Jodhpur the blue heaven....

“History is not the past but a map of the past, drawn from a particular point of view, to be useful to the modern traveller.”

Exploring Rajasthan........ At Jodhpur the blue City with.......with Bantu Bhaiyya of Walk to blueCity heritagetour .......

Brahmpuri, the oldest settlement in the historical Jodhpur state of Marwar, is located in the western foothills of the Mehrangarh Fort and is believed to be as old as the fort itself. The locality is identifiable by the vibrant indigo tinge, which can be seen on almost all houses, hence the name, 'the blue city'......

Demanding attention right at the footsteps of the majestic Mehrangargh Fort, the Bhrampuri, derived from two words Brahm - Brahmins (priestly class) and puri - land i.e. land of the Brahmins.  The area is inhabited of the Shrimali Brahmins, who were the spiritual advisors of the kings back in the day. 'Marwar' means 'the land of death', because of the harsh sun and the hot winds that affected the nomads in these areas. Thus, the fact that such a region was comfortably inhabited by people makes the traditional walled city of Jodhpur an architectural wonder. Brahmpuri is a quintessential example of Jodhpur's architecture.....
The expansive blue, forming an impression of an ocean  of blue painted houses, each hue, from royal, teal, azure, navy and sky all blend in to give the city its very name i.e. the ‘ Blue city of Rajasthan’. The visitors are often fascinated by out of ordinary  theme. The color blue was often used in the ancient time to ward off evil; however the practical side to it is that it keeps the houses cool in the hot summers. The people here are very friendly and accustomed to travelers visiting their homes and can easily strike conversation with tourists. The narrow alleys and lanes, often lead to another to form a complex structure of lanes and alleys, houses are built on each side of these lanes. The gates to the Meherangarh Fort, lie within the streets of Bramhapuri.....

The Blue City’s essence was captured by renowned photographer, Steve Mccury, when he visited the city, the picture in question that become famous, depicts a child running, in rhythm through the streets of the blue city, and on one of the wall, behind the boy, there are hand imprints made from red stains, the gullible alley, the carefree environment denoted by the swing of his footsteps, the red imprints act as painting in motion and keeping it grounded is the blue wall on the other side. The picture won hearts of many with this iconic click. Also it is of the popular sight  for photographers......

The gates of Fort, lie within the streets of Bramhapuri. The streets slide out to Ranisar & Padamsar Lake located at foot of the fort. There are few small temples that are located on the street; the passerby’s here are accustomed to hearing the mantras and chants in morning and evening hours, while offering prayers to the Gods and Goddess.....