jodhpur travel guide

The Best #1 Jodhpur Travel Guide for Travelers (Secrets Revealed)

“Blue City”, “Sun City”, “Surya Nagari” = Jodhpur

Jodhpur is a well-known name for Rajasthan travelers. It is the second largest city in Rajasthan.

Since you are on this page, I assume you are curious about Jodhpur. Right?

It is called Sun City (Hindi: Surya Nagari) as the city enjoys bright sun all the year. Even the days in winter (winter is coming 😉 ) are sunny.India Flag thumb print

It is also called Blue City because most of the houses here are painted blue. You can see this in the image shown above.

Blue is a cool/calm color. As the sun is bright here all the year, so the houses needs to be cooled down. And, blue color keeps houses cool.

The city also topped Lonely Planet’s list of extraordinary places to live in 2014. The popular tight horse riding trousers Jodhpurs, got their name from this city.

Rao Jodha founded this city on 12 May 1459. Yeah, you guessed right – this city is 558 years old.

This city got the name from Rao Jodha himself. Before this name the land was called Marwar and its people Marwari.

It is also known for its grand marriages. Recently, many celebrities have chosen it for their wedding and birthday celebrations.

Many Bollywood and Hollywood movies have highlighted it. This all means that – it has become a popular tourist destination.

In this article, I’m writing everything you need to know to travel Jodhpur. Let’s start with…

Why do I Love Jodhpur? (And why should you Visit it?)

There are many reasons for me to love Jodhpur. I was born here. Everything I know about this world came from the people of Jodhpur.

So, yeah it is my city and here is why I love it:

Foodkadhi kachori Jodhpur street food

Food is the first reason I love Jodhpur. You can find all type of food in Jodhpur.

From traditional Makhaniya Lassi to Fast Foods like Pav Bhaji, you will find everything here.

Haldi ki Sabji is my favorite Sabji. Dal-Bati is my all-time favorite dish.

Some dishes that were not from here – today have a Marwari touch to them. People here love dishes with more chilly in them.

Culture

In other parts of the world, families have started separating. Yet, there is joint family culture in Jodhpur.

This enables sharing, learning, helping and growing with each other. Elders guide youngsters with their experience.

Jodhpur Culture

People

The Jodhpur people are among the most humble people of India.

We call it “Thaadi Boli” OR “Mithi Boli” meaning “using sweet words while talking”.

Even a stranger is communicated using the word “sa” OR “ji”.

It means if your name is Ankur, we will call you “Ankur Sa” OR “Ankur Ji”.

This is a unique form of respect that has enabled Marwari people to win hearts of people.

Hathaai

It is a place for people to discuss and chat. There are many lesser known street level places.

And there are many famous and old places for Hathaai like “Bhim Ji ki Hathaai”.

It is a place for people to network, share their issues, take advice – give advice, discuss politics, debate on national-international issues and play games.

You will find people from old age to young age here. In many marriages there are Hathaai formed just for that marriage.

Dressingold Man with turban jodhpur

Men as well as women has unique dresses in Jodhpur. Jodhpuri Coat for men and Jodhpuri Salvar-suit for women is very famous.

Jodhpuri Safa and Jodhpuri Juti are another dressing items that are famous.

In fact, they have become style icon and status symbol of royal and grand marriages in India.

Narendra Modi, Amitabh Bacchhan and Rajiv Gandhi have dressed Jodhpuri coat.

Marriages

Grand marriages are in the culture of Jodhpur. Jodhpuri people don’t hesitate to spend when it is the matter of marriage.

Because of this, people in other parts of the world have also adopted this. Marwari Safa and Juti are regularly supplied in all parts of the world.

There are people who are specialists in tying different types of Safa. Many celebrities have had their weddings in Jodhpur.

Even if a stranger enters the marriage, he is welcomed by heart.

History

Being very old, Jodhpur has rich history. In the Mahabharata, it is mentioned.

Lord Krishna showed his Virat side to Rishi Utank in Marwar. And, he had done it only twice. One to Arjun in Kurukshetra and one to sage Utank in Marwar.

There are sites that are rich in history like Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace and Rai ka Bagh Palace.

Climatepark in Jodhpur

Being near Thar Desert, Jodhpur is called gateway to Thar. Jodhpur enjoys bright sun all the year.

The temperature is around 30-35 degree Celsius. It means Jodhpur has enormous potential for solar energy.

Many companies have invested here. Nights are often cold. In May and June, it is so much heat that the days never seem to end.

Locationschool kids jodhpur

Jodhpur has strategic location. It is near Thar Desert yet it is different from Thar Desert.

It is accessible and connected to all the other cities via roads, railway lines and airlines.

