The scale of this fort is staggering. The approach is made through seven massive gateways – one scarred with cannonball fire – that dwarf visitors beneath. Huge bastions tower overhead,and if you crane your neck you can just about make out the dainty residential palaces,pavilions and latticed balconies that cling to their summit. You get a spine-tingling impression of power and menace,added to by the vultures that circle in thermals above the battlements.
Consider the connection between honour and violence
As you pass through the sixth of the seven sturdy gateways,Loha Pol,look for the handprints of Maharaja Man Singh’s widows on the walls. These are the last haunting marks of the royal women who committed suttee on their husband’s death in 1843,although the British had outlawed the practice 14 years earlier. Suttee had a long tradition in Jodhpur:in 1731 six wives and 58 concubines performed suttee – sacrificed themselves – on the funeral pyre of Maharaja Ajit Singh.
Admire the architectural wonder of the courtyards
Don’t hurry straight to the museums. As you step into the residential quarters,the architectural contrast with the brutal fortifications couldn’t be more astonishing. Palace facades flaunt the elaborate stonework for which Rajasthan is famous. Enclosed balconies burst from the latticework like elegant blossoms. The stone carving is so intricate that it looks like sandalwood. Against this background,elderly palace guards with flamboyant moustaches and bright orange turbans look like extras from a historical drama.