The Mandore Ruler Rao Jodha founded the Jodhpur. Jodha conquered the surrounding territory and thus, founded a kingdom that came to be knowns as Marwar. There are lot of places to visit in Jodhpur Rajasthan, which is famous for forts, palaces, and temples. It is popularly known as Blue City all over India and is among the famous tourist places to visit in Rajasthan. The best time to visit Jodhpur is in Winters from November to February.
Jodhpur has made his name in the top 50 places to visit in 2020 in The New York Times. Apart from the tourist places to visit in Jodhpur, it is also known for antiques, bandhani, red chilies, and traditional men and women wear. Also, people visit Jodhpur to buy handicraft items. If you are visiting to purchase handicraft items, then explore the following local markets:
- Clock Tower Market
- Sojati Gate Market
- Mochi Bazaar
- Sarafa Bazaar
- Tripolia Bazaar
11 Tourist Places to visit in Jodhpur Rajasthan
Let’s explore more about Jodhpur.
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Umaid Bhavan Palace was built around 1943 and named after Maharaja Umaid Singh, grandfather of current Maharaja Gaj Singh. This Palace holds a prominent position among other places in Jodhpur. The Palace has 347 rooms and one part is managed by the Taj hotels and another part of Umaid Bhawan has been used as a museum for the public.
If you are a car enthusiast, then the exhibition of vintage cars is a beautiful thing to see. You will love the palace’s interior, which is a blend of eastern and western architectural styles, and where the traditional design meets the contemporary design.
I had never booked a room there but I heard that those who booked a room, got true royal treatment in the hotel.
Mehrangarh Fort, the most famous Places to visit in Jodhpur
One of the best places to visit in Jodhpur is the Mehrangarh fort. Around 1460 A.D., Rao Jodha, the Mandore Ruler built the Mehrangarh fort. This fort stands splendidly at 120 meters above the city. If you have watched the movie the Dark Knight Rises, then you will be happy to see that one of the movie scenes was shot in the Mehrangarh fort. Apart from this, many more Television ADs were also shot in the Mehrangarh fort. This vast fort, which is spread across 5 Kms in the heart of the Jodhpur City, is one of the largest forts in Rajasthan.
Originally a palace, and is now a museum, displaying weapons, paintings, and elaborate Rajasthani carvings. The families that lived inside the fort were believed to have their origins in the Sun God from Hindu mythology.
There are three palaces at Mehrangarh fort, these are
- Sheesh Mahal (the mirror hall),
- Moti Mahal (glass-painted windows of pearl colors), and
- Phool Mahal (the large hall of leisure activities of the Royal family)
Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada was built in the memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh. You can couple your Mehrangarh trip with Jaswant Thanda as both are adjacent to each other. The stunning construction of marble is amazing and also known as the Taj Mahal of Marwar.
Mandore Gardens
It is one of the best-preserved sites that stand strong to tell the antiquity of an ancient era. Mandore served as the capital of many Jodhpur kings and even witnessed several invasions from various dynasties over the centuries. To protect Mandore further from invasions, the capital was shifted to the Mehrangarh Fort, as it offers better protection from enemies.
The Mandore Gardens has ancient temples and high-rock terraces that are quite amazing. You can spend the whole day seeing and clicking photos of the Gardens.
Osian Temple
Osian Temple as known as Khajuraho of Rajasthan located 65KM from Jodhpur City. The place is a combination of Jain and Hindu temples, surrounded by hamlets and dunes. The famous temple includes the Sachiya Mata temple, the Sun temple, and the main Jain Temple. The Jain temple was built in the dedication of Lord Mahavira. The Sachiya Mata temple is dedicated to the 9th incarnation Of Goddess Durga. The Sun temple is dedicated to the Sun God and also, houses the idols of Goddess Durga and Lord Ganesha. The Jain temple also symbolizes the stunning architectural design and is adorned with beautifully carved pillars.
Kailana Lake
Pratap Singh, in 1872, builds Kailana Lake. It is an artificial lake located in the west of Jodhpur city. The lake is a paradise for people who love to watch birds as it is a house for migratory birds. To capture the beautiful sunset view and some great pictures that you can flaunt, take a boat ride. Kailana Lake is one of the most visited lakes in Rajasthan.
Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
In 2006, Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park was created to restore the rocky area near the fort. The park is spread across 200 acres of land and has a lush green view because of some hard-working and passionate ecologists. After meeting all the prerequisites for land restoration, the ecologist grew around 80 different species of famous plants that are found in the Thar Desert.
