Jodhpur: India’s Sunny Blue City

The sunny desert city of Jodhpur in India is famous for buildings that are as blue as the sparkling waters of the Caribbean. Local lore states that Indian priests known as Brahmins painted their houses blue to signal their ties to royalty and their high social status. Some historians theorize that the copper sulfate in blue paint was effective at repelling pests such as termites and helped to blunt the heat of the sizzling desert sun. Over time, Jodhpur gained the title of “Blue City” as residents from all walks of life began to paint their dwellings blue.

Jodhpur is a picturesque medieval city that was built in the shadow of a towering fortress known as Mehrangarh. Constructed in the mid-1400s by Rathore dynasty patriarch Rao Jodha Rathore, Mehrangarh was known as the Sun Citadel. Rathore’s descendants continued to expand Mehrangarh until the 1700s. The stately Sun Citadel is one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in India.

Visitors can ascend to the top of Mehrangarh for a sweeping view of Jodhpur’s sky blue buildings. The Sun Citadel is also home to the Mehrangarh Museum which showcases paintings, textiles, and ornate items such as a howdah—or elephant seat— which have graced the halls of the Sun Citadel throughout the centuries. Mehrangarh also features a lush garden and a series of nature trails where visitors can explore the natural beauty of the surrounding desert cliffs.

Another magnificent sight in the city of Jodhpur is a memorial known as Jaswant Thada. The gleaming white marble structure was built in honor of Jaswant Singh II, a popular Jodhpur monarch who was celebrated for overseeing upgrades to the region’s infrastructure in the late 1800s. Visitors can admire the memorial’s striking architecture and view portraits of other Rathore dynasty rulers.

No trip to Jodhpur is complete without a stop at the Sardar Market. The Sardar Market is an open-air market where visitors can purchase handmade jewelry, clothing, and handbags. Many of the Sardar Market’s artisans construct their wares on-site, so you can watch them work as you stroll through the market. Sardar Market also sells tea leaves and delectable local food such as kachra mirchi—a spicy vegetarian dish made out of kachri melon and green chilies.

The soothing blue houses, striking architecture, and bright sunshine of Jodhpur will surely infuse your travels with joy. Memories of the Sun Citadel will brighten your days long after you have departed Jodhpur.