Rajasthan’s Jalore: A medieval fort town set for an inland port makeover

Jalore, a historic town in Rajasthan’s Marwar region, is set for transformation with a proposed 262-km inland waterway linking it to the Gulf of Kutch. Though surprising today, Jalore’s connection to Gujarat follows a centuries-old trade route once used by armies and merchants travelling between Delhi and the coast. The town’s imposing hill fort, built between the 8th and 10th centuries and later ruled by the Chauhans, famously faced Alauddin Khilji’s forces. Nearby Siwana Fort fell in a similar siege. Today, both forts remain little visited. The new waterway could boost prosperity and place these forgotten heritage sites back on the map.