Jaswant Thada, Jodhpur

The Hindu funeral rites generally involve cremation, which ensures that the body can return to its five essential elements: fire, air or wind, earth (the pyre is on the ground), water, and ether. (Ether, unlike air, cannot be felt.) Cremations usually occur near a body of water, but also some of the cremains are poured into a significant water body, ideally at Varanasi. Any buildings are therefore memorials or cenotaphs (lit. 'empty tombs'), rather than tombs or other burial chambers.

Jaswant Thada, east face from NE corner. With omnipresent flying rats pigeons.

Jaswant Thada is on the way to the Mehrangarh Fort, which overlooks Jodhpur. It was built by Sardar Singh in 1899 in memory of his father, Maharaja Jaswant Singh II.

Mehrangarh Fort, as seen from Jaswant Thada

Jaswant Thada is built near a man-made lake, with the main entry path forming the dam wall. The lake is used for bathing after funerals/cremations, to purify oneself.

Dam wall of the lake.

And for collecting water.

The main building was designed by the Maharaja's widow (as a woman, she did a pretty good job, conceded our guide), and is built of white marble, and red sandstone.

Overview. Lake is out of shot to the left. (Pic from here)

(Lots of pics after the jump)

North face, main entry

East face

Side view of the north entry portico

Inside the main building there is a rope strung across the room. You can make a wish or a prayer (for someone's health, or somesuch), and you tie a piece of fabric to the rope. When your wish is granted, you go and choose someone else's piece of fabric, and do whatever is said on it. All 'tasks' must be for a social good, such as giving time or money to a charity, or feed the poor or similar.

String of prayer requests

On the left of this picture, and below, you can see the translucent marble sheets glowing in the morning sun.

Looking out the north entry

(They're just random people who got in my shot.)

It really is a very pretty place, with beautifully manicured gardens, and a very capable busker playing something akin to an accordion.

Other buildings at the site include the memorial built by the son for his mother, and

and cenotaphs for four of the subsequent maharajas.

Some of the minor cousins and others have cenotaphs outside the main grounds. You might also be able to see in the lower right corner stockpiled timber - cremations are held only a few days after death.