Jaswant Thada, Royal cenotaph near Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, India
Jaswant Thada is a cenotaph in Jodhpur, India, built entirely of white Makrana marble and rising near Mehrangarh Fort. The structure displays elaborate carvings on the facades, while pierced lattice screens decorate the walls and filter light into the interior chambers.
Maharaja Sardar Singh commissioned the monument in 1899 to honor his father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, who introduced numerous changes in Jodhpur. The edifice later began a royal custom of building commemorative structures at this site for subsequent rulers.
The royal dynasty of Marwar chose this site for its commemorative grounds, where the fine openwork in the stone reflects traditional Rajput decorative motifs. The surrounding gardens with a small lake now serve as a quiet retreat for visitors who respect the traditional function of the grounds.
Visitors can explore the grounds daily between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, with entrance set at 50 rupees for international travelers and 30 rupees for Indian guests. The best time to visit falls in the morning, when daylight softly illuminates the marble facades and the temperature remains comfortable.
The thin marble sheets in the walls allow sunlight to pass through and create a warm glow inside the chambers. Craftsmen used traditional techniques to polish these translucent stone layers so they diffuse a soft brightness during the day.
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