Meherangarh Fort 03 - Sights From a Fortress on a Hill

There are open air spaces and courtyards at the Meherangarh Fort in Jodhpur. One corner would have their version of buskers playing a string instrument. I stood in front of a young man watching him play a haunting strain that felt like pent up longings. Was it all in my mind? An Indian lady stood behind me and whispered, "sarangi". It felt like an incantation. It was only later when I realized that she was telling me the name of this guitar-like gadget, or was it? From different photos, it looked more like a ravanhatha. It is said that the modern guitars have been modeled after these instruments, and I take pleasure in knowing that. I'd have wanted to check it out but you don't disturb an artist in action, do you?

Please compare:

Sarangi - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJj7GEj1vk6z7RIzAhDRh9qMbxZPkGZ0x6ggOjL9EKgxweC6QuuzaUFt5ugUJ4TeJVtGYCQpG0Lxfy9MhgWl7zJOpfi2jYpcCd9Hm2zH3hWOnLFuKZYUeCDVKsP3yrMR9BODcLtNO5AlA/s1600/Sarangi+6.jpg

Ravanhatha - http://www.arts-electric.org/images/stories/dadson3_pabuandsister.jpg

At another corner, the grounds seemed like a different place. I was suddenly transported to some remote desert with sparse vegetation and few inhabitants. There was a vendor selling colorful Rajasthani dolls. Some of them were hanging down the branches of the tree. I shiver at the thought of witches using dolls to use on enemies. I was a visitor, and I wanted to impart that. When you're all alone, funny thoughts sometimes cross your mind. The lady vendor was sitting down the dusty ground, gazing at me with curious eyes. I smiled in spite of myself, for what could be a more perfect, albeit impersonal greeting than such. But no, I'm not buying dolls.

I moved away from the stalls, turning towards the top of a wall. From there, another sprawl of the blue city down below was visible. I was 400 feet above this sprinkling of blues, yet the sky had a similar hue hanging over me like a blanket of warmth.

Rajasthan doesn't seem like the India I've always imagined. It's a separate concept of a mystical land more akin to that of the middle eastern terrain than anything else. Did I say that Jodhpur is at the fringes of the Thar Desert (though Jaisalmer is closer)? The colors here come alive like genies from a magic lamp. I am spellbound by its beauty.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Meherangarh Fort 02 - Galleries and Elephant's Howdahs

Period rooms at the Meherangarh Fort are thematically designed. Unfortunately, several of these rooms aren't available for show at all times. My favorite among them is the Moti Mahal (Pearl Hall, above) with its color glass windows. They don't just light the room, but embue it with different hues. It's said to be the largest of the Period Rooms. It was built by Raja Sur Singh. It's said to have five alcoves leading to hidden balconies where five queens used to listen to court proceedings.

The other interesting portion is the hallway filled with howdahs. These were wooden seats bearing 2 compartments. The front seat was for the king or royalty while the smaller seat behind were for the bodyguards disguised as fly swatters. Most front seats also contain an umbrella. Every time they're being used, these seats are covered with gold and silver embossed sheets, then the whole structure is fastened at the back of an elephant. Three of these howdahs are shown below. Another gallery is filled with paintings that showcase Marwari art (see an example below). The Turban Gallery is another interesting place to visit because once upon a time, most of Rajasthan had their own head gear per region.

The present maharaja still sees through administration of the fort.

FOOD & BEVERAGES AT CAFE MEHRAN

At the ground floor just after the entrance gates, you'll find Cafe Mehran with delectable looking dishes and surprisingly affordable prices. check out some items: A pizza with tomato, onion or green pepper is 95 rupees (r); those with chicken is 115 r; Mahadol Burger has 2 choices - the one with a vegetable patty is also 95 r while that which contains grilled lamb patty is 115 r; parantha rolls are either cheese or chicken rolls (95 r, 115 r); mithai is either a chakki (sweet squares made with grain flour, 55 rupees) or a gulab jamon, cottage cheese dumplings in syrup, (55 rupees); thali meals cost a little more (135 r for vegetarian meals and 185 for non-vegetarian meals); a pot of tea is 35 rupees; a pot of coffee costs 50 rupees.

