Day 40 Jodhpur and getting there!

After breakfast on our porch overlooking the lake in Pushkar, we set off for Jodhpur, a 5 hour drive thru mostly rural countryside. Even though the roads and traffic was the same, the chaos seemed more intense - Chris closed her eyes a couple of times!

Jodhpur is a city of 1.3 million, called the blue city for the color of the homes of the Brahim, the highest cast.

Blue city houses:

The city was founded in 1450 by a clan which claims to be descended from Rama, the epic hero god. We saw the marble tomb/shrine of a maharaja built in 1900 with other family tombs added.

Tomb:

We were told the marble is translucent in Taj and lots of places – well, the sun shines thru!

It seemed modern, with formal photographs of all the men, and was very accessible to tourists for a price, with an additional charge for cameras.

There was a 6 mile wall built in 1450 that's still in good shape enclosing the city and fort which was built on a high hill 450 feet above the city. This is a desert so water is a big deal. The fort/palace was home to the royalty, 2000 soldiers, 500 horses, 50 elephants and camels and servants. A lake was built at the mountain foot and an elaborate water system to bring the water in stages up to the fort. They brought enough for daily use plus had enough in cisterns to survive a 12 month siege.

Fort / Palace:

Elephant saddle – solid silver:

Mughal chair, took 12 men to carry him in processions:

These kids posed and asked us to take their picture (so of course we did):

Next stop was the city center with this British clock tower built in 1750.

What a market place! A maze of narrow streets and even more alleys with thousands of shops!  Here is the city market gate:

It had every kind imaginable, from major wholesalers of grains and bulk commodities to sidewalk food vendors, from high-end textile exporters to discount cloths for locals.

Wholesale grains and spices:

People walked in every direction and competed with dogs, cows, scooters, busses and tuktuks for the street, contributing to the atmosphere and smell of the place. This place was made for locals, and it made the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul look orderly.

Large market streets:

Our hotel was again like a fort in its decor with foot-thick cement walls, spiked doors which can't be forced open, and sliding bolt latches with old padlocks. But THIS hotel is well equipped and beautifully set into the hillside. We had a lovely dinner in an outdoor garden with Indian music and a puppet show for entertainment. Good food, attentive service, cold beer and free wireless  - what more could one ask for in a hotel.
 

Finally, something our size (and they let us out of the room for a change):