Vacation Rentals in Jodhpur
Rajasthan, a desert state located in north western India has in recent years become firmly established as a holiday destination for the international jet set. While celebrities like bratty super model Naomi Campbell, jewelry designer Jade Jagger, heiress Jemima Khan and British actor Jeremy Irons have chosen to holiday in luxurious resorts located in the 'pink city' of Jaipur others like veteran rocker veteran rocker Mick Jagger and British starlet and Estee Lauder model, Elizabeth Hurley have opted for the 'Blue city' of Jodhpur for their vacations. In fact Ms Hurley chose to the locale of the magnificent Umaid Bhavan Palace which is located in Jodhpur to have her opulent Indian-style ceremony during her wedding to Indian businessman Arun Nayar in 2007.
The state of Rajasthan as we know it today, was in the centuries past made up of several small Rajput kingdoms. These Rajput kingdoms were forever fighting with each other due to disputes over land and territories. When the Mughals invaded Northern India from the 16th to the 19th centuries, these Rajput kingdoms were the first obstacles that they encountered and they fought bitter wars with the Rajputs who were well known for their valor and never say-die spirit.
The city of Jodhpur was founded in 1459 by one such brave clan of Rajputs, known as the Rathore clan. The Rathores were powerful Rajputs who had one of the largest Rajput Kingdoms. The city of Jodhpur is located at the edge of the Thar Desert and is encircled by a high 10 km wall. Located within this walled city, is the red sandstone Mehrangarh Fort, which was the erstwhile home of the entire Rathore Royal family for over four centuries. The clan resided in the gold filigreed and mirror embellished rooms of the fort until they moved to the pink sandstone Art Deco structure known as the Umaid Bhavan Palace. The current Maharaja (King) of Jodhpur continues to reside at the magnificent Umaid Bhavan Palace which now also houses a hotel.
Jodhpur is also called the 'Blue city' because the houses located near its imposing Mehrangarh Fort have been for years painted with a blue pigment. These blue pigmented houses were initially built to be occupied by the Brahmins(the highest caste in the Indian caste system) but now even non Brahmins use the pigment to paint their homes as it helps to deflect the oppressive desert heat and also keeps mosquitoes at bay.
As the entire landscape of Rajasthan is dotted with intricately carved palaces which feature much traditional exquisite inlay work and period antique furniture as well as well laid out lush gardens and huge Venetian chandeliers, your vacation rental in this erstwhile royal state is also likely to be located in one such former royal residence. In fact one of the choices for a vacation rental in Jodhpur offered to you is in the glorious Ajit Bhawan Palace Hotel which happens to be a current royal residence and India's oldest heritage hotel.
The Ajit Bhawan Palace hotel is located outside the walls of the city in the Thar Desert. The palace also belongs to the Rathore clan and is today run Suryaveer Singh Rathore who is the nephew of the current Maharaja of Jodhpur. When you choose to have your vacation rental in the Ajit Bhawan Palace hotel you will be treated a guest of the young royal and you will probably be accommodated in one of the palace's tastefully decorated eight-one rooms which are all set amongst manicured courtyards and filigreed marble screens. Many of these rooms and suites have been decorated with antique and original photographs from the family's archives by young royal's elder brother, the renowned Indian designer, Raghuvendra Singh Rathore who is known the world over for his sharply tailored and exquisite line of apparel known as Rathore Jodhpur. In fact the hotel has also an outpost of his Rathore atelier and when you elect to have your vacation rental at the Ajit Bhawan Palace hotel, you can also choose to be simultaneously kitted out with one of Raghuvendra Rathore's exquisite original creations.
Your second choice of a vacation rental in Jodhpur is also located in a former royal residence called the Fort Chanwa Luni. This fort is located at a distance of 35 kms from the city of Jodhpur but is easily accessible by various modes of transport. Fort Chanwa Luni is entirely carved out of red sandstone, a material that is indigenous to Jodhpur. This fort was constructed by a Rajput called Kaviraj Muraridanji who was a minister in the court of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, the ruler of the Jodhpur and the neighboring kingdom of Marwar. This gorgeous fort which is adorned with many intricately carved windows is a fascinating maze of ancient stairways, corridors, secret rooms, passages, towers and rooftops and promises to be an ideal location for your royal vacation.
No matter where you choose to have your vacation rental in the 'blue city' of Jodhpur you are bound to be treated like royalty and feel like a king ( or queen)during the entire duration of your stay.
