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In the Blue

Tracing the colour blue in Jodhpur– the blue city– its transformation from a symbol of caste to a vibrant cultural identity.

Words by:

Yash Srivastava

Photos by:

Prateek Shrivastava

Blue is the only colour that the painter Pablo Picasso found apt enough to express his gloom. After the death of his friend Carlos Casegemas, Picasso abandoned the rest of his palette for many years in favour of this colour. Blue is also the colour of the gods Krishna, Shiva and Rama. It is said that they’re depicted in blue to match the colour of the sky, signifying their relationship with the infinite. 

The use of blue in Jodhpur, however, has a different connotation. From 1459, on the orders of the city’s founder Rao Jodha (the 15th chief of the Rajput clan), a kind of cerulean was used to paint the houses blue. But some say the colour was used to differentiate Brahmin houses from the rest. It is said that this was because back then, they were the only community that could afford blue paint. There might be some truth to this since many of these houses are owned by brahmins. On the other hand, it is also believed that the chemical constituents of this blue paint–copper sulphate and limestone–keeps termites away from the house and blue, being a light colour, also keeps the houses cool in the scorching desert heat. Those who believe the latter say that it is a mere coincidence that most of the blue houses are brahmin, and will be happy to show you a blue house owned by a non-brahmin family. 

Any which way, as the years have gone by, the colour blue has become cheaper and consequently has become a characteristic of the old city of Jodhpur. It is no longer a caste-marker, if it ever was. The blue houses of Jodhpur are quite a visual treat for locals and visitors alike. When viewed from Mehrangarh Fort, the city can be seen in all its bluesy resplendence—a perfect locale for Picasso to grieve the loss of his friend.

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A herdswoman walks behind her charge: spanking new roads cannot take the desert away from its people; A vegetable seller wearing a trademark pagri more red than his tomatoes. This pagri can be seen almost everywhere in Rajasthan; A family in Jodhpur seen in an uncharacteristically pink home. Not all the buildings in the city are blue, only the ones seen in the old city near Mehrangarh fort; A solitary herdsman on his way home after an evening spent grazing his goats.
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A lady sells daily vegetables. The produce that she sells blends with the aquamarine doors that are a common sight in the city; A saree left out to dry left us to marvel at a home that suddenly became colour coordinated.
A parchun shop adjoins a bright red blossom. Amidst the tumult of his grief, a certain Pablo Picasso sought refuge in the serene depths of blue, a colour that encapsulated the profound melancholy he experienced after the loss of his dear friend, Carlos Casagemas.
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Within the labyrinthine streets of Jodhpur lies an enigma shrouded in mystery—the origin and significance of its iconic blue houses; Rao Jodha looks for his bike: inspired by a desire to unify the cityscape and honour its cultural heritage, Rao Jodha's decree laid the foundation for Jodhpur's iconic architectural identity.
While some attribute their vibrant hue to caste distinctions or pragmatic pest control measures, others find deeper meaning in the spiritual symbolism of blue, invoking notions of tranquillity, protection, and cosmic harmony amidst the desert landscape.
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Tread carefully: behind this door could lie a portal to the many secrets of the hot and resilient Thar; A Jodhpurite captures figures from history and lore in her locks. Within the vibrant tapestry of Hindu mythology, blue emerges as a colour imbued with profound significance, representing the divine essence and celestial realms.
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A jodhpuri angel leaves his bike and his wings outside the house before knocking on its door. Even if originally intended as markers of Brahmin privilege, these cerulean abodes now stand as emblems of community resilience and cultural pride; As the sands of time continue to shift, Jodhpur's blue houses stand as silent sentinels of resilience and fortitude; Amidst the labyrinthine streets of Jodhpur, a door adjoined with a zeus like figure displays a captivating canvas of urban expression.
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Yash Srivastava

Srivastava is a staff writer at Object.

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