The Sun City

There have been a lot of instances where the Muslims and the Hindus or perhaps the Rajputs have been each others’ enemies. They just couldn’t stand each other at all. However, there have been instances of the two clans being in favor of each other and supporting the other troop.

Mehrangarh Fort and the city of Jodhpur. Source : Swan Tours

One of such instances is marked in the origin process of Jodhpur in the year 1459. Yes, Rajputs and Muslims were not just enemies but some were friends too, and that too those many centuries ago.

Regardless of how hard it must be to believe this, Rao Jodha, the chief of the Rathore clan was the one who found Jodhpur back in the 14th century. The whole of the Rathore clan enjoyed the friendship between the Mughals and them. However, that wasn’t the same case with the Afghans.

The true homeland of the Rajputs was snatched by the Afghans, fleeing which they had to take refuge to a new land which was near the land of the present day Jodhpur. Building themselves up, the Rathores set up camp on the land of Mandore. However, that land wasn’t much suitable for the troop to build a concrete foundation and hence, realising which, the Rajputs extended their territory to the land of Jodhpur.

All the Mughal emperors that the Rajputs saw were in allegiance with them except for the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. It was in the 15th century that the Mughal Emperor Akbar was given allegiance towards the princely state of Jodhpur. However, a century later, Aurangzeb took advantage of that allegiance.

Aurangzeb invaded the city of Jodhpur and forcible made the people follow the religion of Islam.

Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur made alliances with each other however, in the reign of the Muslims only. A lot of quarrels and wars later, Jodhpur was finally in the hands of Marathas, a Hindu clan.

At the time when India was in the hands of the British, Jodhpur was the largest princely state in Rajputana. After India got independence, Jodhpur shifted to being the second city to be developed in the state of Rajasthan.

Jodhpur, the sun city of Rajasthan was the second city to have been merged into the estate of Rajasthan. The region of the city is also called Marwar which means the region of death. This is because of the harsh and hot climatic conditions of the city.

However, it still continues to attract people to visit it giving out its remarkable handicraft products, textiles and it being an important part of the country’s economy.

Not only this but the only fort in the city, the fort of Mehrangarh is the dominant attraction of the city, considering it was conducted as a princely state.