The Elephant Howdah Museum in the Mehrangarh Fort of Jodhpur is unique in the world since there is no other place on earth where the royals had a fascination for elephants and also they invested a lot in making the elephant ride comfortable and convenient with a royal artistic touch.
The elephant howdah is a wooden frame with raised side borders large enough to host up to 3 persons riding an elephant. It first is mounted and then fitted on the elephant’s back. The howdah is typically decorated with mirrors traces of gilding that is a thin coat of gold used as a paint, and the lower rim is decorated with balustrades.
A painting on the museum wall depicts several elephant howdah styles in use by the royal family of Jaipur and also how grand a procession would look when the royal embarked on an elephant ride occupying a howdah.
Some howdah may have an umbrella to protect from sun rays or occasionally from light showers.
The howdahs are often a two-compartment wooden seat covered with embossed sheets of gold or silver. The photo below shows a simple howdah on display that I saw in the museum.
This is another 2-compartment howdah on display with velvet-covered seating for comfort.
The front seat is typically raised and meant for the king or the royalty and the rear seat for a bodyguard.
The museum displays a fine collection of elephant howdahs that are priceless and unique historical artifacts. The elephant howdah above is made of a metal frame with thick embossed silver wood decorated lavishly stylized scalloping creeper and four-petal flowers.
This howdah is meant for visitors to the royal family where the host and the guest would sit facing each other and discuss matters during a ride.
How to Reach
• Autorickshaws or shared Tuk-Tuks will take you to the fort from Jodhpur city center and as usual, they haggled with me over the fare, so I started with one-fourth of the quote and end up paying half of the demand. On my second trip last month, I took my car to the fort where there is plenty of paid parking space.
Where to Stay
The Gopal Guest House is close to several tourist places that are within a walkable distance.
This place also got a rooftop restaurant with an amazing view of the Mehrangarh Fort.
Quick Facts
Timings: 10 am to 5 pm
Parking: INR 50
Entry: INR 250 for the fort and the museums together.
Camera Charges: Free
Monument Tips
• Audio guides are available at the museum and throughout the fort for which the ticket should be purchased at the entrance.
• Tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed inside the fort premises so you can very well leave them behind in your cars or your hotel.
• Carry plenty of water as you have to walk a long distance in the huge area and the climate around Jodhpur is dry even in winters. It can get a bit warm in the summer.
Accessibility Features
The Elephant Howdah Museum is located inside the Mehrangarh Fort that has huge ramps as seen in the photo below.
Besides that, there are audio guides to aid the differently-abled.
Here’s a snapshot:
Ramp access.
A wheelchair-accessible Entrance.
A wheelchair-accessible Restroom/Toilet.
A wheelchair-accessible Parking.
What Else to See in Jodhpur
Here’s a list of top tourist attractions in and around Jodhpur:
https://goo.gl/maps/HDDm7Quy8UHQBSte9
- Om Banna Temple, Pali
- Shwetambar Jain Temple, Osian
- Shri Sachchiyay Mataji Temple, Osian
- Umaid Bhawan Museum
- Mandore Garden
- Panchkund Chattriya
- Mahila Bagh Ka Jhalra - Stepwell
- Mehrangarh Fort and Museums
- Toorji Ka Jhalra Bavdi - Stepwell
- Jaswant Thada Cenotaphs
- Sardar Government Museum
- Ghanta Ghar
