Tourism in Rajasthan - Rajasthan is where all the country's similes and metaphors appear to have come together. Sand dunes, wooded hills and
amazing lakes, palaces and rugged forts, men and women in colorful turbans
and skirts, bustling towns and quiet villages, camels, elephants and tigers,
harsh sunlight and the cool evening breeze - are all there in abundance.
Mandore Garden
Mandore was the former capital of Maharajas of Marwar and is located about 5
miles north of Jodhpur, but was later abandoned for the security of Mehrangarh
fort. Here you will find the dewals, or cenotaphs of Jodhpur's former rulers.
Unlike the usual chhatri-shaped cenotaphs typical of Rajasthan, they were
built along the lines of a Hindu temple, four stories high, with fine columns
and an elegant spire, all in red sandstone. The most impressive is the dewal
of Maharaja Ajit Singh (reigned 1678-1724). These cenotaphs are set in beautiful
landscaped gardens.
Nearby is the hall of heroes, dedicated to various deities and fabled Rajput
folk heroes, whose statues are carved out of rock and painted in bright colours.
Next door is a larger hall called "The Shrine of the Three Hundred Million
Gods", filled with brightly coloured images of the various Hindu Gods.
As you climb up the hill, you come to the ruined city of Mandore, with its
old palace.
The beautiful Maharani's cenotaphs set apart on a rocky outcrop - a ten-minute
walk over the hill. Today its extensive gardens with high rock terrace make
it a popular local attraction.