I first saw Mehrangarh
Fort as the imposing thick walled fortress at the backdrop of the scene in the
film “The Dark Knight Rises”. As one
of the build-up parts to the climax of this classic film; Bruce Wayne is seen escaping
from the pits of his imprisonment – finally ascending out of a hole from the
ground. The thrilling high of that moment is made
more spectacular by the presence of a magnificent mountain lustrous with sun
rays and where the impressive fort stands solidly and undaunted by the passage
of time.
One of the Largest Forts in India
City by city, as we make
our way through the heart of India from Kolkata to Varanasi to Agra and New
Delhi and into the state of Rajasthan where Jodphur became our second stop next
to Jaipur, we have walked the fabled steps of numerous
historic forts. Mehrangarh Fort upon first glance from a far distance,
still overwhelmed me with its sheer size. Even if it appears almost
similar to the Rajput style architecture of Amer
Fort in Jaipur; golden, shiny and adorned with an abundance of windows, Mehrangarh
Fort still dishes a unique character of its own.
Built in the 1460’s by Rao
Jodha - who was considered as the founder of Jodphur and at that time; the
chieftain of the Rathore clan, the knifing hill of Bhaurcheeria was where the first bricks were laid out, because of its strategic location overlooking the vast settlements
below. Numerous gates and winding
roads leads visitors inside, where a number of palatial rooms, galleries and museums housing
historical artifacts belonging to past rulers of the many kingdoms that lay
domination over Jodphur, are housed.
Getting Lost to Imagination
So far, the forts we have
visited had this tendency to pull me into an episode of extended imaginings as
if – each wall partition of a fort’s wall was narrating a story to myself. Mehrangarh Fort is no different, as the plentiful
intricate carvings, architecturally gifted temples and sprawling courtyards
seen inside, gave me the impression of being involved in a setting to many a fascinating
stories etched through many centuries.
Each step I made produced
a thud eerily similarly sounding – as I assumed, to the marching stomps of the
soldiers who defended and fought within and outside the walls of this fort. One
of the well-known one was Kirat Singh Soda, a valiant warrior whose memory was
eternalized in a Chhatris – a raised dome-shaped pavilion and important
characteristic of Indian architecture, situated on the left side of Mehrangarh
fort.
Everywhere I direct my
gaze, I seem to summon an absorbing picture, whether from the rows of windows
to the steps of the stairs to the brick walls and elegant ceiling arts. The
interior of the fort and the pockets of temples inside dishes a splendid visual
banquet. Further strides outside
the upper grounds of the fort led me to rows of olden cannons – which at one
time was the bad-ass weaponry meant to pulverize the incoming enemies at the
barren land below the fort.
Hookah-smoking holy men
and young kids playing melodious traditional tunes create a connection to the
past when such types of people spent their time inside the walls of the fort – while they
await the next wave of attacks from their enemies.
Gazing at the Blue City
The one experience that
stood out in my experience inside the fort was when I walked over the walls
near the cannons and I finally laid eyes on the famed blue city of Jodphur. It
felt surreal seeing it in person as opposed to previously watching it on films
such as Darjeeling Limited and the
Tarsem Sing’s film The Fall.
Known as the Sun City, the city’s blue-colored houses
creates another level of charm to its already extraordinary setting. The
panoramic scene from where I was standing summoned my wonder into
notches higher. As I survey the surroundings; from the desert sand dunes far
away to the city below me, I was able to view a couple of our earlier
destinations; the Umaid Bhawan Palace and the Ghanta Clock Tower.
From motion pictures to
real-life, nothing gets better than this. I must have told myself that instant at how fortunate I was in witnessing and experiencing this place and its environs.
Truly, good karma found a way to bring me to where my heart once desired.
Jaswant Thada Temple
Stepping outside of Mehrangarh
Fort, a narrow tree-lined path led me and Aileen to another attractive looking
temple also situated atop an adjacent hill. Glistening with white marbles, elaborate
arches and architectural details, the Jaswant Thada temple was built upon the
order of Maharaja Sardar Singh in 1899 to honor the passing of his father, Maharaja
Jaswant Singh.
Encircled by a spacious
garden, pockets of gazebos and a man-made lake, this small temple appear in
total contrast from the magnanimous allure of Mehrangarh, but nevertheless fashions
a different attraction of its own.
As The Dark Knight Rises introduces Mehrangarh fort as the place where
Bruce Wayne gained his freedom, the real life fort itself is where the bloods
of multitudes flowed in order to retain their own. It is a fitting moment that
as we walked away, I looked up at the beautiful blue skies reigning over Jodhpur
at that time, and under my breathe I recited a prayer thanking the heavens for
making me a free man to pay a visit to such spectacular landmark.
Check out the rest of my India series here.
