Meherangarh Fort (Jodhpur)

Known as one of the best preserved castles in India it is stunning. The scale of the castle makes European castles seem like cottages for the servants. From the initial ramparts as one rises up the grade one looks down on old Jaipur, also known as the blue city.

This castle has never been successfully scaled and walking around it you can understand why. The main entry gate is set at right angles from the main road. This meant the elephants used as battering rams could not get up the necessary speed to be efective. As well as the right angle approach the main gates are studded with 1 metre spikes protuding outwards and acting as an effective deterrent to the mahouts and their animals.

Passing through the gates the maharajas and maharinis entered into what today we would call a fantasy life that one can only be likened to the life of the french aristocracy of the 1700s. Truly an extravagant life punctuated by great battles to pillage othe empires to help pay for the lives of the maharajah and the many maharinis.

Unfortunately with the death of a maharaja the maharinis self immolated on their funeral pyre but before doing so left their handprint on the wall just inside the main gateway entrance.

Other features of todays castle is the museum which inhabits what was once the living quarters with displays on the howdah (elephant saddles) made from silver and leather,

Weaponary with special knives that when inserted into the enemy could be triggered to be opened up and with a quick twist on pulling out totally destroyed surrounding tissue and/or organs

and placed next to the baby cribs which was a special room with a long row of cribs in a room where the amas could look out the screened windows. One side allowed a view out over the main entranceway to the royal chambers and the other side into the royal courtyard.

And then it was on to the palace with the most amazing doorways

Now we are on the way north to meet the Dalai Lama!