Day Eleven - Jodhpur - textile city

The 15th century Mehrangarh  Fort

At Jaswanth Thada - the memorial to Maharaja Jaswanth Singh II

Jodhur is the 'Blue City' with many walls this colour - both for coolness and to deter mosquitos

I went to India wanting to fill my suitcase with printed cotton fabrics.
Jodhpur is the place to buy textiles as apparently, anything elsewhere has been made in Jodhpur. So with much excitement I entered Maharani Textiles, a vast warehouse with floor to ceiling piles of folded fabrics.

Here was my opportunity to buy cottons, silk, even embroidered sari fabric... and they would take Barclaycard...

However before I could start to choose we were shepherded into a large room and sat down and offered a drink. The owner of this emporium wanted to personally show us his wares. First the handiwork of village women in embroidered and patchwork bedcovers. Then 'No photos please' - the Designer collection:

A Terence Conran  grey on white geometric pattern throw; a Kenzo grey silk with pale flower embroidery bed cover; an Anthropologie patchwork bedspread;  a Liberty red and gold paisley throw (my favourite). Finally the Hermes cashmere throws which he assured us would cost thousands in London but we could have today for just £140 each. Not part of their current collections apparently, these were older designs.

Many of our party bought these offerings. Especially the Hermes design which came in numerous colourways. They bought them for presents or for personal use. We were forbidden to sell them on. I wasn't tempted and waited impatiently for the chance to price some of the cottons and silk fabrics.

I got up to rummage just as the owner started to have scarves and pashminas thrown at our feet. However the owners' staff spoke no English and it was the owner who knew the prices and he was busy. I was so frustrated. If the price was right I could have bought there but the only price I succeeded in getting was the price for plain silk fabric - £25 a metre. I could get it cheaper in England so I came away very disappointed. This had been the first opportunity for me to buy fabric for the shop and I had come away empty-handed.

Then lunch at the Uttam Hotel - the best of the hotels we stayed at I thought, with steamed vegetables and mild dahls always on offer. Very comfortable beds, a powerful shower and luxurious bath.

In the afternoon we visited the impressive Mehrangarh Fort and then the cremation ground of the rulers of Jodhpr containing the white marble memorial pictured above.