On
the eastern fringe of the Thar Desert, Jodhpur, dubbed "the Blue City" after the
color-wash of its old town houses, sprawls across the arid terrain, overlooked
by the mighty Meherangarh fort, whose ramparts rise from a sheer-sided sandstone
outcrop. It was once the centre of Marwar, the largest princely state in
Rajputana, and today has a population close to 800,000.
Most of the tourists that stop in Jodhpur only stay for a day, squeezing in a
visit to the fort before heading west to Jaisalmer (300km) or east to Jaipur
(320km). It's a shame to rush the place though.
Getting lost in the blue maze of the old city you'll stumble across Muslim
tie-dyers, lacquer bangle and puppet makers and traditional spice markets, while
Jodhpur's famed cubic roofs cape, best viewed at sunset, is a photographer's
paradise.
In addition, the encroaching desert beyond the blue city is dotted with small
settlements where you escape the congestion and pollution for a taste of rural
Rajasthan
On
the eastern fringe of the Thar Desert, Jodhpur, dubbed "the Blue City" after the
color-wash of its old town houses, sprawls across the arid terrain, overlooked
by the mighty Meherangarh fort, whose ramparts rise from a sheer-sided sandstone
outcrop. It was once the centre of Marwar, the largest princely state in
Rajputana, and today has a population close to 800,000.