Mehrangarh Fort

Mehrangarh Fort is a massive Rathore fortress on a rocky hill about 120 m above Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and one of the largest forts in India. Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur, laid the foundations of Mehrangarh Fort in 1459, and the Rathore rulers of Marwar extended it for the next five centuries.

The walls of Mehrangarh were never breached, and the gates still carry the marks of cannon fire from the wars with Jaipur and Bikaner. Jai Pol was raised by Maharaja Man Singh in the early 19th century after one of those wars, and beside Loha Pol are the handprints of royal widows who committed sati. Today Mehrangarh Fort is run by a trust set up by the royal family, and its museum is one of the best kept in India, with rooms that were lived in rather than built for display. From the ramparts you see why Jodhpur is called the blue city: the old town below is painted in it, block after block.

What to see

• Phool Mahal, the gilded hall of pleasure, and the mirrored Sheesh Mahal
• Moti Mahal, the pearl palace where the rulers held audience
• The palanquin gallery and the elephant howdahs, some in silver
• The armoury and the collection of Marwar miniature paintings
• The cannon-lined ramparts and the Chamunda Mata temple at the far end
• The Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park, a restored native landscape below the walls

What to wear

Mehrangarh Fort has no dress code beyond modest clothing, though shoes come off at the Chamunda Mata temple. Wear good walking shoes for the long cobbled ramps, and bring a hat and water: Jodhpur sits on the edge of the Thar and summer days pass 42°C. Nights from December to February are cold. Jodhpur gave the world two items of clothing, the jodhpur riding breeches and the bandhgala jacket, and Marwari men still wear bright safa turbans tied in the local style.

Local food to try

Jodhpur's street food is its own thing: mirchi bada (a large chilli stuffed with spiced potato and fried in batter), mawa kachori soaked in syrup, pyaaz kachori and thick makhaniya lassi. The lanes around the Clock Tower and Sardar Market are where to find them, a 20-minute walk down from the fort. For a sit-down meal, try laal maas or a Marwari thali with ker sangri and bajra roti. Most street food here is vegetarian.

Good to know

• Best from October to March; mornings are clearest for the view
• Open daily, about 9am to 5pm
• Museum ticket includes an audio guide; foreign visitors pay more
• Allow two and a half to three hours
• About 5 km from Jodhpur railway station; a lift saves the steep first climb
• Photography allowed in most galleries; the zip line is booked separately

Nearby places

Jodhpur is well connected to the rest of Rajasthan. Lake Pichola in Udaipur is about 250 km south, and Jaipur's Amber Fort and City Palace are around 330 km east.