Because of its location, IIT, NLU, AIIMS and other prestigious institutes have opened here.

Being accessible to most of the villages it is becoming education hub and furnishing new talent.

Placesfield farmer jodhpur

There are many places to enjoy here in Jodhpur. People have come up with some unique ideas.

Besides popular Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan palace there is Arna Jharna Desert Museum which is very unique.

Then, there are hills, wells and private Bawadis. Farms and lakes make a perfect combination.

There are farms of various vegetables and cereals that look very attractive.

Festivals

Being Hindu culture, there are many festivals that we get to enjoy. On Makar Sakrat people fly kites and it is awesome.

Dancing and throwing colors with “Chang”, we celebrate Holi. We also celebrate “Dhinga Ganwar” OR “Beth Mar Mela”.

With “Dandiya” comes Navratra. Then, it is Deepawali that we celebrate with each other, lighting crackers.

Yeah I love my city because of some other reasons as well. Right now these were all I could think of 😉

What are the 5 must Visit Places in Jodhpur?

There are more than 25 places to visit in Jodhpur. You might not be able to visit them all in one tour. So, here are the 5 must visit places:

Mehrangarh Fort

It is one of the largest forts in India. Most of the Jodhpur tourists come here to visit it.

They have seen it in pictures and want to visit it. The view of Jodhpur from the fort is breath-taking.

You will also find out why Jodhpur is called blue city from here 😉 . Check out our Mehrangarh Fort Guide.

Mehrangarh Fort

Umaid Bhawan Palace

It is one of the world’s largest private residences. In 1928 people were suffering from unemployment.

The then king Umaid Singh Ji started building this, so that people could find employment. It is an architectural marvel of Jodhpur artists.

Currently, it is the best hotel in the world according to TripAdvisor’s traveler choices awards 2016.

Sojti Gate Market

It is the market of Jodhpur. There is nothing you won’t find here. It is the most crowdy place of Jodhpur.

The “Nayi Sadak” connects Old Jodhpur market to Modern market. At one end of this road there is old Ghanta Ghar and at another end there are modern showrooms.

If you want to buy Jodhpur things, this is the place to go. From spicy Mirchibada to handicraft items, you will find everything here.

Kaylana Lake

It is an artificial lake created to store drinking water for Jodhpur. The water is filtered in Filter House and supplied to Jodhpur.

You can enjoy boating and swimming here. It is very romantic place. During rainy season (July-August) it is the first place to go.

Arna Jharna Desert Museum

This place is shocking for those people who think museums are boring. It is an open museum having village huts.

You can learn many things about Rajasthani traditions like music, instruments, various types of brooms and puppets here.

What’s my Top Local Secret?

Here are the things you won’t find in the guidebooks!Om Hindu Jodhpur Temple

Here are the 5 temples that you should visit:

  • Baba Ramdev Temple
  • Ratanada Ganesh Mandir
  • Pal Balaji
  • Udai Mandir
  • Ishkiya Gajanan

Here are the 5 gardens that you should visit:

  • Ashok Udhyan
  • Shastri Circle
  • Nehru Park
  • Mandor Garden
  • Rao Jodha Desert Rock Park

Here are the 5 mountains that you can climb:

  • Near Kaylana lake
  • Behind Lariya village
  • Near Mehrangarh fort
  • Around Soorsagar
  • Behind Chokha village

Here are the 5 good shopping places:

  • Sardarpura
  • Tripolia Bazar
  • Sojti Gate
  • Gulab Sagar
  • Jalori Gate

Here is another secret:

No matter what time of year you visit Jodhpur you will find Ravan ka Chabutara and Town Hall having some kind of events.

In Ravan ka Chabutara it could be Plays, Music, fairs, circus, business events etc. Right now (July 2016) a new fair is going on in Ravan ka Chabutara.

In Town Hall it could be plays, seminars, workshops, musical events etc. So keep in mind, if you are in mood of these, go check them out.

Places to Eat Out in Jodhpur? (And Some Local Dishes You Must Try)

At last we came to my favorite section. Anyway, who doesn’t love food? Right?Jodhpur Food

As said earlier, you will find all types of food in Jodhpur from local dishes to continental dishes.

So what should you eat and where should you eat? Fair question. Here are some of my favorite dishes and places where I eat them.

Keep in mind that Rajasthani Food is very spicy and has more chilly than usual. So if you are a patient OR have some diseases, be cautious.

Okay, warnings aside, go to Fun n Food Restaurant (Address: 11th B Road, Sardarpura, Jodhpur). It has most of the Jodhpur food, street food and famous fast foods.

