Nagaur
The town of Nagaur, halfway between Jodhpur and Bikaner, is clustered around the Ahhichatragarh, a massive fortress that has seen many a battle in its time but is now devoted to culture.
Nagaur is an old city. The Mahabharata, India’s great epic, mentions it as the kingdom of Ahichhatrapur which Arjuna conquered and gave to his guru Dronacharya.
Ahhichatragarh, “fort of the hooded cobra”, was first built in the 4th century CE but was altered over time. The present structure is a masterpiece of Rajput-Mughal architecture. After living through several Mughal dynasties, Ahhichatragarh belonged to the Maharajas of Jodhpur from the 17th century on.
Within the fort is a magnificent palace with delicate wall paintings, as well as mosques, temples, terraces opening onto pleasure gardens, pools and fountains. Parts of the fort have been converted into a luxury hotel.
Over the past 20 years the fort has been meticulously restored at the instigation of Maharaja Gaj Singh II of Jodhpur, in partnership with the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, the Getty Foundation and the Helen Hamlyn Trust. It has won a special Unesco award for its pioneering renovation standards, involving a blend of modern scientific techniques and traditional building methods.
Festivals not to miss in Nagaur
World Sufi Spirit Music Festival
The World Sacred Spirit Festival brings together eminent musicians from all over the world to explore the sacred through different forms of art from music and chant to dance and poetry. A festival of Sufi-inspired devotional music set in the magical and prestigious sites of Ahhichatragarh in Nagaur and Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur.
KNOW MORE ABOUT ITNagaur Cattle Fair
This Fair is the second biggest fair in India. The fair goes on for eight days during the month of Jan-Feb. It is popularly known as the Cattle fair of Nagaur. This is because the Nagaur Fair is mainly all about trading of animals. Approximately 70,000 bullocks, camels and horses are traded every year in this fair. Other trading in the Nagaur Fair in Jodhpur, India consists of sheep to Marwari horses to spices. Some other attractions include the Mirchi bazaar (largest red-chilly market of India), wooden items, iron-crafts and camel leather accessories.
Awesome, there’s another town nearby, Kuchaman city, and it also has a huge fort atop a hill, Aaj grand as any other, and it is perhaps the least known place in Rajasthan.
Many thanks Pradeep for your review and piece of information, I add it to my bucket list 🙂