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Palace On Wheels
Jodhpur - Jaswant Thada
is a beautiful memorial in marble, often described as the
"Taj Mahal of Marwar". It was built in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singhji
II of Jodhpur (1873-1895) by his son Maharaja Sardar Singhji (1895-1911),
and completed in 1906.
The last rites of the rulers of Jodhpur were formerly performed at Mandore, the
old capital of Marwar. Since the turn of the century they've been
performed here. The smaller cenotaphs to the east mark the spots where his
successors were cremated. The main memorial has been built like a temple where
Puja is performed and photographs of the deceased rulers are displayed. The
worship of ancestors is common to the Rajput clans.
It is surrounded by trim gardens and Dev-Kund, the body of water seen to the
left of the building, is still used by the Royal Family for ritual bathing after
a cremation.
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