modern comforts .

We sat in the lawn listening to the lilting strains of the music and dance in tge cold February chill .

In the morning we took a cab to reach Jodphur city .

The city was big .

It had plenty of big institutions like the AIMS,IITJodphur,law institute,national leather institute ,Rajasthsn high court were just a few .

It had lot of flyovers and modern buildings too 

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The main market with clock tower  called Sardar market was crowded colourful a bit messy too but offered plenty of shopping options .

Jodphur is famously called Blue city as most of the old town in the shadow of the famous Mehrengarh fort is painted with Indigo blue .

Viewing from the high ramparts of the fort a museum today one could see a fairy tale Blue city lying in front .

Its the beauty of Jodphur that had made it a favourite for film shooting .

Many prominent Hollywood and Bollywood films were shot here .

Jodphur was built in 1459 by Marwar king Raja Jodha .

After some centuries it was captured bt Akbar and later ruked by Aurangazeb after whose time it came back to the Rajput kings .

They continued to rule under British patronage .

In 1947 after our Independence Raja Hukumat Singh agreed to merge the kingdom to state of Rajasthan in India .

The magnificient Umaid Bhavan the palace of the ruling royal family is partly a luxurious hotel today though members of tge royal family continue to stay in some parts of it .

The Jaswant Tada is a very serene monument for the Royal family members who rest there .

It has a beutiful garden bordering on a hillock and a waterbody .