Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur

The Mehrangarh Fort is one of the largest Forts in the country and is situated 400 Feet above the city of Jodhpur, to provide a panoramic view of the whole city. The roots of the fort’s construction are found back in 1459, when Rao Jodha decided to develop this place as the new capital for his kingdom. At that time, this place was known as Bhaurcheeria (Mountain of Birds). The Fort houses a number of palaces inside its premises; these palaces display some of the fine Rajputana art works and carvings on their walls. The museum inside the Fort is one of the most heritage rich museums of the country. The Mehrangarh Fort contains seven huge gates or pols, amongst which the Jayapol (built by Maharaja Man Singh to cherish his victory over Jaipur and Bikaner armies) and the Fattehpol (built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to cherish the defeat of Mughals) are most famous.

Mehrangarh Fort History
The Fort was constructed by Rao Jodha who was the founder of Jodhpur city. After taking the throne, he decided to make a new fort as the Mandore Fort was very old and was considered not safe. So he laid the foundation of the fort was laid on 1/ May 1459 over a rocky hill about 10 km from Mandore. The hill used to be the abode of numerous birds and a hermit who was called as lord of the birds. being forced to leave the place the hermit cursed the King as the fort will suffer from the scarcity of the water. Till this date the region is plagued by a drought every 3 to 4 years.

Architecture of the Fort
The Fort and palaces were built over a period of 500 years, and thus one can see the basic architectural style of the mid 15th century along with the features of 20th-century architecture. The fort has 68ft wide and 117 ft. Long walls were overlooking the surrounding areas. It has seven gates, and the most popular one among them is the Jayapoli. The architecture of the fort went through several developments over a period of 500 years. During the rule of Maharaja Ajit Singh, many buildings of the fort were constructed in Mughal design. Besides the seven gates that leave tourists awestruck, there are several brilliantly crafted rooms like Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Daulat Khana, Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) and Sileh Khan. Moti Mahal, or the Pearl Palace, was built by Raja Sur Singh. Sheesh Mahal, or the Hall of Mirrors is famous for intricate designs on the pieces of mirror. Maharaja Abhaya Singh created Phool Mahal. One can see the magnificent craftsmanship of Jodhpuri craftsmen in the sandstone used for the construction of the palace.

How To Reach Mehrangarh Fort
The city of Jodhpur has well established rail, road and air network connections with all the major cities in India. Railways: Jodhpur railway station is well connected to major Indian cities and there are trains available on a daily basis. The nearest railway station is the Rai ka Bagh railway station. Airways: One of the prominent airports in Rajasthan, Jodhpur is now being transformed into an international one. There are daily flights from various parts of the country. Roadways: The city of Jodhpur is connected by road to all the important cities of Rajasthan, as well as those of the neighbouring states. There are deluxe and express bus services to the city. In the city one can travel by auto rickshaws, buses, cycle rickshaws or cabs.