Jodhpur Clock Tower
Clock Tower was built between 1880 and 1911, is one of the famous relics in the Old Jodhpur city. Located next to Sardar Market, Clock Tower offers a great view of Mehrangarh Fort. When visiting Clock Tower, you can enjoy shopping in jodhpur for a huge range of products from more than 7000 shops. The products include, but not limited to, handicrafts items, Sarees, and other traditional clothes, spices, souvenirs, and vegetables (that is something a tourist not generally buy).
Chamunda Mata Temple
You do not have to go anywhere to visit this temple, as it is located inside the Mehrangarh Fort. To protect himself and his family from an old sage’s curse, Rao Jodha built this temple. When visiting the Mehrangarh Fort, you must see this temple and get the blessings of Rajput Idols.
Balsamand Lake
In 1159, Balak Rao Parihar constructed Balsamand lake, an artificial lake as a summer resort for the royal family of Jodhpur. The lush green gardens is another paradise in Jodhpur Rajasthan for birdwatchers. The mango, papaya, guava, plum, and pomegranate trees around the lake, increases the beauty of this lake by manifolds.
Masuria Hills Garden
In the middle of the main city and on top of Masuria hill, the Masuria Hills Garden gives you a stunning view of the city. If you want to go away from the busy city-life, spent some moments in peace, and capture some beautiful moments through your lens, you must visit Masuria Hills Garden in Jodhpur Rajasthan.
Final words on the most famous places to visit in Jodhpur Rajasthan
The best places to visit in Jodhpur Rajasthan are Umaid Bhawan, Mehrangarh Fort, Mandore Gardens, Clock tower Market, and Osian Temple. However, Depending upon your itinerary, you can visit a lot many other tourists place in and around Jodhpur. Other famous places around Jodhpur are Balsamand Lake, Toorji ka Jhalra, Khimsar (desert safari), Ranakpur (famous Jain Temple), and Pali. You can contact me if you are planning to visit any specific place in Jodhpur.
What people have queried about Jodhpur
What are the best historical places in Jodhpur?
Every place in Jodhpur Rajasthan has a interesting history behind and however, the list of the best historical places in Jodhpur Rajasthan includes:
1. Umaid Bhawan Palace
2. Mehrangarh Fort
3. Clock Tower or Ghanta Ghar
4. Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park
5. Jaswant Thada
What are the things to do in Jodhpur in Night?
After a long day of sightseeing and other activities, enjoy the following best things to do in Jodhpur at night:
1. Hop inside a bar: Jodhpur city has many bars and clubs to quench your cravings for some tastiest cocktails and beers.
2. Enjoy delicious street foods: Go to the Shastri circle and enjoy some of the delicious dishes that the street vendors serves in Jodhpur. One of the famous dishes is Girlfriend Chaat, which is a mixture of numerous chilies. If you feel that eating spices may land up in health related issues, I would suggest avoid Girlfriend Chaat.
3. Take a puff of Hookah in Royal way: Visit Sheesha Lounge to take a puff of Hookah. They mimic the royal way of preparing and serving hookah to their visitors and are open late night.
Which are the popular places to visit near Jodhpur?
Jodhpur is a land of a lot of wonders, you should not miss visiting some of the famous nearby tourist places around the Jodhpur city.
Some of the famous places to visit close to Joadhpur Rajasthan are:
1. Pali: Famous for Om Banna Shrine and located at a distance of 67 km, Pali is a city of temples, beautiful step-wells, and gardens. The tourist seeks the blessings of Om Banna Shrine (a god in the form of a motor-cycle) to make their journey safe.
2. Osian: Located 70 km away from Jodhpur, Osian is an oasis in middle of parching Thar Desert. Because of the temples, Osian is famous as the “Khajuraho of Rajasthan”. Besides the sandy terrains and wide desert, Osian is a famous camping spot near Jodhpur attracting a lot of tourists.
3. Nagaur: Nagaur is situated at 150 km away via NH62 and has some of the best architectural marvels. After visiting the beautiful havelis and ancient temples, one can connect the dots to the deep rooted culture and religien of Rajasthan.
4. Khimsar: Khismar Village offers its visitor a marvelous and majestic Khismar Fort and desert safari in the rustic Khimsar Dunes.
5. Ranakpur: One must visit Ranakpur Jain temple to see the stunning architecture and beautiful carvings on the entire temple. The temple is dedicated to Tirthankara Adinatha. Ranakpur is located at a distance of 156 km via NH62.