Jodhpur

We traveled to Jodhpur a bit ahead of schedule, to join a wedding!

While traveling on a train out of Bombay (Mumbai), we met Push Chaturani, a nearly retired professor at IAT, the leading technical university in India and one of the premier technical schools in the world, and after talking a while he invited us to join him at a large Hindu wedding for his cousin in Jodhpur. We rearranged our travel plans, and headed north!

The Wedding

The wedding was a huge affair. We have traveled and seen the poor of India. Here we see the affluent, upper-upper-middle class. About a thousand guests attended this wedding, held at a large hotel/resort in Jodhpur. Bands played and a huge feast was held for a thousand people.

The wedding was an arranged marriage. The families have strong faith in astrology, and the couple was matched by an astrologer. About fifty different requirements were matched, ranging from physical characteristics to temperament, all deduced astrologically. For example, certain characteristics in a wife will combine well with a husband to ensure prosperity, or fertility. Push's wife commented that they only had one surprise --the astrologer had predicted that the bride would have poor eyesight, but her's appeared perfect. This riddle was solved when she revealed that she wears contact lens!

The wedding was a traditional Hindu wedding. First, the groom arrived in a small parade, with a band and all of his friends and relatives dancing wildly in the street. He sat subdued in a car, while others raised cain. Upon arrival at the hotel, he joins the bride for a few rituals. The closer relatives all tried to cram into one little room to get a glimpse. Eventually out they came for the actual wedding. A small but beautiful temple, erected just for weddings, was the site for a holy man to lead them through the Hindu rituals. The various deities were called into presence, blessings requested, and vows made in the God's presence. Gifts were exchanged, the families made vows to each other and exchanged gifts. The couple then circled a fire seven times, repeating their vows in the presence of Agni, the God of fire. With vows witnessed by such powers, they will surely be honored by the couple.

Not all was solemn. When the groom removed his shoes to pray, the bride's brothers whisked away his shoes in a traditional jest. The groom can reclaim them only by offering gifts to the bride's sisters.

After the ceremony, the party began. A band performed on the stage, with several singers imitating favorite actors from Indian musical films. The crowd milled past the couple, who stood on the reception stage for a couple of hours. Everyone, except perhaps the bride and groom, was enjoying the evening. As the sun faded, decorative lighting was turned on, and fireworks rang out.

The feast was unbelievable. Row upon row of tables held appetizers, and then came the fruits, and then the desserts. The main meal was served by chefs in two separate areas from two huge buffet lines. We ate many foods that we had seen before, and many that we had not. But even if we had previously sampled it, it hadn't tasted this delicious! We ate until we were stuffed and then ate some more! Fortunately, the night was long so we could just keep eating! A little before midnight, the majority of revelers headed out, and the band shifted to lively music for the couple and their friends. The real partying then was about to begin, but we headed out with the other guests...

The merriment goes for three days, and we were invited back to resume the next morning. But we decided to see the rest of Jodhpur instead.

Meherangarh, the Jodhpur fort

The main tourist attraction in Jodhpur is Meherngarh fort. Built in 1459 high on a hill towering over the city, the fort is now being restored and developed for tourism. We enjoyed it immensely, and you can see photos in the album. The place had real character. You don’t just see exquisite stone carving, but also feel the character of the place and the previous occupants.

Viewed from the fort, you can see why Jodhpur is called the blue city. The rooftops are painted blue and appear bright in the harsh sun.

Umaid Gardens

We seem to always like gardens, especially in the heat of the day, so we walked to Umaid Gardens for the afternoon. The gardens were pretty uninspired, but the government buildings nearby offered a few interesting photographs of Muslim architecture.

Umaid Bhawan Palace

The Maharajas of Jodhpur built the fort centuries ago, but it had fallen into disrepair. From 1929-1944, the Maharaja erected a new palace just to the east. But it too has fallen into disrepair, since the Maharaja's no longer benefit from government funding, after independence. Now it is a museum and hotel, with the current Maharaja living in one section. The outside is very impressive (designed by the president of the British Royal Institute of Architects), but we were disappointed with the interior of the museum. Unlike the fort, it lacks character. It just feels like a collection of rooms with no soul. Instead of being built by artisans and craftsmen, this was partially a job-creation project during the depression, and quality was not very high. Many of the walls in the museum are already crumbling, and magnificent wall murals are ruined by water leaking from the ceiling. Presumably the hotel is in better shape, but it is off-limits to non-guests.

Clock Tower and Old Town

Part of the charm of Jodhpur is supposed to be the Old Town. We didn't see it that way. It is described as a charming place of narrow stone alleys and vibrant bazaars. I guess that is true, but it was also non-stop beggars and touts, and streets strewn with cow dung. We didn't find it particularly charming. We stayed away from the center at a quiet guest house, and headed on toward Jaisalmer the next morning.