Jaswant Thada, Jodhpur

Jaswant Thada, Jodhpur

The Jaswant Thada is a cenotaph located in Jodhpur, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was built by Maharaja Sardar Singh of Jodhpur State in 1899 in memory of his father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, and serves as the cremation ground for the royal Rajput family of Marwar. The cenotaph is built out of intricately carved sheets of Makrana marble. These sheets are extremely thin and polished so that they emit a warm glow when illuminated by the Sun.

The cenotaph's grounds feature carved gazebos, a tiered garden, and a small lake. There are three other cenotaphs in the grounds. The cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh displays portraits of the rulers and Maharajas of Jodhpur.

History

Jaswant Thada was commissioned in 1899 by Maharaja Sardar Singh of Jodhpur as a royal cenotaph in memory of his father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh?II, and was completed in 1906?AD under the patronage of the Rathore dynasty. It is situated a short distance from Mehrangarh Fort, it was intended both as the Jodhpur royal family's cremation ground and as an enduring symbol of their legacy. Over the 20th?century, the site became managed by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, which has conserved its grounds and established an on?site museum displaying portraits of Marwar rulers and didactic panels on regional history.

Architecture

The Jaswant Thada was erected entirely of Makrana marble, Jaswant Thada's principal memorial is a pavilion?style cenotaph composed of intricately carved, paper?thin marble sheets that glow warmly under sunlight. The central dome resembling a miniature temple crown is supported by twelve slender marble pillars arranged in a square, each connected by finely detailed jali screens featuring floral and geometric motifs. These screens filter breeze and daylight to create shifting patterns across the interior. The structure is surrounded by the Tranquil lake, and the light reflections from the lake make the cenotaph looks like floating.

Beautiful memorial in marble often described as the “Taj Mahal of Marwar” was built in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singhjill of Jodhpur (1873-1895) by his son Maharaja Sardar Singhji (1895-1911) completed in 1906 A.D.

The main hall has been built like a temple where puja (ritual) is also performed. The worship of ancestors is common to the Rajput clans.

Today, Jaswant Thada is managed and looked after by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust (MMT) and is open to public. The Trust is operating a Museum in Jaswant Thada displaying portraits of Marwar rulers along with informative didactics – the information serves as orientation space to understand the history of Marwar through the Portraits. Its grounds serve as a serene venue for morning concerts during music festivals such as the Rajasthan International Folk Festival and the World Sacred Spirit Festival.

Gallery

History  ( Click on the photo, the map will open )