Discover Nagaur: Fort, Temples and Culture

Nagaur offers several specific reasons to visit: Nagaur Fort, religious traditions, cultural attractions shaped by personal histories, and destinations in the district’s natural landscape. For planning purposes, it helps to distinguish between the places mentioned: Manjhwas, Merta, Jhorda and Khimsar are destinations in addition to Nagaur itself. If you would like to include several of them, base your choices on the individual locations, not just on their shared association with Nagaur.

Nagaur Fort and its festival

Nagaur Fort was rebuilt in the early 12th century and is considered an outstanding example of Rajput-Mughal architecture. Its construction history and architectural classification are therefore two key aspects of the fort. The fort also hosts the World Sacred Spirit Festival every year. If you would like to include the festival in your trip, check the dates for your planned travel period in advance.

Religious occasions and the fair in Jhorda

The Pashupati-Nath Temple is located in the village of Manjhwas in Nagaur district and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It houses a Shivalinga made of Ashtadhatu. Visitors come every year for Shivratri and during the month of Shravan. These two occasions offer different religious contexts: Shivratri is a named festival, while Shravan is a month. The annual fair in Jhorda attracts around 100,000 to 200,000 visitors in January and February. If a specific festival or fair date is important to your trip, check the exact dates in advance.

Cultural attractions with different stories

The Meera Bai Panorama in Merta, Nagaur, depicts episodes from Meera Bai’s life through sculptures, relief panels, miniatures and inscriptions. Her life story is thus told through several media: three-dimensional forms, visual artworks and written records. By contrast, the Baba Hariram Temple in Jhorda focuses on mementos from the life of the saint Baba Hariram. The two biographical subjects are therefore presented in different ways. The Bade Peer Sahab Dargah in Nagaur opened as a museum on 17 April 2008.

Landscape and forts in the district

The natural features extend beyond the town of Nagaur. The Aravalli Range lies in the southeast of the district, while Sambhar Lake is at its southwestern tip. Kuchaman Fort is also in Nagaur district, perched on a 300-metre-high rocky cliff. Whereas Nagaur Fort is described in terms of its reconstruction and architectural classification, Kuchaman’s prominent geographical feature is its elevation. Khimsar Fort in Nagaur district also contains a chhatri.

Getting there and planning your hotel stay

Buses run to Nagaur from Jodhpur, Jaipur and Bikaner. By rail, Nagaur is connected to Indore, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Surat, Bikaner and Jaipur. Check current timetables and connections before departure. When choosing a hotel, first decide whether Nagaur itself—with its fort and dargah—or a particular destination in the district will be the focus of your stay. If you plan to visit several places, include their locations in your travel arrangements and check the suitable connection for each leg.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Chawandiya, Kharnal, Sanju, Merta Road, Nagaur, Bhadasar, Khimsar; Udaipur.

For the main travel overview: Rajasthan.