Rajasthan – Ranakpur, Deogarh, Jodhpur

Ranakpur

• A major Jain pilgrimage site situtated between Udaipur and Jodhpur.
• Famous Jain Temple dedicated to Tirthankara Adinatha, said to be the best in India. It was constructed in the 15th century over 65 years. There are over 1400 exquisitely carved white marble pillars that support the temple. Each pillar is different. There are also 24 pillared halls with 80 domes.

Deogarh

• A small town of about 18000 people on the east of the Aravelli Ranges in Rajasthan. It used to be the capital of a small princely state.
• Deogarh Mahal is a lovely palace built in 1670 and now a heritage resort run by the royal family. There is a wonderful audio guide with author-historian William Dalrymple and the late Rawat Nahar Singh II, a member of the Deogarh royal family. According to one legend, trained monkeys served as live fire alarms at the palace.

Jodhpur

• “The Sun City” was founded in 1459 and a 10 km wall separates Old from New Jodhpur.
• The outstanding Mehrangarh Fort was built in 1460 and is one of the largest in India. It is 125 m above the city with a mass of intricate carvings and courtyards. The museum includes elephant howdahs, palaquins, turbins, armoury, miniature paintings
• Other famous attractions include the Umaid Barvan Palace (built from 1929-1943, 347 rooms, 90000 square metres, Chittar sandstone, converted to a heritage hotel in 1977), Jaswant Thada (19th century royal cenotaph made from white marble), Jaswant Sagar Dam (constructed in 1892).