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315 KMs Trip meter 20643 KMs
Had decided to stay at cool Mt Abu for a day and thus wanted to explore Jodhpur a bit and get myself to Mt Abu by the end of the day. Subodh suggested me the Umaid palace, Mehranghar fort, Jaswanth Thada and Kaylana lake to get the gist of the city. The day was cloudy in the morning and giving out a plesant day. After breakfast went to check out the Umaid palace first. Was really surprised to see how developed Jodhpur city is. Looked very very modern with wide roads an all. Reached the palace entrance and was frisked at the gate and also once more at the palace entrance! Things are very well managed. The pretty palace is just like 60 years old inaugurated in 1942. Visitors could only see a limited part of the palace as the rest is a five start hotel and the current king's residence. There were images of places of palace where visitors could not go. Of course lot of info regarding the history. By now the clouds cleared and things got hot.
Could see the imposing Mehrangad fort far above a hill top. Make my way through the city and ascend to The fort. Its quite huge and lot of tourists there. The fort is very well managed and nicely marketed. Tourists could even rent out small audio devises which would explain about different points in the fort in their chosen language! There were small boards with earfone symbol and a number which could be pressed to know about the point of interest. Boy are things run modernly here. One thing i noticed here was that even guards recognized that i am not from around and just looking at the helmet in the hand asked if i rode all the way, and when i said yes, asked if i am doing all india tour!! Smart ppl around here i guess. The fort even had an elevator ofcourse at a charge. Went gazing and clicking around the imposing fort. Spent like couple of hours on it. Time to move on. Visited Jaswant Thada on the way back. Kinda a memorial for the kings who ruled Jodhpur. It was kinda late to visit Kaylana lake as its liek 16 kms.
So make my way back to the towards Subodh's home. Bid farewell with thanks and start by 2.30 pm. Its a bit late and its almost 3.15 by the time i get on to the right highway towards Pali which is enroute Sirohi. The roads are pretty nice but the way is not straight today and have to keep alert for turns. I see a lot more piligrims walking with colorful flags, some were cycling and some were on motorcycles. Only this time they were approaching from opposite direction so i guess ppl are converging at Jodhpur for some festival. I was too naive not to enquire about it.
Reach Sirohi by 6 pm. Though it getting late, i was tired to carry on and took a break for some time. I am lead to Ahmadabad highway saying i would have to take right near Abu road town to get to Mt Abu. The Four laned highway was a treat of a ride, with greenery on either side and KMs getting gulped fast. Its almost dark now. Reach near Abu road and i seem to a flown past the town. I am given confusing directions to get towards Mt Abu even have to take a dirt road for some distance. Guess i must have missed a bettor road. Things are cool now and looks like it could rain as well. Its 7.15 by the time i am out of Abu road and hardly 25 kms to Mt Abu which i have to cover in darkness. 16 kms to Mt Abu its a twisties ascent and boy was it fun. It had been quite some time since i rode twisties in dark. With the Hid illuminating the road pretty well it was a gala time till the top with temperatures getting ever more comfortable. Get there by 8.15 pm and there are plenty of hotels and its again a problem of choice. Just did what i do, like riding to the lenght of town once. Some how settled in a very hold hotel started in 1977. The room and ameneties seemed pretty old but neatly maintained. Had the cybercafe and parking for the bike as well. Thus settled to bit on the higher side. Not working today so went to the near by Jaipur Heritage hotel which had restaurant with you know;) It was very pleasant up there overlooking the Nakki lake. Went a bit high and relaxed in the cool atmosphere.
Could see the imposing Mehrangad fort far above a hill top. Make my way through the city and ascend to The fort. Its quite huge and lot of tourists there. The fort is very well managed and nicely marketed. Tourists could even rent out small audio devises which would explain about different points in the fort in their chosen language! There were small boards with earfone symbol and a number which could be pressed to know about the point of interest. Boy are things run modernly here. One thing i noticed here was that even guards recognized that i am not from around and just looking at the helmet in the hand asked if i rode all the way, and when i said yes, asked if i am doing all india tour!! Smart ppl around here i guess. The fort even had an elevator ofcourse at a charge. Went gazing and clicking around the imposing fort. Spent like couple of hours on it. Time to move on. Visited Jaswant Thada on the way back. Kinda a memorial for the kings who ruled Jodhpur. It was kinda late to visit Kaylana lake as its liek 16 kms.
So make my way back to the towards Subodh's home. Bid farewell with thanks and start by 2.30 pm. Its a bit late and its almost 3.15 by the time i get on to the right highway towards Pali which is enroute Sirohi. The roads are pretty nice but the way is not straight today and have to keep alert for turns. I see a lot more piligrims walking with colorful flags, some were cycling and some were on motorcycles. Only this time they were approaching from opposite direction so i guess ppl are converging at Jodhpur for some festival. I was too naive not to enquire about it.
