MEHRANGARH FORT,JODHPUR
January 5th, 2014Day 7
Beautiful sunny morning. An extremely wise decision that hubby dear took...take an auto rickshaw and travel through the city...old and new. Parking and GPS don't really go hand in hand here.Mehrangarh Fort is on the highest hill of the city. Massive. And the ubiquitous camels stand guard here.Their get up is a little more ostentatious...jazzy to put it simply.I loved the rose on his nose...
The camels dress differently here.
The only way to see this well preserved 600 year old fort is by walking through it. Constructed by Maharaja Jodha Singh in 1409 , carved red sandstone adorns this fort. MASSIVE wooden gates called Proll mark the entrance to the fort. The steep inclined walk way is lined with red sandstones, worn to a beautifully polished leather like gloss over time. God knows how many people have stepped on them toward their destiny.
Really need to look up to this
A steep walk up,with curved walk ways were essentially designed to reduce the speed of the elephants who could charge with all their might and break the doors.Smart moves.
A view of the blue houses that belong to the Brahmins
To the outside you can look out at the blue houses,whitewashed in a limestone/ chalk wash coloured blue with indigo. Repel the heat and keep the mosquitoes at bay. This is what Jodhpur is known for also.
A musical welcome
As you enter the ramparts ,you have the traditional bards serenading you with their version of Kesaria Balama,Padharo mhare des...the voices are always different,but the soul remains the same...and the chords touch your heart.
The Vijay Proll, the hand prints of the women who committed Sati
After you cross the massive gates or Proll,this one the Vijay Proll,you see these hand impressions liberally smeared in vermilion. The guide told us the story and the pain chilled me to the bone-just like a ghost walked over my grave...These are the impressions of the hands of the women who committed Sati. The impressions of the brave Rajput women who became Sati. The women whose husbands had died in battle or were killed by disease willingly or unwillingly sat on the funeral pyres of their husband, dressed in traditional bridal finery and died were known as the pure or virtuous women or Sati. The impressions of their hands were taken by artists and placed on the wall. These are now revered by women and men alike as the Sati Mata.
The seat of the coronation
Now inside the fort,towards the palaces,this is the main courtyard. The entire genealogy of the family of rajput rulers from Rao Jodhaji's clan is down here. Here on this seat ,the present Maharaj,Maharaj Gaj Singh was coronated.
Paid to smoke the Hookah
This would possibly be the best job any man could have...sit and smoke the hookah all day,be paid to do it and get your picture taken with the pretty girls...
Gold painted palanquin
The museum is well preserved, with fewer the regular weapon and swords and armor and the howdahs and stuff-this palanquin was different...Fewer and better preserved artifacts are displayed here. The scale of the construction leaves you spell bound . Centuries ago, without any machinery or vehicles...the workers created such beautifully intricate carvings on stone.
The view is stunning and awe inspiring. Such intricate work on red stone.
A vanity box decorated with ivory and ivory combs
Inside the museum,the regular gilded artifacts and the painted tiles and the painted floors,but this was different.A box studded with ivory,ivory combs and pins for the hair...wow!
The local goddess
The goddess revered by the family here,the idol is silver and she is bedecked in gold jewelry and a beautiful poshak...
Rice paper artwork from the 18 century painted with squirrel hair brushes
Paintings made on rice paper ,paper that has rice flour from the 17th century,painted with natural vegetable dyes and squirrel hair brushes,so fine that the almond shaped eyes show the eye lashes off beautifully.Generously showed in gold dust ,an entire gallery of such work awaits.
BUTT SCRATCHER for under armor itching
Suit of iron and protection is all OK,but the butt scratcher was the best.And you thought that Homer Simpson had the monopoly on it!
The Rajputana Pride
By now,sweet child's patience was beginning to wear thin,so one of the guides decided to pep up his sagging spirits.
Sheesh Mahal can be lit up with one lamp
The floor and walls and ceiling of this room are lined with Belgian glass.One lamp is enough to light up the room.Generally used for meditation,this is where your eyes literally pop open.
Here is where the members of the royal family are cremated after their death.
This is a mausoleum ,where the priest comes and prays for the departed soul.Peaceful place,this.
Lal Maans at The Kalinga, a much recommended restaurant near the railway station was amazing.Totally fresh and served with in 10 minutes, the dishes were better than what we had at Bikaner. Finally shopping!
After lunch ,we walked through Sojati gate towards Tripolia and walked through the by lanes that history forgot.Narrow lanes and small shops,politely everyone addresses you as Baisa and Hukum...Antique shop,only one here,full of stuff hubby dear did not want me to buy.
OK,speciality of Jodhpur. Bangles.Bangles that I thought were peculiarly unique to the Dogras .Gokharu...and hathi mooh kada.Well they are here too.Somewhere inside the city,at Bibaji Bangles.
A road side snack of chana chaat...
Mandore fort and the City Palace Museum was for the next day.
Heart full of experiences...and the tinkle of the bangles...
'Till I bake again...
