21 May 2015 / leggypeggy

Mehrangarh Fort—a massive jewel of Jodhpur

cannons, castles, cradles, forts, furniture, gates, instruments, Jodhpur, maharajahs, museums, palaces, Prayaan India Overland, Rajasthan, Rudyard Kipling, views

Mehrangarh Fort wall

Mehrangarh Fort

Model of Mehrangarh Fort

It’s so massive that Rudyard Kipling called it the ‘work of giants’ and it’s easy to see why. Mehrangarh Fort in India’s Rajasthan spreads more than 81,000 square metres across a 400-foot perpendicular cliff that overlooks the city of Jodhpur.

The dimensions are so huge that even though it is officially called a fort, Mehrangarh is sometimes described as the second largest castle in the world.

It has seven entry gates and walls that are 36 metres high and 21 metres wide.

Fort architecture

Sandstone architecture

Sileh Khana

I was gobsmacked to look up at it as we approached and even more overwhelmed to actually go through it. We spent a whole afternoon and could easily have spent a whole day.

Mehrangarh was started in 1459 when the city’s founder, Rao Jodha, moved his capital from Mandore to Jodhpur, but most of today’s fort dates from the 17th century.

Most of the fort’s seven gates were built to mark victories in various battles.

A cannonball scarred fort wall

One still shows scars from cannonballs fired in 1808. That was when the maharaja of Jaipur had his army attack Jodhpur. The city was under siege and the fort was surrounded by the enemy. A plaque recounts the battle saying, ‘A tough fight took place where numerous heroes layed down their lives on both the sides. The Jodhpur forces fought gallantly and the Jaipur army ultimately fled.’

To commemorate this victory, Jodhpur’s Maharaja Man Singh Ji built the first entrance jaipol (victory gate) and added a new fort wall in front of the cannonball scarred one.

Another gateway has handprints from ranis (queens) who burned themselves to death on the funeral pyre of their husband, Maharajah Man Singh. Yep, one guy with many wives.

Phool Mahal, the flower palace

Moti Mahal inside

Moti Mahal outside

Royal cradles

Sileh Khana

Takhat Vilas, royal bedroom

There are several beautifully crafted and decorated palaces, including Moti Mahal (the Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (the Flower Palace), Sheesha Mahal (the Mirror Palace), Sileh Khana and Daulat Khana (a gallery of fine and applied arts). These are true showpieces featuring mirrors, intricate paintings, stained glass, portraits, furniture and more.

Ornate palanquin

Covered palanquin

Carpet weights

Swords

Ornate howdah

Ornate chest

Open palanquin

Ornate palanquin

The museum rooms of the fort have collections of palanquins (for carrying noble women and occasionally noble men), howdahs (seats for riding elephants), royal cradles, miniatures, musical instruments, costumes and furniture. There’s even a turban gallery, which we managed to miss, but we did see a demonstration of a turban being wound onto a fellow’s head.