Reach Sirohi by 6 pm. Though it getting late, i was tired to carry on and took a break for some time. I am lead to Ahmadabad highway saying i would have to take right near Abu road town to get to Mt Abu. The Four laned highway was a treat of a ride, with greenery on either side and KMs getting gulped fast. Its almost dark now. Reach near Abu road and i seem to a flown past the town. I am given confusing directions to get towards Mt Abu even have to take a dirt road for some distance. Guess i must have missed a bettor road. Things are cool now and looks like it could rain as well. Its 7.15 by the time i am out of Abu road and hardly 25 kms to Mt Abu which i have to cover in darkness. 16 kms to Mt Abu its a twisties ascent and boy was it fun. It had been quite some time since i rode twisties in dark. With the Hid illuminating the road pretty well it was a gala time till the top with temperatures getting ever more comfortable. Get there by 8.15 pm and there are plenty of hotels and its again a problem of choice. Just did what i do, like riding to the lenght of town once. Some how settled in a very hold hotel started in 1977. The room and ameneties seemed pretty old but neatly maintained. Had the cybercafe and parking for the bike as well. Thus settled to bit on the higher side. Not working today so went to the near by Jaipur Heritage hotel which had restaurant with you know;) It was very pleasant up there overlooking the Nakki lake. Went a bit high and relaxed in the cool atmosphere.
Modern streets of Jodhpur...
Rajasthani art even on Rickshaws design i guess...
The Umaid palace..
Approach road to the palace...
Bike in front of the palace hotel...
In the campus...
Marvelous structure...
Me there...
Scale model inside the palace...
Pix of the restricted areas of the palace...
Some Gyan of the place...
Few more restricted places...
More gyan of the palace
A view into royal life...
A court yard inside...
Collection of clocks...
Collection of watches...
Out side...
The imposing dome...
Nice place to chill out...
The building around the palace still being built with the same red stone...
The imposing Mehrangad fort quite a way into the city jutting out from a hill top...
Handicrafts shops in plenty...
Fort with day today life around...
Bike getting near the fort...
Its like 12 stories high!
Has an elevator!
The resting cannons...
Life around the fort...
Looking from above...
No flash in the cam :(
Checking out the palace inside the fort...
Daggers....
Rifles of all sizes...
A short fat cannon!
Royal room...
Looking out through window...
Some old hisaab kitaab...
Palakkis i guess...
Decorated roof...
Some business inside the fort...
A guard practicing his skills...
Colorful foot ware..
Making bangles the traditional way...
Another cannon area...
More folk art...
Houses below the fort...
Me and my cannon...
A lake in the city...
Clock tower spotted...
Peering into the households from above...
Just hanging in there...
Colorful villagers...
The magnificent structure...
Walking down to the ground zero...
More folk art...
Cannon ball marks from a historic war when Jaipur attacked Jodhpur...
The Gyaan...
Then i visit Jaswant Thada
A peaceful place to leisure...
The Memorial...
Inside...
Paintings of all the kings who ruled Jodhpur...
Quite a sculpture...
Me there...
The guard posing for the cam...
A small fort like structure in the middle of the city on a stone outcrop...
Busy roads of Jodhpur..
The Royal polo ground now is a cricket ground!
Searching my way out of Jodhpur...
Atleast i spot a few camels...
And a lot more...
Now pilgrims walking towards Jodhpur, some riding motorcycles...
Shopping center for pilgrims...
More some them and some on cycles...
Looks pretty...
Modern temple...
Approaching hills of Rajashtan..
Take a break before the final run to Mt Abu...
Roads smooth...
Great infrastructure...
I see a train after a long time!
Great roads again...
With the sun going down and clouds threatening, hope i dont have to ride in dark with rain...
A huge camel stock..
Riding twisties by night, so much fun...
Overlooking Nakki lake from the Jaipur Heritage hotel.. pic a bit shaky as i was a bit high ;)
The climb to Mt Abu in the end explains the coolness here...
6 comments:
good blog
Fore hotels queries
www.mountabu.com
http://mount-abu-hotels.blogspot.com/
i see u r in vadodara already.. good good :)
Fort looks impressive! from above the fort, guess one can count the number of trees in the town..! :)
Boy !!! I see u in pune already. So Fast !!
hi praveen wher ru heading now ? any palns of coming to chennai?pls let me know
SKS: Yeah i was in goa too :P
Arun: Yeah Jodhpur turned out to be good :)
Abhay: Yeah riding down south without much detours..
Mani: will be heading your way. Will let you know buddy :)
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