A fulfilling stop at Mandore in Jodhpur, Rajasthan || The old seat of the Rathore clan and also the birthplace of Mandodari

The last stop that we made while travelling from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur was Mandore and it truly took our breath away. If you search Google about what all is there to see in Mandore, it will give you a list of places. What it won't tell you (easily) is that most of these stunning places are located within one walled compound that is well-maintained and lush green, which is popularly known as the Mandore Garden.

If you look at Google Maps and assume that Mandore Garden, Mandore Fort, Devals, Ek Thamba Mahal, Mandore Museum etc are all located at different places, though close to each other, in Mandore, I will not hold it against you. The fact that these places are all within the first place on the list is difficult to figure out when you are trying to find these things out on the go.

Anyway, we reached here, aiming for the Mandore Fort, we discovered that we have reached the Garden. There was ample parking available and no entry ticket at all to the Mandore Garden. This seemed okay. We assumed that the Fort would be inside and there would probably be a ticket for that.

It was only when we saw the Devals (chhatris), did we realize that almost everything that we wanted to see was inside the Garden Complex and there is no ticket to see these places. Not that we would have minded paying for the tickets, but we did find a little joy in this. And especially because despite the fact that the entry was free, the place was so clean and green and well maintained.

The Devals are a set of cenotaphs dedicated to the Kings belonging to the Rathore Clan. Before Jodhpur, Mandore was the seat of the Rathore Clan. All Kings of Marwar up to and including Maharaja Takht Singh, who was the Maharaja of Jodhpur from 1843-1873, were cremated here. From Maharaja Jaswant Singh II onward, the cremation happened in Jaswant Thanda near Mehrangarh Fort.

Each cenotaph (Deval) is an architectural marvel in itself. There are carved pillars, tall spires, and corridors that are all done up in different styles so that each deval looks unique. The buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries. There is a sense of quiet here which is very well suited to the memorials.

I have read some old reports (from 2016-17) on the Internet that the gardens aren't well maintained. However the state seems to have improved now. This made the sight of the cenotaphs dotting the lush green landscape against a startling blue sky with cottony clouds, rather beautiful. And the fact that the buildings are made of red sandstone also adds to the beauty.

The fact that this garden was abandoned by the Rathore clan for several centuries does not show through. It is a peaceful place. At least it was when the world was just waking up from the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. I cannot comment on the state right now.

Apart from the part of the garden where we have the cenotaphs, they are also visible from several viewpoints all across the garden. There are terraces that you can climb up and look around. And if you can hike all the way up to the fort walls I believe you should be able to see the view spreading out all around you.

There is a bit of wilderness about this area as well, and I like it when we do not try to control the nature, but just let it follow its path. That is the same reason why I prefer wildflowers or unruly flower patches over well manicured lawns and beautifully shaped flower patches.

The Ek Thamba Mahal too is within the premises of this garden. It is basically a three-story narrow and tall structure, which looks like a thumb. I am not sure that is the reason why it has been named so though. I don't think it can be.

The structure was built during the reign of Maharaja Ajit Singh (1704-1724). It seems to have been built to serve the purpose of a watch tower to keep an eye of the happenings in the surrounding area. The structure is simply too beautiful for that though.

There is also a museum inside the premises of the garden, which is called "Hall of Heroes". It celebrates local heroes who often find mentions in folklore and legends. There is a very reasonably priced ticket to the museum, which I feel is very fair.

Another interesting structure within the premises is the Temple of 33 Crore Gods, which is a hall that has the idols of several Hindu deities. The fort itself is in ruins even though the walls visible from the garden do indicate that it must have once been a splendid structure. Good news is that the Mehrangarh Museum Trust has now adopted the fort and hopefully it will be spring for the fort soon.

Anyway after spending hours exploring this beautiful garden, we decided to head out for some lunch because we were obviously famished. And we did not have to venture too far. Because right outside we found just the option that we were looking for - Kachoris. Read more about this lunch here.

Apart from the garden, there are other things as well to see in Mandore. There is a Ravan Temple. Yes, you read it right. Mandore is thought to be the birthplace of Mandodari, the wife of Ravan. So many of the local Brahmins worship Ravan as their Son-in-law. The Mugdal and Dave Brahmins consider themselves the descendants of Ravan. So on Dussehra, symbolic last rites are performed for Ravan and every year a shraadh too is performed.

Overall Mandore is a must-visit place if you are around Jodhpur. Keep one day for the place if you want to truly explore it. Don't limit yourself to the garden, also go out and see the city. It is quite a beautiful one.

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