Khejarla Fort

Situated in a rural setting, the 400-year-old, Fort Khejarla offers guests an enlivening experience. The stunning red sandstone monument is a mesmerizing example of the architecture of the Rajputs. The rugged exterior contradicts an inner paradise with a striking blend of art and architecture leaving one with a magnificent aura! The spellbound grandeur of the Fort offers picturesque settings, latticework friezes, and intricate Jharokas that at once transports you back in time to experience the majesty of a long-gone era of valour and chivalry.

Fort Khejarla Hotel Jodhpur is a beautiful heritage fort resort in Rajasthan, located 85 km East of Jodhpur, surrounded by village with view of plains of Marwar. It is close to Pipar and Bilara and 15 minutes drive from Jodhpur/Jaipur Highway. Ajmer is 170 km away, and Jaipur is 290 km away.

Mount atop granite boulders, the fort rises like a sunbeam from the desert. The stunning red sandstone of Khejarla Fort, over 400 years old, is a mesmerizing example of the architecture of the Rajputs. The rugged exterior contradicts an inner paradise with a striking blend of art and architecture leaving you with a magnificent aura! The spellbound grandeur of the Fort offers picturesque settings, lattice work friezes and intricate Jharokas which at once transports you back in time to experience the majesty of a long-gone era of valour and chivalry.

Room rates: The price of Fort Khejarla varies between ₹ 6166 or up to ₹ 11808. (Prices will vary based on your dates of travel).

Within the desert sand of Rajasthan lays great secrets and a vast variety of culture that has developed over the centuries and is still very much alive. The Khejarla fort of Jodhpur is an ancient monument to cherish. While it provided the service of guarding the boundary of the city in the ancient times, it has served its purpose as a historical reserve that has helped the historians and archaeologists understand a large part of the Indian history. The fort demonstrates the Rajput- Mughal architecture and styles and makes the viewers admire its unique beauty even in its ruined and old exterior.

The fort had been useful to the Rajput rulers to defend themselves successfully from the Muslim attacks and has survived so well because it would be reconstructed every time one part of the fort was damaged. The red stone establish is located in the rural section of Jodhpur and gives the tourists a wonderful taste of the basic culture of the area and the warmth of the desert sand. The great monument has now been turned into a hotel which has an excellent old and rugged architecture on the outside but with modern renovations of the rooms that resemble any five-star hotels with a royal touch to emphasize the presence of royal Rajput blood that runs in the veins and culture of the area. The Khejarla fort now is a well-visited tourist site that exhibits the brave and rich Rajput heritage.

History

The monument standing tall and proud in the middle of the desert in Jodhpur is 400 years old and has been renovated over the years. It contains the history of 14 generations of the Rajput dynasty as the result of a land grant given to Maharajah Gopal Das Ji for his achievements during his time in the court of the Rajput ruler. The fort has provided 550 books of history and literature for the purpose of preserving and comprehending the history of the country, which proves to be an amazing step in preserving the cultural, political and social literature of Marwar.

Fort Khejarla was constructed in early 1611 A.D. for Maharajah Gopal Das Ji, who was granted ‘Jagirs’ (fiefdoms) of Khejarla and nearby villages for his great achievement in war against the Mughals, in honour of his service to the Maharaja of Jodhpur. The Mughal army rolled in to attack the Fort three times. Each time the Fort was destroyed, it was rebuilt. Khejarla derives its name from the Khejdi Tree that can be found at the village. The tree holds significance in the village as it is believed to have saved the Fort when hit by Mughal cannons. The classic Rajput – Mughal architecture is built on a small hillock and is owned by the Bhati clan of Rajputs. The family of Khejarla has descended from the royal family of jodhpur. Maharajah Gopal Das Ji was the youngest son of the royal family of jodhpur and moved to Khejarla after being granted the fiefdom of Khejarla.

Khejarla was then one of the most important and flourishing Jagirs of Marwar with 9 Estate Managers, 400 servants, 125 horses, 15 camels, and huge area of land for cultivation. Nobles here enjoyed the highest status amongst the most trusted in the Court of Marwar. The Thakurs of Khejarla were one of the eight feudal lords to the Maharaja of Jodhpur and were known for their heroism, valour, sacrifice, chivalry, and gallantry. The 16th generation of the royal lineage of Khejarla was Thakur Bhairon Singh Khejarla who was also the first member of the legislature assembly of Rajasthan who was elected from the Bilara constituency after India gained independence from the British Raj. He was elected and remained as MLA from 1952 – 1962. Later he was also elected as the Health Minister of the State of Rajasthan. During the 1950 famine, he made arrangements of grains and drinking water for the public of the State. Moreover, he was very close to erstwhile rulers of Jodhpur - Maharaja Umaid Singh Ji and Maharaja Hanuwant Singh Ji.

Thakur Bhairon Singh Khejarla opened a Research organization to promote the culture and literature of Rajasthan. The Noble family of Khejarla presented 550 books of history and literature to the organization, which did a great job in preserving the literature of Marwar. The Maharaja died in July 1974 and the present heir, Maharaja Dileep Singh took over him. The Maharaja serves in essence as mayor of the Khejarla village and the surrounding villages. Thakur Dileep Singh waits to tell you more about the momentous deeds of his ancestors who had experienced the Mughal Empire and the British Raj. Take a walk through the 17 generations of history, and get enthralled and fascinated by the never – to – be forgotten experience.