The Mehrangarh Fort ("Majestic Fort") is located on the hilltop that rises sharply at the city of Jodhpur. With its 68 ft wide and 117 ft high walls soaring 400 ft above the city the fort dominates the surrounding plains and appears very majestic and impregnable. The Mehrangarh Fort was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459 when he shifted his capital from Mandore.

The palaces in the fort were constructed by Rao Jodha Singh from 1459 onwards in an informal pattern over several centuries and have its own architectural features, such as narrow staircases leading to the royal residence, carved panels and porches, elaborately adorned walls and brilliant stained glass windows, that create vibrant mosaics on the floors with the play of light.

The various buildings inside the fort now serve as Mehrangarh museum now which hosts a well preserved collection of musical instruments, palanquins, furniture and cannons on the fort's ramparts.



There are seven gates, which include Jayapol meaning victory built by Maharaja Man Singh to commemorate his victories over Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Fattehpol also meaning victory gate was built by Maharaja Ajit Singh to mark the defeat of Mughals. And Lohapol meaning iron gate has a moving memorabilia on palm print of the queens of Maharaja Man Singh who threw themselves on his funeral pyre in an act of sati [self-immolation]. The palm imprints still attract devotional attention and are covered by vermilion paste and paper-thin silver foil.

Museum
This is one of the finest museums in Rajasthan and certainly the best layed out. In the palanquin section of the fort museum, you can see an interesting collection of old royal palanquins including the elaborate domed gilt Mahadol palanquin, which was won in a battle from the Governor of Gujarat in 1730. The museum exhibits the heritage of the Rathores in arms, costumes, paintings and decorated period rooms.

Phool Mahal
The grandest of Mehrangarh's period rooms, the Phool Mahal was in all likely hood a private and exclusive chamber of pleasure dancing girls once swooned in exhaustion here under a ceiling rich in gold filigree. The Phool Mahal was created by Maharaja Abhaya Singh (1724-1749) and the gold came from Ahmedabad in Gujarat as war booty after his famous victory over the rebellious Mughal governor, Sarbuland Khan. The paintings, royal portraits and the ever-popular raga mala, came much later, in the reign of Jaswant Singh II.