Mehrangarh Fort Jodhpur The Complete Guide

Mehrangarh Fort or Mehran Fort stands a hundred feet in splendor on a perpendicular cliff, four hundred feet above the skyline of Jodhpur. The historic monument is located at the center of the city, spreading over the 5km top on a hill. The illustrious fort was built in around 1460 by Rathore Rajput king Rao Jodha. The fort in its true charm is an epitome of opulence, luxury, and royalty. For over five centuries, the fort has been the home to the royal family.

The sun fort, as it is famously called in reference to the dynasty’s sun deity, attracts many tourists from across the globe every year. The fort was restored by Maharaja Gaj Singh II with the aim of telling its story and of the people who had lived there.

Background

The fort is known to have a gruesome beginning, with the live burial of the man named Raja Ram Meghwal. This was done to ensure the prosperity of the site which was cursed by a hermit who Jodha forced to leave. Meghwal was in return promised that his family will be looked after by the Rathore’s. Till present, his family lives in Raj Bagh of Soorsagar, an estate given to them by Jodha.

What to see in the fort?

On the northeast side lies the main entrance, called the Jai Pol. It is where the ticket counter is. The main attraction of the fort is its museum and many palaces and temples. The captivating museum has an array of royal memorabilia, weapons, arms, costumes, paintings, textiles, turbans, palanquins, howdahs and baby cradle on display. Phool Mahal, Moti Mahal, Takhat Villas, and Jhanki Mahal are other attractions of the fort which are a must see. The fort has two ancient temples in its vicinity- The Chamunda Mataji Temple and Nagnechiji Temple. The Chamunda temple attracts a lot of crowd during the Dusshera celebrations. Nagnechiji temple was the family temple of the Rathore dynasty.

The exuberance of the fort can be seen in the movies ‘Batman: The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘Veer’.

The Mehrangarh fort is different from other forts in terms of cultural and folk activities being conducted in some part of the fort on a daily basis. The fort also provides tourist-friendly facilities like elevators and audio guides.

Location

Mehrangarh Fort is located in the center of the Blue City, Jodhpur. Jodhpur is easily accessible by air, road or rail. By road, Jodhpur is four and a half hours from Udaipur, five hours from Jaisalmer, and about six hours from Jaipur.

Best time to visit:

It is best to visit the fort during the winters. From October to March, the weather is pleasant which allows the visitors to explore every nook and corner of the fort in its true grandeur and beauty.

Visit hours:

The fort is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm in the evening. The Indian nationals need to chuck out Rs. 100 whereas the international guests are charged Rs. 600 to visit the museum. The entry to the fort is free.

It is a must to see this fort for anyone on Rajasthan trip.

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