Granted as a gift to Raja Amar Singh Rathore by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, Nagaur is an impressive township of beautiful palaces, palatial mansions and great temples. It is also the venue of the popular cattle fair held in the month of January or February. Bull fights and camel races enhance the excitement of the fair.

The place also houses the historic Nagaur Fort which contains some of the prominent Mahals like the Moti Mahal, Badal Mahal and Hawa Mahal all of which were created in splendid architectural style.

To the end of the Thar desert is located the city of Nagaur, 137 km from the city of Jodhpur. The place lies midway between Jodhpur and Bikaner and is well known for the farming communities such as Jats and Bishnois. Nagaur is mainly noteworthy for the rustic rural charm and colorful life seen in its heartland. The most interesting sight is that of the red chillies being dried in open fields.


Best Time To Visit
Nagaur has a dry climate with a hot summer. Sand storms are common and the climate is conspicuously dry.

The maximum temperature reaches 47°C in the summers while it fall to a low of 0°C in the winter seasons. With an average rainfall of 50 mm it is best to visit the place in the period of October to February.


Major Attractions
Nagaur Fort - The city of Nagaur located atop a hill for reasons of security and strategy dates back to the 4th century. The Fort has three main entrances namely the Delhi gate, the Tripolia gate and the Nakash gate. Also placed within the territory of the fort are the exquisite mahals known for their beautiful frescoes. The Hati Rani Mahal, the Sheesh Mahal and the Badal Mahal adds to the great architecture of the Fort.
Nearby to the fort lies a mosque which was built by the Mughal emperor Akbar and a shrine dedicated to a follower of Moin-uddin Chishti, the famous sufi saint who lived in nearby Ajmer. Also some fine Cenotaphs built in Rajput style like pristine stone umbrellas can be seen .

Fort Temples - Ahhichatragarh or the Nagaur Fort houses two temples, the Krishna Mandir and the Ganesh Mandir dedicated to the two gods Krishna and Ganesha respectively. The interior of the Krishna temple is laced with pictures from very primitive sketches of cows and buffaloes and beautiful murals of Lord Krishna in the company of divine gopis can be seen. The Ganesh Mandir has a red facade made of bricks and the inner sanctum houses a marble statue of the elephant god.

Bhakt Singh Palace - The palace is named after Bhakti Singh who ruled Nagaur in the 18th century after killing his own father on the insistence and promise of his brother Abhai Singh . It was decided that after completion of the task Bhakti Singh would get Nagaur while Abhay would ascend to the throne of Jodhpur with the help of the Mughals. It was after becoming the ruler that Bhakti Singh built the massive fort.


Fort Palaces - The Hadi Rani Mahal has an intricately carved decorations all over its walls and ceilings. It is further embellished by exquisite mural paintings mostly depicting the famous Queen Maharani Hadi Rani along with her maids and servants. The other palace the Deepak Mahal is also decorated with beautiful floral designs on the walls. Deepak Mahal represents a fantasy of the people of Nagaur for great grandeur.

The Rani palace was the dwelling place of the wives of the rulers of Nagaur. The Zenana Deori is decorated with paintings similar to the Sistine Chapel of Rome. Also in the women's quarters is the Baradari, which is another residence where the royal ladies used to reside. It also contains a small swimming pool and an ornate hammam or bath.

Shah Jahani Masjid - Shah Jahan built the masjid during the period when Nagaur was under the control of the Mughals. In a way, it represents the time when the Mughals enjoyed unconditional power in Nagaur from the time Akbar conquered it in 1556 until his his grandson Shah Jahan voluntarily bestowed it to the Rajput ruler Maharaj Amar Singh in 1638.