Jodhpur, the second largest city, situated in the north-western part of Rajasthan state, India. “खम्मा घणी – KHAMMA GHANI SA” we are here to brief you on, Aapno Jodhpur, a popular tourist destination, featuring many palaces, forts and temples, set in the stark landscape of the Thar Desert, which is known by its many names Bluecity, Suncity and Gateway to the Thar Desert.
The city which is drenched in the colour of blue, the city which is known for its art and culture and even the sun in its charm. It was formerly the seat of a princely known as Marwar (derived from Maruwar “region of death” because of the area’s harsh desert conditions).
The walled city or old Jodhpur has eight gates of which Jalori Gate (gate Facing toward Jalore district) and Sojati gate (gate Facing toward Sojat district) are the main gates in the city. When RAO JODHA laid the foundation for the Mehrangarh Fort in 1459 and founded a state which came to be known as Marwar.
The reason behind it named as Bluecity because termites (dimak) were eating the houses, so the locals thought of mixing copper sulphate with whitewash to make the blue colour but more importantly, the region being so hot that the locals thought to paint there houses blue so that it acts like a cooling agent.
People like to enjoy the fairs (Mela) and the local festivals like Hasthashilp Mela, Kaage ka Mela (Shitlashtami), Gangaur, Teej among many. There are international music festivals like Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) and World Sacred Spirit Festival (WSSF) that are making a huge impact globally.
The Thar Desert provides the recreational value in terms of desert festivals organized every year. Rajasthan desert festivals are celebrated with great zest and zeal. This festival is held once a year during winters. Dressed in brilliantly hued costumes, the people of the desert dance and sing haunting ballads of valour, romance and tragedy.
The fair has snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats and folk performers. Camels, of course, play a stellar role in this festival, where the rich and colourful folk culture of Rajasthan can be witnessed.
The Gateway To The Thar Attractions
Tourist Places – On a tour of Jodhpur, one can visit the famous Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhavan Palace, Jaswant Thada, Mahamandir, Bal Samand Lake & Palace, Mandore Gardens are few of many such places
Jodhpuri Jiman – As we know that the food of Jodhpur or the Jodhpuri Jiman is very famous for its taste, flavour. People love to eat Mirchibada, Pyaz ki Kachori, Mawa Kachori, Dal Baati Churma, Panchkutta ki Sabji, and so on.
Markets – Jodhpur has one of the immense beautiful markets in Rajasthan, these markets included Tripolia Bazaar which is famous for its wooden handicrafts, colourful apparels and traditional artifacts, Sarafa Bazaar this market is not only about traditional jewellery but also sells a wide array of accessories and Ornaments metals. Then come to the Kapda Bazaar as the name signifies this market
is about the clothes you can find unique cloth material here like bandhej, leheriya etc. The Kapda bazaar is also famous for its unique prints on suits and sarees. The Mochi Bazaar yes the cobblers market , is one of the best markets in jodhpur for buying famous Jodhpuri Juttis, popularly known as mojaris, these leather wonders add a punch to any attire appending royalty.
These markets are the perfect shopping hub where quality items are available at reasonable prices.
The Great Indian Desert – Thar
On the other hand there is the big land of sand that we calls the great Indian desert or also known as the THAR DESERT. The name Thar is derived from thul, the general term for the region’s sand ridges.
The Thar Desert covers some 77,000 square miles (200,000 square km) of territory. The desert presents an undulating surface, with high and low sand dunes separated by sandy plains and low barren hills, or bhakars, which rise abruptly from the surrounding plains. The dunes are in continual motion and take on varying shapes and sizes.
Older dunes, however are in a semi-stabilized or stabilized condition, and many rise to a height of almost 500 feet (150 metres) above the surrounding areas. There are a number of saltwater lakes in Thar desert. These are Sambhar, Pachpadra, Tal Chhapar, Phalaudi and Lunkaransar where Sodium chloride salt is produced from such salt water. The Didwana lake produces Sodium Sulphate salt.
The Thar Desert is the most densely populated desert in the world. Jodhpur, the largest city in the region, lies in the scrub forest zone. Most of the desert’s inhabitants reside in rural areas and are distributed in varying densities. Many nomads are engaged in animal husbandry, crafts, or trade.
The partition of India and Pakistan in 1947 left most of the irrigation canals fed by the rivers of the Indus system in Pakistani territory, while a large desert region, Thar remained unirrigated on the Indian side of the border.
However, water is scarce. Whatever seasonal rainfalls is collected in tanks and reservoirs and is used for drinking and domestic purposes. Most groundwater cannot be utilized because it lies deep underground and is often saline.
Aapno Jodhpur is waiting to welcome all “पधारो म्हारे देश “ with feelings of “अतिथि देवो भवः” |
(Author: Shwetang Singhvi)
