There are many travel guides out there. But, there’s nothing like a local’s knowledge about his city beyond the tourist hotspots.
In this new series, I find out all the insider info and hidden gems from the people who know their place – the locals!
Local Secrets Guide to Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Meet the Local:
Pankaj Solanki is from Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India. Pankaj is an engineering student who also loves traveling, connecting with people and writing about Jodhpur at his site SuncityJodhpur.com!
You can follow Pankaj on his blog Suncity Jodhpur or on Twitter @imPankajSolanki or Facebook www.facebook.com/suncityjodhpurblog/.
Why do you love Jodhpur? And why should we visit?
There are many reasons for me to love Jodhpur. I will start with the obvious. It is my home city. I was born here and raised here. Everything that I learned about this world has come from people of Jodhpur and there are many reason I love Jodhpur:
Food: In Jodhpur you can find all type of food. From traditional Kair-Sangari Sabji to Masala Dosa, everything is here. Every dish has a Marwari touch to them and the people here love dishes with more chilly in them.
People: People in Jodhpur believe in learning and growing together. They are open to help and often go out of way to help other people. Tourists are guests and guest are considered equal to god “Atithi Devo Bhawah”.
Places: With hundreds of mountains and wells, there are a variety of places to visit in Jodhpur There is more to Jodhpur than just Mehrangarh Fort.
Culture: Jodhpur has an interesting Hindu culutre with many festivals to enjoy throughout the year. From new year’s Makar Sakrat (Kite Fights to dazzling Diwali, the people of our society gather and celebrate together.
What are your 5 must see things in Jodhpur?
- Mehrangarh Fort: It is one of the largest forts in India. Your trip to Jodhpur will be incomplete if you don’t visit it. It is great place and the views of Jodhpur that you get from here are breathtaking. It has got two ancient temples too.
- Tripolia Bazar: It is one of those rare markets that exists in Jodhpur. If you have been to Delhi, you might know Chandni Chowk. It is like Chandni Chowk in many ways. This market is all about Marwari things. You will find Handicraft items, Textiles, Kurtis, Churidar, Sarees etc here.
- Ashok Udhyan: When you want to chill and relax under natural beauty, parks are great option. There are parks all around Jodhpur, but Ashok Udhyan is different. It is large and contains so much greenery to change your mood even if you are not feeling upbeat. Food shops near it also makes it attractive.
- Mountains: When you talk about parks, you can’t forget mountains. Near Lariya Village (15 km from city) there are so much mountains to climb. I have myself climbed one of them, the views from the top are awesome and the wind-blow there is refreshing 😉
- Baba Ramdev Temple: This temple is located on hills of Masuria. It is temple of one of those lord whom millions of people worship. There is a Doordarshan Tower on Masuria hill, which is one of the tallest TV tower of Asia. You can see this tower from whole Jodhpur.
- Kaylana Lake: Enjoy natural beauty and boating here. Love this place during the rainy season!
And what’s your top local secret? Tell us something we won’t find in the guidebooks!
You will find that travel guides to Jodhpur are just not enough to describe it. They just give you a general idea of the place. It is up to you to make your trip interesting but some cultural practices to take care of are:
Wash your hands before you eat.
Greet everyone with your hands joined and say “Ram Ram Sa”.
Always give and receive gifts with your right hand.
Don’t believe in hypes. Come here with an open mind and explore the city yourself.
What’s your top recommendation for eating out and is there a local dish we must try?
Go straight to Fun N Food Restaurant where you will find all types of food at one place. There is a juice shop near it called Vijay Ras Bhandar which I love! I always order Pineapple Shake with ice cream here.
There are some local dishes that you must try:
- Sweets (Gevar, Kaju Katli) Jodhpur Sweets (C Road, Sardarpura)
- Dal Bati Churma: Bhawani Dal Bati (77, 1st Chopasani Road, Opp. IDBI Bank)
- Mirchi Bada, Kachori, Samosa: Jodhpur Sweets (C Road, Sardarpura)
- Awesome Cakes: 15 AD (Neelam Bhavan, 9th C Road, Opp. Gypsy Dining Hall, Sardarpura)
And where is the most happening night out/ bar right now?
Most of the hotels here have their own bars. So, you won’t have trouble getting drinks. The bar of hotel Shree Ram Excellency is a good option in Sardarpura and they have a disco here too.
Do you have any recommendations for where visitors to Jodhpur should stay?
There is all types of accommodation available here. For 3 star hotels try Nirali Dhani and Hotel Chandra Inn or if you want to stay cheaper than a Guest House is a good option. Yogi’s Guest House and Hare Krishna Guest House are good.
If you want to stay longer you can find a hostel/ PG (Paying Guest) in Ratanada side.
And finally, do you have any other tips for people visiting Jodhpur?
If you are visiting for first time, start your tour with Mehrangarh Fort. Apply sunscreen whenever you go out and in the market you need to bargain hard for everything you buy. You can sometimes get up to 30% off after bargaining.
If you come to Jodhpur during March, you can enjoy Holi here. In October-November you can enjoy Diwali here. These are two of the most important festivals of Hindus and you will find many people in groups enjoying themselves.
Most of the time, Ravan ka Chabutara (a place near Barkatullah Khan Stadium) has some kind of events. Plays, Music, fairs, circus, business events etc… If you want to experience Indian weddings, you can find many here. Find out marriage gardens near your hotel or guest house (ask the owner). Just go there and ask the host. Most of them are kind enough to let you in 🙂
Thanks Pankaj for sharing your insider tips for visiting Jodhpur.
If you want to share your local knowledge and be featured here next then contact me!
1 comment
Hi Anna,
It is perfect! Thanks for having me here.
For the lovely readers:
Questions, Comments? Always welcomed 🙂
Cheers to Life…
Pankaj