A Brief About the City
Jodhpur, Rajasthan, is widely known as the ‘blue state’. While the actual story behind the lovely blue colour is kind of dull since it comes from copper sulphate which is employed to effectively repel mosquitos, it does make for a good photograph! Later, it began to be associated with the cobalt blue colour of Lord Shiva. And now, it is used to keep their houses cool since the colour blue is a good reflector of sun rays – providing much needed respite in Rajasthan’s desert summers. Each local will tell you a different, personal, lore about the blue colour of their house. Here comes the 10 Instagrammable Photo Spots at Jodhpur.
Why Photography is the Best Way to Remember the City?
Capturing a moment in a photograph is more than about just securing a memory – it also establishes a timeline of your life and helps you appreciate your life more. Now, with the advent of smartphones it has become even easier to capture a good memory. And when you see something as beautiful as Jodhpur, it becomes natural to feel a desire to hold it close to yourself giving you a sense of ownership. The joy that comes from looking at happy memories and relieving them. And sharing them with your friends and family is unlike no other. And what other place for that other than Instagram?
10 Instagrammable Photo Spots at Jodhpur
While some spots in the listicle are popular tourist destinations, some are also local secrets. Grab your camera, and find your way to any – or all – of these beautiful spots!
Toorji ka Jhalra
Toorji ka Jhalra is a stepwell that, according to legend, was constructed by a queen during 1740. This spot is amazing for getting clicked as the geometric design on the stairs. And the deep blue water frame and magnificent capture. It is still an unknown spot to many, which is perhaps why the area here is always neat and clean.
It is still off the tourist map, however it is an ancient architectural wonder to behold. There are many stairs to choose from regarding where you want to stand and angle your photograph. This place is still fresh because after being left damaged and full of wreckage for a lot of years, it was only restored and repaired recently. The best time to photograph here is early morning as by midday it is not only too hot. But also because children from the local population come here to take a swim in the perpetually cold waters of the stepwell to cool themselves.
Mehrangarh Fort
No questions about this, the Mehrangarh Fort tops the list of must visit places in the city of Jodhpur. The architecture of this Fort makes the viewer travel right back in history to the era of royals. Mehrangarh Fort is also one of the largest forts in India and it represents true Rajasthani-ness. It is the best possible way to get a bird’s view on the entire expanse of Jodhpu’s blue city. Because this spot is the most elevated one on the list, it will provide arguably the best background or focus point for your photographs. Not only the outside of this fort, but the inside is also truly magical architecture. We promise you, you will not be able to put your camera down once you take a step inside the Fort. The grandeur of the Fort’s architecture will make you want to take a picture at every corner!
View over the old city
The old city is where you will find most of the blue houses in Jodhpur. And since we have hopefully already convinced you to go to Mehrangarh Fort, you’re almost already there at this spot. This spot is a few kilometres from the Fort, and you get both the blue houses of Jodhpur and the magnanimous Mehrangarh Fort in this shot. This spot is definitely the best spot if you wish to capture the ‘blue’ of Jodhpur. You get the entire city in the frame and the blue houses provide an excellent contrast from the other houses. The background and you will both shine in this perfectly instagrammable shot!
Clock Tower
Known as Ghanta Ghar in the native language, the clock tower is no less than a landmark destination in Jodhpur. It is the Clock Tower that separates new Jodhpur and old Jodhpur. You can climb up till the balcony of this colossally tall tower. Although it is not the top most point of the Tower, it does show appealing views of the Sadar Market and all its hustle bustle underneath. The Sadar Market is a great place to capture the actual city and its people. And when you’re here shooting photos, you might as well also do some shopping and pick up some souvenirs!
Ghanshyam Temple
Green and gold, this 16th century temple is exactly what your Instagram feed needs. As the most beautiful temple in Jodhpur, it is truly a feast for your eyes. If you wish to take a look inside, you will find the most friendly priests. They are known to sing and dance with people during prayer time and for spreading colour. The temple opens its doors at 5am and closes at 10pm. During midday it is shur from 1:45pm to 5pm, which might be the best time to photograph there as the steps will be free and the surrounding area is less crowded too.
Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada is a cenotaph that was built hundreds of years back in 1899. Back then, it would serve as a cremation ground for the royal family of Marwar, and now its grandeur and architecture attract locals and tourists alike. However, it is still not as popular as other spots on the list, which fortunately makes it not only a perfect instagrammable spot but also a peaceful spot. The colour and architecture will make you unable to take your eyes off it! It is also called the ‘Taj Mahal of Mewar’.
Chandpole
Also known as the Alley of Blue Houses among tourists, this is where you get to absorb the beauty of the blue Jodhpur houses at eye level. Wander away from the bustling market places and the new town, and head to Chandpole – the older quarters of Jodhpur – to rejuvenate. Here, you will also find more friendly locals who will be willing to tell you tales as the first settlers of the city. Blue is spattering throughout Chandpole in all different shades. Not surprisingly, these streets are very different from the upbeat markets that lead to Chandpole.
The deeper you travel into Jodhpur the seemingly quieter it gets. And since it is not yet a greatly tourist-accessed spot, if you find your way here, you are definitely going to have to have blue houses and walls to take pictures all to yourself! There is not one particular cluster of houses that is more blue than the rest, so you will have to do the labour of finding the diverse shades of blue yourself.
Since this area is notoriously difficult to navigate to, here are the GPS coordinates for it: 26° 17′ 51.852″ N 73° 0′ 51.084″ E
Kaylana Lake
Kaylana Lake is an artificial lake that was built in 1872 for rain water harvesting. This lake has always been the most popular point to watch the sunset in the city. Taking up over 8 kilometres, this lake gets a beautiful reflection of all the colours of the sun. Not only do you get to witness the merging of the lake and sky during sunset hours, but during the day, Kaylana Lake is a popular spot amongst bird watchers. Birds can be seen cooling in the lake, flying over the lake and often playing hide and seek with the watchers through the trees by the lake. Siberian Cranes are especially known to grace the lake most frequently.
Some cautionary advice about this lake is that people are not allowed to swim here. If you wish to enjoy the beauty of the lake, there are plenty of boat rides that you can enjoy here.
Mandore Gardens
Less than ten kilometres from the main city of Jodhpur are Mandore Gardens. The best time to photograph here are evenings, as the sunset looks wonderful from the Mandore Fort – which is what the Mandore Gardens are built around. The Mandore Fort, features the royal cenotaphs of the Ranthore rulers. Out of all the cenotaphs on the property, six of them which are made of sandstone stand out exceedingly. They are buildings with intricate carvings, pillars and tall spires, elaborately adorned corridors and sculptural embellishments. You can also enjoy a picnic in the gardens, like the local population. There is also a government museum within the Mandore Gardens property which contains artefacts and relics from the 6th century.
Umaid Bhawan Palace
If you want to take a break from all the crowded tourist-y places and fall into luxury’s lap, Umaid Bhawan Palace is the place for you! The newest construction on the list, the Palace was built in 1928. Built with yellow sandstone, it spreads over 26 acres. The Umaid Bhawan Palace houses the luxury Taj Hotel Resorts (since 1972). It is a residence for the royal family and a museum. Vintage clock collections and royal car collections can also be found in the museum.
The museum showcases the history of the royal family of Jodhpur. The Palace is one of the world’s largest residences of a royal family. Here you will get to photograph yourself or the Palace property without any inhibitions everywhere – from the gardens to the restaurant that overlooks the vast gardens. In the gardens you may even be accompanied by peacocks! The Palace also has a newly opened rooftop restaurant, Raas, from where you can overlook the blue city!
Conclusion
We are all always trying to gauge how to hold on to memories we make. This is especially true if you visit another city or country for vacation. Photography is, therefore, the best way to keep the memories preserved, as they get preserved virtually. If you didn’t have a photograph to remind you of a location you visited, you might forget some anecdotal instances, which will be sparked looking at the memory visually – through a photograph. And you need not take the financial burden of buying an expensive digital camera for your trip. Since most smartphones are already equipped with cameras that give a similar picture quality. So pack your bags to visit Jodhpur to enjoy yourself building memories, eating Rajasthani food. Also having a ball of a time at evening dance shows and, of course, taking loads of pictures to remember the blue city.
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