General Information :
Area : 5.1 sq. kms.
Clothing: Summer : Light Tropicals Winter : Heavy Woolens
Season: Winter : Oct. - March Summer : April - June
Language: Rajasthani, Hindi & English

Jodhpur is one of the, most important cities, lying on the edge of the Thar Desert in western Rajasthan. This region, earlier known as Marwar also has Bikaner and Jaisalmer as a part of the Desert Triangle. Interesting, it originally belonged to the Rathors of Kanauj (now in modern Uttar Pradesh) who shifted after Mohammed Ghori sacked the city in 1193 AD.

The Rathors kept shifting capitals until Rao Jodha, claiming to be a descendant of Lord Rama- the God King-founded Jodhpur in 1459 AD. He built the gigantic, which crowns a hilltop and is the main focus as it can be seen from most parts of the city.

One of Rao Jodha's sons Rao Bika, later established his own kingdom known as Bikaner. Later still, Rao Ganga Singh of Jodhpur (1516-32 AD), a distinguished warrior, joined hands with Rana Sanga of Mewar to fight Babar-the founder of the Mughal dynasty.

Ambar the Great, however, was finally successful in winning over the rulers of Jodhpur, who became trusted lieutenants of the Mughal emperors. Jodhpur became a renowned center of art, craft and culture under the Mughal influence.

For a short span Jodhpur came under the influence of the Marathas and finally fell into the hands of the British in 1818 AD.

Art And Craft: Markets of Jodhpur are very well established and the shops are full of articles produced by local artisans. Visitors find various temptations to shop. The handicrafts of Jodhpur have won worldwide fame. Jodhpur has been a center where the craftsmen excel in the art of manufacturing jewellery and other elegant handicrafts.

Leather Craft: The embroidered leather shoes of Jodhpur are well known in the world market. Mojdis or jutties are made in various patterns and colors at Jodhpur and cater to the needs of the rural and urban customers. The embroidery is done on plain lather. The visitor cannot escape the attraction of these Jodhpuri mojdis or leather shoes.

Badla: Badla is a small utensil of copper, used to carry water. Jodhpur is the chief center where all kinds of Badlas are produced in large numbers.

Carpets: Jodhpur is famous for its blankets, namdas etc and it is one of the leading centers for producing blankets. Namdas of Jodhpur are normally in white color.

Paintings: Jodhpur is famous for its art of painting. It has a very strong folk tradition and in these paintings of Jodhpur, the figures presented are mainly of robust warriors and dainty and pretty women. Legendary paintings of lovers like Dhola-Maru on camel back and hunting scenes, which depict innumerable horses, and elephants dominate the paintings of this region.

Lacquered: Jodhpur maintains its uniqueness in several items of lacquer work, which is well witnessed in the articles like bangles, bracelets etc.

Textiles: Jodhpur has a great variety of Bandhini. It is one of the specialties of Jodhpur and is worn at the time of marriage and by the newly wedded girls. Chunri is mainly red in color. As Jodhpur is one of the main centers of this specialty, Bandhej workers have excelled in their job. Jodhpur has also won appreciation in the work of Gotakinari and is one of the chief centers of Rajasthan.

Marwar Festivals: It is an exclusive festival, originally known as the Maand Festival in Jodhpur. This festival is held for two days during Sharad Purnima by the folk artists. It is organized by the Department of Tourism of the State Government. (16-17 Oct. 2005, 6-7 Oct. 2006,25-26 Oct. 2007)

The excursion to the surrounding countryside provides you a fascinating insight into the traditional rural life, crafts and wildlife of Rajasthan. The tour includes visits to the traditional villages seeing local handicrafts viz. of potters, weavers, shoemakers and also men in their traditional attire Bishnois, women clad with ancestral silver jewellary, en route watch and photograph. Glimpses of wildlife such as antelopes, blue bulls, chinkara, peacocks and demoiselle cranes are some of the unique attractions. This village safari can add in your tour for half day or full day basis.

Air: Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur lie on the Airlines route that links Delhi and Mumbai.

Rail: Most of Rajasthan is accessible by a network of rail services. The Shatabdi Express is an excellent connection to Ajmer via Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, from Delhi. The trains offer vestibuled, chair seatin rail service. Other places too are linked by passenger and express trains. Since rail journeys are usually long because of the distances involved, it is advisable to carry light snacks and water bottles, as most stations en-route do not serve much by way food.

Road: The State Roadways coaches link most tourist places and business centers in and around the state. Chauffeur-driven air-conditioned cars can be hired through the State Tourist Offices and other approved operators.

Road Distances:
Ajmer	210 kms
Daspan	240 kms
Jaisalmer	290 kms
Jaipur	335 kms
Khimsar	90 kms
Luni	34 kms
Nagaur	130 kms
Osian	60 kms
Udaipur	275 kms