Jodhpur district Overview :

Jodhpur District is famous for its majestic jewel in the crown of Rajasthan. Jodhpur is a prominent city situated in the Jodhpur district towards the west. From the fringes of the enigmatic Thar Desert, emerges the princely town of Jodhpur. The second largest city of Rajasthan has once remained the capital of erstwhile Marwar state. 

Location :

Jodhpur District is surrounded by the majestic Mehrangarh fort, grand palaces, monuments, temples and gardens. Jodhpur is the epitome of multi-faceted grandeur. Tie-dyers, puppet makers and traditional spice makers add to the ethnic flavour of the city. 

Geography :

Geographically, Jodhpur District is located between 26.29 degree North latitude and 73.03 degree East longitude at a height of 232 metres (761 feet) above mean sea level. The old city of Jodhpur is bounded by a stone wall which has eight massive gates. The gates are named as Nagauri Gate, Merati Gate, Sojati Gate, Jalori Gate, Siwanchi Gate and Chand Pol.

 It covers 11.60 percent of the total area of arid zone of the state. Some of the area of the great Thar Desert in India also comes within the district. General slope of the terrain is towards west. Extreme heat in summer and cold in winter is the characteristic of the desert. Jodhpur is no exception. 

History :

Jodhpur District was founded by Rao Jodha, a Rajput chief belonging to the Rathore clan in 1459. Rao Jodha appropriated the surrounding territories and established a state which came to be known as Marwar. Strategically located on the road linking Delhi to Gujarat, Jodhpur was made the capital of the state. The ancient forts, palaces, temples, havelis imparts an antique look to the city which makes it an exciting tourist destination. The rich cultural heritage of this erstwhile princely state is manifested in the exquisite sculpture of the monuments.The major attractions in the city are Umaid Bhavan Palace, Mehrangarh Fort, Jaswant Thada, Osiyan Temple. Mandore, Kalinga Lake and Garden, Balsamand Lake, Dhawa (Dholi) forest area, Khichan and Osian are some major excursion sites. 

In 1949, after the independence of India, it was merged into the newly created state of Rajasthan. 

Medieval History :

During the Mughal rule in India, the state became a fief. The rulers of Jodhpur paid allegiance to the Mughal rulers and at the same time enjoyed some internal autonomy. Jodhpur was a princely state during the British rule in India. In fact it was the largest state in Rajputana in terms of size. It was one of the most flourishing states because of the native merchant class, the Marwaris. When India became independent in 1947 the princely state of Jodhpur became a part of the union of India and subsequently of Rajasthan. 

Economy :

Jodhpur District has an industrial and an agricultural base. The major crops cultivated in the district are wheat and Mathania red chillies. The city is an important trading centre for wool and agricultural products. The major industries in the city are textiles, metal utensils, ink and sporting goods. 

There are large number of handicraft units engaged in production of items of white metal, wooden toys, fancy items of sheep and decoration. A large number of artisan based industries are engaged in screen printing of cloth, shoe embroidery, dyeing and printing of clothes, salt making, etc. The predominant artisan based industries relate to textile and leather work and units based on livestock. The major activities of artisans in the district are as follows: dyeing and printing of textiles, leather embroidery, wooden carving, white metal work, decorative stone carving, hand paintings, metallic carving, sword handles and ivory carvings, lac bangles and toys of plaster. 

There are 21 Industrial Areas at different places which have been developed and managed by RIICO. An export promotion industrial park has been setup in the Boranada industrial area, which is in accordance with the scheme of ministry of commerce, Government Of India, which lays emphasis on providing assistance to state governments for establishments of such kind of parks. The park is expected to increase exports from the state, especially Jodhpur. 

Demography :

As of the 2011 census, it is the second highest populated district of Rajasthan (out of 33), after Jaipur district.
According to the 2011 census Jodhpur district has a population of 3,685,681, roughly equal to the nation of Liberia or the US state of Oklahoma .his gives it a ranking of 73rd in India (out of a total of 640). The district has a population density of 161 inhabitants per square kilometre (420/sq mi).  Its population growth rate over the decade 2001-2011 was 27.69%. Jodhpur has a sex ratio of 915 females for every 1000 males, and a literacy rate of 67.09%.
As of 2011, there were seven sub-divisions in the district and eleven tehsils. In addition to these, there were two independent sub-tehsils (Upa-tehsils): Jhanwar and Tinwari.

Culture of Jodhpur :

Jodhpuri cuisine also offers certain mouth watering delicacies which are a bonus for those visiting Jodhpur. Some sumptuous meals include Pyaaj kachori, Mawa Kachori, Makhaniya Lassi, kachar mircha curry and many more. The folk music, the fairs and festivals and the flamboyant costumes of the people lends vibrancy to the city. Numerous festivities of Jodhpur marks the historic grandeur of the city and one such festival is the Marwar Festival. Shopping in Jodhpur can be a memorable experience where exclusive tie and dye fabric, embroidered jutis, velvet can be picked. 

Tourism in Jodhpur District :

Jodhpur District comprises of important attractions include the Mehrangarh fort situated at the heart of the city, Jaswant Thada a cluster of royal cenotaphs in white marble built in the memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, Umaid Bhawan, Government museum and Rai-ka-Bag Palace.