THE BLUE CITY

Blue limed houses are numerous in Rajasthan. In Jodhpur, it is the whole old city extended at the foot of the fortress which is thus colored in tones going from a milky blue to a royal blue. The blue, color of the gods and the houses of the Brahmins, would mark the religious devotion of the inhabitants. According to other versions, it would be used especially to keep away mosquitoes. Do not hesitate to get lost in the maze of its small streets, the opposite being almost improbable. But don't worry, tourists have always been found safe and sound. You will meet life at each crossroads, you will attend picturesque scenes typical of India, you may be forbidden to pass by a cow... A good tip: start from the Clock Tower (or Ghanta Ghar in Hindi), which is an excellent landmark and a path that everyone will know to point out when you are really lost.

The Clock Tower: It is a good starting point to explore the city and also a good landmark. Built by Maharaja Sardar Singh during the British colonization, it was designed in the pure Anglo-Indian style, mixing Victorian and Rajasthani elements. The clock tower is in the center of a large square, the Sadar market. It is said to be possible to climb up to the^1st floor balcony for free, but the tower has always been closed on each of our visits. To the north and south, three-arched access doors have been built. The main gate in the center is meant to let pass carts and nowadays cars and rickshaws. On the sides, two smaller gates are reserved for pedestrians. The Clock Tower square connects the old city to the new city which has expanded to the south.

Sadar Market: it spreads around the clock tower, the central point of this vast square. It is used to supply the inhabitants of the old city. You will notice that each corner has its speciality: fruits and vegetables, spices, bangles, second-hand clothes... You will also find some stores for tourists that sell mostly fake antiques, manufactured products passed off as handicrafts and scarves and stoles, beautiful indeed, but which are neither pashmina nor cashmere. So be careful... The market is very lively and deserves to be strolled through while taking some pictures of turbaned men and women in colorful ghagra-choli . The Sadar Market is a good place if you plan to buy spices.

Bazaars: Located to the west of Sadar Market, the streets and alleys are full of stores full of goods. Mingle with the crowds and move from the fruit and vegetable bazaar, to the sari and textile bazaar, to the bangles and jewelry bazaar, to the bamboo ladders and stepladders bazaar, etc. This is where you will find the tie and dye, unique to the city of Jodhpur. The bazaars of Jodhpur attract a lot of people, especially on Saturdays, and claustrophobes will feel oppressed. But it's as much fun to watch the shoppers haggle as it is to try it yourself. Jodhpur may be a very touristy city, but the bazaar merchants don't count on this foreign manna to make a fortune. So you can make bargains at good prices, if you know how to negotiate. The stores for tourists are mostly located around the Sadar Market.

North of the old city: As you pass through the north gate of Sadar Market, you enter a quieter part of the city, where it's nice to stroll. This is where most of the guesthouses and small hotels are located and where you can stop for a good meal or a cold drink. Almost all of them have a rooftop terrace which often offers a breathtaking view of the Mehrangarh fort. Here, you will see more cows than cars, women shining their houses or chatting with each other, children in uniform going to school or playing at the end of the day, men going to work, old people watching the passers-by, including you...

Thoorji Ka Jhalra Bavdi: this is one of the most famous step-wells in Rajasthan. Yet few tourists get lost here, just 100 meters north of Clock Square. The well was commissioned by the wife of Maharaja Abhay Singh in 1740. Originally from Patan in Gujarat, the princess had in mind the extraordinary baori of the Queen. The one in Jodhpur is much less extravagant, but has some notable elements of this type of work. Staircases forming geometric patterns run along three of the walls, while on the fourth has been carved a small building nicely decorated with a false door. The use of the gallery is unknown, but it may have been used for religious ceremonies or for notables. The well has been completely renovated and emptied of its brackish water, revealing new sets of steps. It is not uncommon now to see young Indians splashing around and jumping into the well. If you wish to have the well to yourself, it is better to come in the morning.

Mahila Bag Ka Jhalra: this other baori (stairwell) located just next to the Gulab Sagar tank is less impressive, very dirty and frequented by people who don't make you want to stay there too long.