Hundreds of centuries ago, before this expansive desert came into existance, this area was a sea called Drumkulya. Epics have it that an arrow bound fire shot by Lord Rama burnt a large part of the sea and converted it into a desert. This desert was called Maru Mandal, Marudhar, Maruwar, Maru Desh and Marwar.

Hundreds of years later and after having undergone the ravages of several Kings and their battles , under the rule of king Rao Jodha of the Vikram Era (1510) , a city was slowly established around the fort constructed by King Rao Jodha. This fort was situated 6 miles south of Mandore on a mountain called Chidiyanath ki Tonk. This city came to be known as Jodhpur or Jodhana or Jodhaji Ki Dhani and was the capital of the Marwar state for five centuries. When Rao Jodha established the walled city , it had four gates.As time passed , the city became congested with increasing population and the boundaries continued to expand. Today that area is called Old City and has a 3 to 8 ft. wide and 15 to 30 ft. high wall around it in the shape of a horse shoe . This wall has six big gates called Chand Pol , Nagauri Gate, Merti Gate , Sojati Gate, Siwanchi Gate and Jalori Gate. These gates earlier had iron sheets fixed with nails.

The foundation of a beautiful palace on the Chittar Hills , now called Umed Palace, was laid by the then Raja Umed Singh on 18th November ,1929. During his reign the biggest hospital in Marwar was made in Jodhpur, with expenditure of 15 lacs , 80 thousand rupees, which is now known as Mahatma Gandhi hospital. On 10th May 1933 , Marwar was officially renamed as Jodhpur state. On 15th August 1947, India attained independence. Maharaja Hanuwant Singh , who had succeeded Umed Singh, attended the function wearing a black turban.He said, " Today five hundred years old reign of my family has come to an end , so I am, mourning." Thus seven hundred years old Marwar state first merged with Indian Union , and then into Rajasthan.

The 5 km long majestic fort on a 125 metre high hill is one of the most impressive and formidable structures. Although invincible from the outside, the fort has four gates approached by a winding road. Within the fort are some magnificent palaces with marvelously carved panels, latticed windows and evocative names. Not worthy of these are the Moti Mahal, the Phool Mahal, the Sheesh Mahal, the Sileh Khana and the Daulat Khana. These palaces house a fabulous collection of trappings of Indian royalty including a superb collection of palanquins, elephant hawdahs, miniature paintings of various schools, musical instruments, costumes and furniture.

Cluster of royal cenotaphs in white marble built in 1899 A.D. in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. Within the main cenotaph are the portraits of various Jodhpur rulers.

The only 20th century palace built under the famine relief project that gave employment to famine struck population. The palace was completed in 16 years. This opulent edifice in sandstone is still the residence of the former rulers with a part of it running as hotel and remaining part as a museum.

Jodhpur can be easily reached by road as well. There are well-maintained roads linking it to tourism destinations like Delhi (597 km), Udaipur (260 km) and Jaipur (336 km).