Jodhpur in the Indian state of Rajasthan is home to solar power initiatives, the world’s best hotel and fried semolina balls so good they’re legendary. Priyanka Sacheti guides us through the serpentine bylanes of her city

In five words

Blue, hot, iridescent and friendly

Sound of the city

The plaintive sounds of the kamaicha and dholak, played here by Sakar Khan Manganiar, Feroze Khan and Khadtal Gazi, encapsulates the essence of Jodhpur’s globally renowned folk music.



Best building

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A fort with a view … Mehrangarh. Photograph: Neil/Mehrangarh Fort Trust

That would have to be the sprawling Mehrangarh Fort, which dominates the Jodhpur skyline. Built in around 1460 by the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodhya, it sits atop Bhaurcheeria hill and is one of India’s largest and most magnificent forts.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Fit for a Maharaja … The Umaid Bhavan Palace, now a hotel. Photograph: The Umaid Bhavan Palace Hotel

A very close second would be the Umaid Bhavan Palace (now a hotel managed by the Taj Group), which is built on a smaller hill. The former Jodhpur ruler, Maharaja Umaid Singh, initiated construction of the palace in 1929 and finished it in 1943. Among the world’s largest private residences, its rose-pink structure is a visual amalgam of multiple architecture styles. It was was recently voted the world’s best hotel.

And the worst ...

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Concrete and glass … Jodhpur’s worst building. Photograph: Priyanka Sacheti

The vast majority of Jodhpur buildings are constructed from chittar, a stone mined from the surrounding hills. But nowadays, construction companies are avoiding using materials from the local environment and indigenous practices – since they are more costly and labour intensive – and instead are creating concrete structures with glass facades, which are neither visually attractive nor climate-appropriate. Many such buildings are appearing in the city’s commercial districts. This one stands at the busy C-Road, which is packed with shops and home to several traditional and western menswear shops.

How green is your city?

Jodhpur has banned the use of plastic bags in the city; however, it is not always implemented.

Acknowledging the potential of solar power (incidentally, the city is commonly known as Sun City), the Indian Institute of Technology has a new centre for researching solar energy, while India’s first solar train is set for a trial run from the city. Commercial establishments are increasingly incorporating solar power, having received incentives from the government to do so, and domestic homes are waking up to the idea of exploring it as well. There are also plans to set up solar parks in the city.

Best Instagram

Igersjodhpur is a very active community of enthusiastic Instagrammers and amateur photographers.

Biggest controversy

A far cry from the barren desert city it used to be, Jodhpur is now experiencing issues caused by excessive water seepage. The decision was made to pump water from the Indira Gandhi canal – the water itself being diverted from the five rivers of Punjab – into one of the city’s lakes in order to provide drinking water to the city’s people. But it subsequently caused seepage issues as Jodhpur’s horizontally stratified rock structure easily absorbs the water. Many household basements have essentially become swimming pools.

Favourite venue

Facebook Twitter Pinterest On a rocky outcrop … Arna Jharna museum. Photograph: Arna Jharna

I love visiting Arna Jharna, an alternative museum of and for local communities built on a rocky outcrop.

Envisioned by the late Komal Kothari, one of India’s leading folklorists and oral historians, and currently run by his son, Kuldeep Kothari, the museum involves various interactive learning experiences linked to rural culture and traditional knowledge. Since 2010, it regularly hosts live musical performances, children’s workshops and seminars, making it an ideal place to access Jodhpur’s folk culture.

Homegrown talent

A dancer of the renowned nomadic trible Kalbeliya, Suva Devi is one of the 20,000 performers belonging to various professional hereditary musician communities in the Jodhpur region, where the knowledge of music has been passed down from one generation to another over the last five centuries.

But there are so many others: from the Langa community, Haya Mohammed Langa is an exceptional sarangi player; from the Bhopa community, Sugnaram Bhopa expertly plays the ravanhatta and sings; and Anwar Khan is a gifted folk singer belonging to the Manganiar community. They perform locally and at concerts all over the world, as well as at homegrown international musical festivals such as the annual Jodhpur Rajasthan International Folk Festival.

What does your city do better than anywhere else?

We excel at tying turbans in a way specific to the city, safa. While there is already a rich diversity when it comes to turbans in Rajasthan, the Jodhpuri safa distinguishes itself through its regal aura, and its characteristic long, extended tail.

Incidentally, six different types of safa material and safa-tying experts were sent from Tripolia Bazaar in Old Jodhpur to tie the safa on the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, for his first Independence Day speech after being elected in 2014; the event was a matter of great pride for the city.

Street style

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Jodhpur street style. Photograph: Ashok Saravanan Ay

More under-rated location

A centuries-old Shiv temple, only accessible through the narrow serpentine lanes of Old Jodhpur, sits halfway up the Bhaucheeria hill, which is also home to the Mehrangarh Fort. To get there you have to take an auto-rickshaw from Moti Chowk to City Police, where you disembark and climb a steep flight of stairs cut into the hill. Go up at dusk and you should be able to enjoy the stunning view of the city-scape alone.

Moment in history

Jodhpur shot into the international limelight when British actor Elizabeth Hurley married Indian businessman Arun Nayyar in 2007; pre-wedding functions were held at Nagaur and Mehrangarh forts before culminating in a spectacular wedding reception at Umaid Bhavan Palace. Ever since then, Jodhpur has become a greatly coveted place to get married.

Best local artist

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Myths in miniature … the art of Lal Singh Bhati. Photograph: Lal Singh Bhati

Lal Singh Bhati is an award-winning artist who originally belongs to the city. He has created over 15,000 paintings, many of which are in the Jodhpur school of Rajasthani miniature painting, which usually depict aristocracy and figures from Hindu mythology, as seen above.

He also sculpts in clay, etches in glass, restores antiques, reinterprets traditional handicrafts and has also won numerous government and international awards for his gold-embossed work on leather and wood. As if that wasn’t enough, he also runs a gallery and an art school – he’s taught thousands of children in the last three decades.

Top insider’s tip

Jodhpur’s sweets – and savouries – are legendary amongst gourmands and locals alike; however, if you want to sample its best gulab jamuns (fried semolina balls soaked in rose syrup and a popular dessert across India), ask for the neighbourhood of Chaturbhuj in the lanes of the old city where you can sample the best of these delectably flavoured beauties.

Five to follow?

Sambhali



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From me

Facebook Twitter Pinterest From me … Priyanka Sacheti. Photograph: Priyanka Sacheti

Priyanka Sacheti is a Jodhpuri writer currently based in New Delhi, India. You can find her blog, and follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

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