The inner rooms of the Mehrangarh Fort are a magnificent
sight. Some of the grand rooms within the Mehrangarh Fort
are beautifully decorated with opulent taste. The Darbar Takhat
or Throne Room, the Umaid Vilas, the Rang Mahal, and the Chandan
Mahal are exquisitely decorated rooms. The colorful stained
glass windows of the Moti Mahal are a picturesque sight as
the sunlight streams through the colored panes, forming patterns
on the floor. The Phool Mahal in the Mehrangarh Fort was a
room of pleasure built by Maharaja Abhaya Singh who ruled
from (1724-1749) The room was built for performances by courtesans
and dancing girls. The ceiling of the Phool Mahal is decorated
with gold filigree work. The gold for this decorative masterpiece
came from Gujarat after Maharaja Abhaya Singh defeated the
local ruler Sarbuland Khan and returned with a great deal
of booty.
The fort itself is well preserved and maintained. Within
the fort there are knowledgeable guides who will conduct you
on a tour of the museum. Colorfully dressed local people pose
next to picturesque arches and balconies to provide tourists
with memorable photographs. The Fort is a living history lesson.
Royal portraits, regal artifacts and raga maala paintings
are evidence of the rich culture of the city. The Mehrangarh
Fort's rugged walls, pock marked with cannon fire, tell stories
of sieges proudly withstood. The palm prints on a portal leading
to the site of the funeral pyres, remind tourists of the queens
who committed sati or self-immolation on their consorts funeral
pyres and the magnificent cenotaphs are testimony to the valor
and bravery of the Rathore kings of Jodhpur.
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