Fodor's Expert Review Mandore Gardens

Jodhpur Garden

Within the old Marwar capital at Mandore (before the capital moved to Jodhpur), these gardens house the exquisitely sculpted red-sandstone, carefully looked-after davals (memorials or cenotaphs also called chhatris) to former rulers; the most impressive is the one dedicated to 18th-century maharaja Ajit Singh. The Hall of Heroes depicts 16 colorfully painted heroes and deities carved from a single piece of stone. The small museum on the grounds has sculptures from the 5th to the 9th centuries as well as ivory and lacquerwork. There are many monkeys here, and people seeking alms, and there is also a temple devoted to the 330 million Hindu gods. This is a tranquil place to visit except on weekends and holidays, when locals arrive for outings. It's worth a visit for the davals, but keep in mind that the gardens, while visually stunning, are not well maintained and are full of trash.

Garden

Quick Facts

Jodhpur, Rajasthan  342304, India

Sight Details:
Rate Includes: Gardens free; museum Rs. 50, Gardens: daily sunrise–sunset. Museum: Sat.–Thurs. 9–6

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