These are some local dishes that you must try:

  • Makhniya Lassi: Misrilal (Gantaghar)
  • Sweets (Gevar, Kaju Katli, Rasgulla): Jodhpur Sweets (C Road, Sardarpura)
  • Dal-Bati Churma: Bhawani Dal Bati (77, 1st Chopasani Road, Opp. IDBI Bank)
  • Pyaz ki Kachori, Samosa: Jodhpur Sweets (C Road, Sardarpura)
  • Awesome Cakes: 15 AD (Neelam Bhavan, 9th C Road, Opp. Gypsy Dining Hall, Sardarpura)
  • Mirchibada + Bread: Janta Sweet Home (Sojti Gate)
  • Dahi Vada: Chandra Shahi Samosa (In front of JNVU old Campus, Ratanada)
  • Juice: Vijay Ras Bhandar (12, C Road, Sardarpura)
  • Tea: Bhati Tea (near Taar Ghar, C-Road, Sardarpura)
  • Coffee: Café Coffee Day (9th C Road, Sardarpura)
  • Matka Kulfi and Marwadi Kulfi: Shastri Circle (Shastri Nagar)

Where to Stay in Jodhpur?

It depends on your budget and the time available to stay. Here are some guidelines:

Hotel Room Jodhpur Rajasthan India

  • Choose 5 star hotels, if you can afford it. Nothing beats this experience. Even great if that hotel is Umaid Bhawan palace. You will be treated like a king there.
  • Book 3 star hotels, if your stay is 1-4 days and you love luxury.
  • Visit guest houses, if your stay is 5-6 days and you are on a budget.
  • Go for a Paying Guest (PG) or Hostel, if your stay is 15+ days. There are many PGs and hostels available near Ratanada side. Zostel is another great hostel.

There is no thumb rule, everyone has different choices to make. So choose accordingly!

Some Additional Tips:

  • Holi and Deepawali are two of the most important festivals of Hindus. If you want to experience Holi, then visit Jodhpur during March. For Deepawali, visit Jodhpur in October-November. During festive seasons you will find many people in groups enjoying themselves.
  • To experience grand Jodhpur marriages, find a marriage garden near your hotel (ask the owner). Just visit the park in evening and ask the host. Most of them are kind enough to let you in.

It’s your turn…

…to visit Jodhpur now. And, this is all you need to know to make your Jodhpur tour hilarious.

You can either read 100 articles about Jodhpur while sitting at home. OR you can read this 1 article and travel to Jodhpur.

I leave this choice upon you. And yeah, if you have not visited Jodhpur yet, bookmark this article and refer it when you visit Jodhpur.

After completing your Jodhpur tour, you might want to visit nearby cities. Jaipur (places to visit in Jaipur), Udaipur and Jaisalmer are the most famous ones in Rajasthan.

BTW, if you have some suggestions, comments, questions and tips; feel free to comment below.

Good Luck traveling Jodhpur!

Pankaj Solanki

17 thoughts on “The Best #1 Jodhpur Travel Guide for Travelers (Secrets Revealed)”

  1. Jodhpur is like second home for me. I love this city so much and always trying to be in jodhpur. My best friends are from this city. few things I would like to mentioned here which I love most about the jodhpur is.
    1. peoples are very nice lovable and gives you immense respect.
    2. Food is awesome I love Rajasthani food (gate ki sabji, mirchi wada, makhan wada, gulabjamun, dal bati churma etc etc..) you must try GYPSY restaurants if you want full rajasthani taste.
    3. shopping is easy and you can get authentic item with in your budget in old jodhpur market. I love Bandhej work, jodhpuri juti and many more.
    4. few places are my favourite and must visit ( Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace, jaswant Thada, mandore garden)
    5. I am sure you will never feel bore when you visiting the city. It always made me fresh, energetic and happy.

    I love you jodhpur ….

  2. Hi, Thanks for the article we a group of 2 couples are visiting Jodhpur on 25th Jan 2017 for a two day & one night stay surely visit the places mentioned before heading to Jaisalmer.

  3. Any advice on transportation, please? apparently, my hotel is quite far out from the city and i am staying here for 2 days. Thank you.

    1. Pankaj Solanki

      Hi Hathai, thanks for commenting here. If your hotel is out of from the city, you can use OLA cabs. They have excellent service in Jodhpur. Please tell me the name of your hotel. Cheers!

  4. Very good information. We are senior citizen couple, is it okay to plan visit in mid July? We also wish to visit Jaisalmer.

    1. Pankaj Solanki

      Hello Chetana Ji, During July it will be raining here. Baba Ramdev Yatra also starts at that time. It is okay to travel. Thanks!

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