Does the name mean anything? Meherangarh's etymology comes from 'Mihir' (Sanskrit) which means "sun" or "Sun God". 'Garh' (Sanskrit) refers to the "fort", i.e."sun-fort". According to conventions in Rajasthani language,"Mihirgarh" has evolved to "Mehrangarh" while more contemporary literatures prefer "Meherangarh". We chose the latter here as its syllabication feels more complete. The Sun God has been the chief deity of the Rathore dynasty.

There are open courtyards that show the sprawl of the city down below which we'll feature at the 3rd and last part next post. These places were an easy favorite. It's easy to say that if there's a single place to visit in Jodhpur, it would be the Meherangar Fort.

This is the Eye in the Sky.












Moti Mahal











Art piece found at the Painting Gallery.

Elephant's howdah


Elephant's howdah


Elephant's howdah





Gallery guard


Cafe Mehran

Meherangarh Fort 01 - The Curse of a Hermit (Jodhpur)

Jodhpur, Rajasthan -

Finally I was walking through one of the entrance gates, roving through imposing thick walls (118 feet hight and 69 feet wide) that stood on a rocky hill once known as Bhaurcheeria, the “mountain of birds”. But the land itself was said to be cursed – by the hill’s sole occupant, a hermit named Cheeria Nathji, a “lord of the birds”, who was displaced when Jodha (the 15^th Rathore ruler) decided to build a fort on top of the hill. “May your citadel suffer a scarcity of water!” bedamned Cheeria. To appease Cheeria, Jodha built him a temple and a house within the fort near the hermit’s meditation spot (a cave).

Reversing the curse was a tricky predicament. Jodha turned to superstition and buried a man alive in the fort’s foundations. His name was Rajiya Bhambi, a Meghwal (a weaving caste living primarily in northwest India) who was promised that the Rathore clan would look after Rajiya’s family. Fair deal? To this day, his descendants still live in Raj’s Bagh, a property bequeathed by the Rathores. Despite this, drought still cloaks over the fortress every 3 to 4 years.

I bought my 250 rupee ticket and leisurely made my way inside, excited and in awe. I kept looking up as multilevel towers of extreme beauty greeted me with their labyrinthine, almost convoluted design. There was a lot of history flashing before me, considering the foundation was built on May 12, 1459. This was Rajasthan’s largest fort and has never been taken in the last 500 years. To be walking amidst structures that witnessed so much pomp, pageantry and wars was a humbling experience.

To be honest about it, I expected a huge palace inside, but what greeted me was a contained city within the fortress, with expansive courtyards; dusty, earthy grounds; sandstone-constructed walls that rose several levels above. It’s easy to get lost in its maze of rooms like I did. At some point, I found myself returning to the same room 5 times, it felt like getting lost again at Richmond upon Thames’ sprawling Hampton Court Palace’s garden maze.

The fort boasts of seven gates, which include Jaipol (meaning 'victory'), built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Fatehpol (which also means 'victory') gate was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to mark the defeat of the Mughals.

Aside from these gates, the more interesting parts are the Period Rooms which we’ll get into in our succeeding posts. These were themed rooms with specific eye-popping designs. Galleries in the museum include Elephant’s howdahs (a kind of two-compartment wooden seat, mostly covered with gold and silver embossed sheets, which were fastened on to the elephant's back). Royalties rode on them as a means of transport.

It is hard not to be in awe of such grandeur and pageantry. It’s even harder to stop myself from clicking the shutter of my camera, who cared if I’ve had so much redundant shots. Many rooms require that you refrain from flash photography. There were uniformed men guarding some parts of the complex, most of them in turbans. It’s easy to strain your neck from the upward gazes you’d have to endure while on the ground, then suddenly find yourself on higher ground, gazing at the expanse of the Blue City.

Jodhpur has this chimeral quality that takes you to some mystical netherworld. I was in a dream.

This is the Eye in the Sky!

Up next: Period Rooms of Meherangarh Fort

Also check out: Walking Up the Hill - http://eye-in-the-blue-sky.blogspot.com/2011/10/jodhpur-tales-walking-up-hill-to.html