Jodhpur, aka “the blue city” lies in the centre of Rajasthan. It is known for its blue colored buildings as well as for its impressive fort,
Jodhpur
Getting to Jodhpur from Jaisalmer
Once I had figured out how to book trains, it became considerably easier. I was able to book a 2nd class sleeper AC berth, departing from Jaisalmer at 5pm and schedlued to arrive in Jodhpur at 10pm. The train schedule was spot on and while 2nd class sleeper usually means that you are in one compartiment with a total of 6 berths (2 left, 2 right and 2 at the walking aisle, everytime one upper and one lower) I had the chance to be at the very end of my waggon, where there are only 2 berths and the 2nd one wasn’t booked. Total privacy, like 1st class!
Jodhpur
Jodhpur is considerably larger than Jaisalmer, and so is its fort. Gone is the desert flair, while the overall Rajasthan vibe remains, but I did not encounter random camels in this city. Another striking difference to Jaisalmer is that the fort is in fact not inhabited. It is used as a pure tourist attraction, but that is also fine. It is massive in size and should be the 1st thing on every visitors list to do. Expect a good 2 – 3 hours to visit the whole thing. Right next to it, in 10 minutes walking distance, you’ll find Jaswant Thada, “the white monument” which is a cremation ground for the royal family. It takes maybe 15 minutes to visit, but it is stunningly beautiful and due to its close proximity to the fort it should not be missed!
the blue city and what else to see
Jodhpur carries the nickname “the blue city” and this is due to many of its building being painted in cobalt blue. From a local we learned that this has several reasons, the main one being that blue is a color which deflects the summer heat, another one being that the color blue is traditionally attributed to two of the main hindu gods, Shiva and Krishna.
The actual blue buildings quarter is well hidden to the west of the fort and its street are narrow and winding. If you get to the approximate are but can’t just figure out where exactly the blue buildings are – just accept the help of a local who will willingly show you around for just a small deserved tip at the end.
Other sights not to miss are the very central clock tower and its surrounding market area and the stepwell right next to it.
the blue city
From Jodhpur I continued to Udaipur. There are no direct trains so I refrained again to the service of busses. I booked a semi-sleeper – which bascially means reclining seats – and after a comfortable 5h drive (a sleeper wouldn’t really be necessary for such a short distance) I arrived at 10pm in Udaipur.
Jodhpur and its stunning fort :
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