Mehrangarh Fort

Mehrangarh sits 410 feet above the city of Jodhpur on a vertical sandstone cliff, its walls rising another 36 metres above the rock. Rao Jodha founded it in 1459 when he shifted the Rathore capital from Mandore to a more defensible site; the family's descendants, now the Maharaja of Jodhpur, still own the fort and operate the on-site museum through the Mehrangarh Museum Trust. The fort's seven gates each commemorate a battle. The Jayapol marks the Maharaja Man Singh's 1808 victory over Jaipur and Bikaner armies; the Fattehpol celebrates Maharaja Ajit Singh's defeat of the Mughals. Inside, the courtyards step up the rock through Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace), Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), Sheesha Mahal (Mirror Palace), and the Takhat Vilas. The museum holds palanquins, cradles, miniature paintings, and the howdah collection — the elephant seat used by Maharaja Bakhat Singh to receive Mughal emperor Shah Jahan is on display. The view from the fort ramparts gives Jodhpur its 'Blue City' epithet — the indigo-washed walls of the old town below were originally the homes of Brahmin families, the colour later spreading across other communities. Ziplines run across the fort's rampart-and-lake topography for those who want a less reverent visit.