Little Known Tales of Mehrangarh Fort
Jodhpur, India
I had just about joined a Big 4 accounting firm and a week later was the annual off-site (in technical terms – the partner-manager meeting). The off-site was to be held in Jodhpur, an exotic location in the heartland of Rajasthan – this was exciting news for a Bootie.
It was also my first trip to Jodhpur. Never mind the scorching heat of 40 degrees celsius or more, nor the fact that this off-site would be “much work and less play”, I knew that I would somehow manage to explore the Mehrangarh Fort.
Now for some details: This Fort, according to guidebooks, is situated on a rocky cliff, 400 feet above the town on Jodhpur. Its ramparts, which are hewn out of the sandstone rocks, are 130 feet high in some places, a battery of medieval canons protected the fort from outsiders, and in fact these canons still stand to this date.
The Rang MahalThe Rang Mahal was the most colourful, laced with mirrors and ornamented with fine mirror work and coloured glasses and gold leaves. Another room – where the girls in our group flocked and let out “oohs and aaahs” was the Jhanki Mahal. Here you can find the royal cradles, which rocked the infants in the royal family to sleep.
There are a few shops in the fort premises. So after picking up trinkets like colourful bangles, we all went back to our hotel for yet another day at the off-site workshops.
