INDIA || Jodhpur - travel vlog (Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Mandore, Blue City) 15 Degrees North

15° North are travelling again! This time we are in India in the blue city of Jodhpur. There we visit: Mehrangarh Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palce, Jaswant Thada, Toorji Ka Jhalra Bavdi, Mandore & the Blue City.
Jérémy and Ben here again! We love to travel and to satisfy our wanderlust, we are on a worldwide odyssey exploring the best places for a break around the world. We love to escape Britain to experience the best culture, cuisine and attractions that the globe has to offer. If you’re a tourist like us and just need a good itinerary for what to do and how to do it when you’re in Jodhpur, we will show you the best things to put on your itinerary.
Make sure you subscribe: ruclips.net/channel/UCNCk...
Check out our Asia Playlist: • ASIA
Follow us on Instagram: @fifteendegreesnorth
Music: www.purple-planet.com
Jodhpur is a city in Rajasthan, the north-western province of India. Close to the border with Pakistan, Jodhpur used to be capital of an ancient kingdom called Marwar. In the middle of the Thar Desert, the city is known as the ‘Blue City’ because most of the city’s buildings are all painted blue. Although not overly far from Delhi, this a city not yet on the tourist map, even though it clearly should be. With its striking landmarks, authentic old town and buzzing streets, this is a city that is sure to appear on the travel radar sooner rather than later.
India is remarkably cheap, so we decided to hire a guide for our time in Jodhpur. Our guide was called Emtiyaz and he was an absolute star, taking us all over the city and explaining everything for us. So, item number one on our agenda? Why is Jodhpur blue?
Well the colour blue is a holy colour for Hindus and is usually associated with the Brahmins; the priests. One day, the Brahmins needed to talk to the Maharajah about problems in the city, but when they went to his castle on the hill above the city, they were forbidden from seeing him by his advisors. Time and time again they were turned away and the Brahmins were not impressed. So, in one of the world’s earliest publicity stunts, they decided to paint all the houses in their district blue. Then, the Maharjah, completely unaware of the beef between his government at the priesthood, looked out from his window across the city and noticed that one area had turned completely blue. He asked his advisors why.They were unable to answer him. So he decided to go and find out for himself. He trotted down into the blue district, leaving his advisors back in the castle and ta-dah, suddenly the Brahmins were able to speak to him unimpeded. It turns out that the Maharajah was very interested in what they had to say indeed, so when he returned to his castle, the treacherous advisors were punished severely. And they painted the rest of the city blue as well to permanently remind them not to act above their station again. Centuries later and the streets are still painted blue.Which makes for a truly distinctive city to visit.And the perfect backdrop to plaster across your Instagram.
Jodhpur has only 2.3 million people living in it. By European standards, that’s a massive city. But by Indian standards, it’s basically a village. In fact, it is only the 42nd largest city in the country. The city centre is fairly small and easy to get around on foot. And we just loved getting to soak the distinctive Indian atmosphere.
There are still Maharajahs in India and Jodhpur has its own. Jaswant Thada is the mausoleum built to house the Maharajahs and their queens after they have died. It’s built from the same marble as the Taj Mahal and is really rather snazzy.
A hop, skip and a jump away and you’re at the Mehrangarh Fort. This was the home of the Maharjahs for centuries, ending only when they realised that they no longer needed to protect themselves from their neighbours and a palace would be much more comfortable. Although originally built in the fifteenth century, much of what you see there today dates from the seventeenth century. According to legend, when it was first built, the Maharajah displaced a hermetic priest who lived on the hill. He was extremely annoyed at being evicted from his hill, so he placed a curse on the future castle, declaring that it should forever be cursed to have no water. And seeing as Jodhpur is in the middle of the desert, that was kind of a big deal. We don’t know whether the curse worked or not, because the Maharajah took matters into his own hands and enacted a tried and tested remedy for curses placed by angry priests. Burying a man alive in the foundations. Apparently the man did it willingly. And the water?The castle had loads of it. So it all worked out fine for everyone. Apart from the man in the wall.
Nine kilometres from the fort is Mandore. Mandore was the capital of Marwar before Jodhpur, so when the latter was built in the fifteenth century, this once bustling city became abandoned overnight.