On the eastern fringe of the Thar Desert,
JODHPUR , dubbed "the Blue City" after the colour-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 roofscape, 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
The City
Life in Jodhpur focuses very much around the fort, still almost completely encircled by the strong walls erected by Rao Maldeo in the 1500s. The blue wash applied to most of the houses huddled beneath it is often erroneously said to denote high-caste brahmin residences. In fact, it originally resulted from the addition of copper sulphate to white limewash, thought to protect the buildings from termites and other insect pests. Over time the distinctive colour caught on and there's now even a blue-wash mosque on the road from the Jalori Gate, west of the fort.
The bazaars of the old city are gathered around the tall clock tower , with different areas assigned to different trades. Locally made goods include tie-dye, puppets and lacquered jewellery. Jalori Gate and Sojati Gate lead out of the old city to the south, near the railway station, GPO and hospital. Beyond the walls, more modern buildings spread east and west of the old boundaries, the domes of Umaid Bhawan dominating the scene to the southeast.
