Jodhpur is second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan and has long been a popular destination among international tourists, according to HappyTrips.
Surprisingly, only a few visitors know the origins of the words ‘the blue city’. The town has always been a wonderful example of colours providing a photogenic backdrop to even everyday life pictures.
Yet upon arrival in Jodhpur, it isn’t obvious why this bustling city is so closely associated with just one colour. After all, many other hues can also be seen on the busy streets and in the bazaars.
The majority of Rajasthani women wear long, colourful skirts and you can see this while visiting the shops of the Nai Sadak and examining wares on the stalls of the Sardar Market. Eye-catching, bright oranges and yellows are popular colours for their fabrics.
And the Rajasthani tradition for women to cover their heads with scarves – in light materials of complementary hues – adds to the multi-coloured impressions of life here. That’s also exacerbated by local men wearing sizeable turbans. The yellows and reds of their traditional headgear is just as much a draw to the eye as women’s garments.
These nicknames arise from the distinctive architectural features of each city. The Pink City of Jaipur, for example, is so named because its buildings were painted pink in the 19th century, back when India was a British colony, to prepare for a visit by Edward, Prince of Wales.
Nearby Jodhpur was painted blue, but for different reasons. The city’s sea of blue houses are widely thought to have emerged as a result of the caste system.
Courtesy: HappyTrips/CityLab