Its lazy sprawl lies contentedly, as it has for centuries, under the watchful gaze of the mighty Mehrangarh Fort perched atop a rocky crag. The Old City of Jodhpur remains steeped in its ancient rhythms and routines, even as it embraces the persuasions and pursuits of modern-day Rajasthan as a tourist hub.
The walled city, pierced by eight gates (pols), is a palette of varied hues of blue, giving it the epithet “the Blue City”. Thus named, Jodhpur, not only arouses much curiosity, but the praises of its allurements have long resounded through India’s Tourism Hall of fame. One of the most popular destinations for tourists arriving from all over the world, Jodhpur is Rajasthan’s second biggest city. Its unique setting on the northwestern outskirts of the Thar desert adds a fresh outlook to Rajasthan’s cultural diversity.
Jodhpur was established in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a Rajput ruler from the Rathore clan, as an alternative to the old Marwar capital of Mandore. Back in the day Jodhpur’s walled city was a bustling market town for the caravans following one of the sub-routes from the legendary Silk Route from China. The vibrant markets of Old Jodhpur still carry vestiges of that glorious past, when this desert outpost grew fat from the riches of its commercial and cultural interactions with these visitations from Central Asia.
Hues of Blue
Several theories have been presented to explain the distinctive palette of blue that dominates the architectural direction of Old Jodhpur, which from the heights of the Mehrangarh Fort appears as a misty blue.
The most predominant view is that the high caste Brahmin community residing in the Old City, painted its homes blue (comprising layers of limestone, copper sulphate, and indigo) in order to stand out from the low-caste people living there. Copper sulphate under certain conditions turns blue, giving the houses their distinctive shade of blue.
As you walk around the old town, you’ll discover its narrow lanes, such as Brahmpuri for Brahmins, Sunaron Ki Ghati for goldsmiths, and Bohron Ki Pol for financiers, have been settled according to the social strata and ownership of the communities; it serves as an interesting reflection of the distinctive mosaic of Jodhpur's social and cultural landscape.
Another theory is that the houses were painted with a blue wash as a deterrent for termites as the copper sulphate in it effectively repelled the insects. Another good reason was that the colour blue had a cooling effect—significant for people living here on the edge of the desert.
Walking through the old town an unmissable aspect of its planning is the tightly clustered houses and narrow lanes and shadowy alleys. The compact and dense housing and narrow walkways were deliberately kept so to protect the residents from the full force of the desert sun and winds.
Jodhpur Old City Architecture
Living in the harsh climes of its arid-dry desert location, the walled city’s residents sought to find the most comfortable way to live through the area's heat, dust and dry conditions. Its architectural direction was rooted in green design principles, which meant using energy-efficient locally available materials and resources. Even how the dense network of narrow lanes has been laid out, in an irregular east-to-west direction, takes into account how the wind can be redirected; this helps control the impact of the sandstorms on the residents.
Compact and confined, the courtyards of the houses provided a ventilated and protected space for the women folk; they also served as a convenient spot in the home to dry spices and store that precious drinking water. In addition, they also mitigated extreme temperature changes, channelled breezes, and helped adjust humidity levels in the house.
Traditional markets
Jodhpur’s traditional markets serve as vital hubs for commerce and social pursuits of the local people. Active wholesale and retail transactions add to the buzz of these alluring spots in the Old City. Sethjis and coolies, vendors and housewives, all have a place in this vibrant tapestry of commerce and communication. A thrilling theatre of daily socio-eco pursuits, they are a magnet for itinerant visitors seeking immersive experiences of local life.
Settled under the shadows of the iconic Clock Tower built by Maharaja Sardar Singh, the Sardar Market is always a bustling hub of activity. The tangled web of alleys is adorned with rickety stalls and shops selling turbans and odhnis, embroidered juttis and jewellery, handicrafts and spices, textiles and tea. A popular buy is the Mathaniya red chilli which keeps Rajasthani curries aflame!
To set off on your market odyssey head for Nai Sarak, where you can pick up stunning textiles in Rajasthan’s famous bandhani and leheriya prints. Another good spot for traditional textiles in the Kapra Market. If traditional shoes are your thing you can shop to your heart's content for a variety of Jodhpuri juttis at Mochi Bazaar. You can even watch as an artisan custom makes a pair for you! Short of souvenirs to take back home? Explore the rich offerings of the Sojati Gate Market. The Sarafa Market offers a treasure trove of silver jewellery items, but you can also pick up running fabric, gift items and trendy trinkets.
Artisanal wealth
Find your way down narrow lanes to watch puppeteers create magic making the beautifully adorned characters, carved out of wood (kath), who keep kids and grown-ups mesmerised at a traditional kathputli or puppet show.
These wooden dolls also put the spotlight on Jodhpur’s exquisite wood carving traditions, also reflected in its stunning workmanship on doors, windows, pillars, and sundry furniture items.
Carved out of wood, kavad (a portable and foldable shrine) is a dying craft in this desert outpost. A significant player in the local entertainment scene, kavad was used as a tool for storytelling by the Kavadia Bhats or wandering priests.
You are all familiar with comics, right? Well, the kavad tradition served as a comic on wood, but with an aim to enchant listeners with tales and myths about the gods and goddesses, saints and sages, historic monuments and the like, depicted so colourfully on these hinged panels.
These portable kavads also served as a means to bring home replicas of some iconic shrines to the sick and elderly who could not visit the real thing!
A traditional Marwadi Kavad originally would have 51 stories distributed over 16 panels. Less than seven or eight families are now keeping the tradition alive today.
At the Chappalon Wali Gali, located behind the Clock Tower, you can watch craftspeople, both men and women, transform leather into some of the most beautiful forms of footwear with their greatly honed artisanal skills. The richly embroidered Jodhpuri chappals should definitely be on your shopping list.
Jodhpur is also renowned for its brilliant metalcraft as depicted by the artisanal skills of its Meena, Kansara and Dhora communities. These skills are depicted in both utilitarian and decorative items.
The UJJAS (Universal Just & Action Society) Crafts Centre in Jodhpur is an innovative initiative for empowering migrant artisans and promoting their crafts and creativity. It aims to contribute to uplifting the migrant-artisans’ fragile livelihoods, preventing their economic exploitation and upholding the cultural heritage.
There are many hidden aspects of Jodhpur’s Old City to discover— all you need is time and a knowledgeable guide to lead you to these immersive experiences!