Blue

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  9th January by steve48

  A blue city - what an unusual sight. Makes it look organic.

  
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  10th January by Liz Cleere

  Yes, it is really impressive when you're there. Jamie has loads of shots of Jodhpur, and it was a little hard to choose just three, but these give a flavour of the place.
  
  I've been trying to get to the bottom of why it is painted blue, but can't find a definitive answer. So far I've found:
  
  

  
  
  • because blue is good for keeping buildings cool,
  
  
  • because blue keeps the mosquitoes out,
  
  
  • because Brahmins painted their houses blue to mark them out from everyone else (then everyone else followed suit).
  
  

  
  BUT any of this could apply to any city in Rajasthan, or even India, so why Jodhpur?
  
  Jaipur is the Pink City because it was painted that colour (to mimic earlier Mughal architecture) by Maharajah Sawai Ram Singh to welcome the Prince of Wales in 1876.
  
  I wonder if Jodhpur is blue because it's a nice marketing tool, or if it has always been blue?

  
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  11th January by steve48

  Thanks for the info. Liz.
  
  Sometimes the traditional colour of buildings is down to a locally available natural pigment, but I don't know if that's the case with Jodhpur.
  
  The Greeks use blue a lot for their buildings - but I think that might be cultural. 
  
  I always think that the blue Russian onion domes are the best ones. They are always splattered with golden stars, so I assume the blue is meant to represent the heavens.
  
  
  
  I love the effect Jamie's photo has of making Jodhpur look like a bed of flowering plants bursting into bloom.

  
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  11th January by Liz Cleere

  Interesting, Steve. I don't know about the pigment...
  
  I had thought of Greece too, wondering if they too paint their houses blue to keep cool and ward off mozzies. Then I remembered being told (decades ago) that the Greek islanders painted their houses blue and white (the colour of the national flag) in defiance of the German occupation...
  
  I'd love to see those Russian onion domes one day, they look like something from a fairy tale, absolutely gorgeous.
  
  Like your description of the buildings of Jodhpur bursting into bloom. I think you'd really enjoy walking round this city.

  
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  11th January by DrG

  ....because blue keeps the mosquitoes out - this sounds a bit of a wayward tale tale to me because most biting insects (incl mosies) are attracted to blue - see a review paper on the visual ecology of biting insects by Allan et al 1987.
  
  Sorry, the nerd in me erupteth.... great photo Jamie

  
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  11th January by Sergeant_Pluck

  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2005752/The-Smurfs-3D-Spanish-town-Juzcar-paints-blue-premier.html
  
  
  
  Check this out - another blue town. When I was in Spain over Christmas, I saw on the news that this town has benefitted so much from extra tourist revenue since going "Smurf" that they have voted to keep the whole village blue for the forseeable future!

  
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  11th January by Lyn Hughes

  Yes, we ran that story on here too.We ran a story in Wanderlust years ago in Jodhpur, but it doesn't seem to be on the site. I'll dig it out tomorrow and see what explanation we gave.
  
  Anyway, great pic!

  
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  11th January by JayR

  Beautiful, Jamie.  Reminds of Greek islands and some parts of Tunisia.  Perhaps the blue is cooling in hot weather?

  
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  11th January by Fintown Trekker

  Jeez jamie! This one brings on the blues it seems.....well all I one it gives me a run of the blues tonight as I recall a first formative solo trip to India as a student. Jodhpur was blue 22 yrs ago as well and there were darn few toursits! I recall the explanation of the blue being the Brahmin colour and the people thereabouts being mostly wealthy landowners and big farmers thus attaining that higher caste....

  
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  12th January by Liz Cleere

  Here's the link to your blue Spanish village, Lyn. Like Pluck, I remember reading about it at the time, and being surprised at the brouhaha.
  
  Yes, DrG, if it were true that blue keeps the mosquitoes out I think the rest of the world might have cottoned on to it by now!
  
  Interesting to hear it was that colour 22 years ago, FT. I went there even longer ago on a tour with my Mum, but we only stopped for a day, and I don't remember the blue. (Mind you I didn't remember seeing the Queen, or visiting the Taj Mahal twice, so don't count on me remembering anything correctly!)
  
  I think the Brahmin theory has the most credence. Blue is the colour of Krishna too.

  
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  12th January by Sergeant_Pluck

  I think your first reaon is correct, Liz - I'm sure I remember reading somewhere that the colour blue absorbs a fraction of the sun's heat as other colours, therefore keeping the buildings cool.

  
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  12th January by steve48

  The blue Spanish village doesn't look as natural as Jodhpur but, I suppose, why not blue instead of white?
  
  What is it with Spain and Smurfs anyway?
  
  
  
  With regard to the physics of colour, dark colours absorb and radiate heat, while light colours reflect heat.
  
  Maybe Jodhpur blue is a happy medium.
  
  There is a lot of psychology involved in colour. The classic one is: if you don't want your workers to linger too long in the toilets, paint the walls lime green - it tends to induce nausea. 
  
  So, regardless of the physical properties of Jodhpur blue, it will tend to make the place feel cooler anyway.
  
  
  
  Cheers.....steve

  
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  12th January by bilbo_baggins

  I love the way some photos generate such interesting discussions!
  
  As far as I am aware dark colours do indeed absorb heat - and these houses are painted a pretty strong blue - which is why in hotter climes people paint their houses white and drive white cars - so I can't beleive it is to keep them cooler.
  
  The Victorian Painted Ladies (houses with porches etc) - again in Southern regions such as South Carolina and Key West - tended to have porches painted in a very pale blue to represent the sky, reflect light and provide a calming influence. It also made the day seem brighter from within the house. There is a folk myth from the southern states that blue turns away evil spirits, and I'm sure I was told that pale blue deters flies, but DRG's statement appears to quash that tale.
  

  
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  12th January by Rhoda1

  I don't remember Jodhpur being such an intense blue - perhaps the colours here have been boosted.

  
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  12th January by Sergeant_Pluck

  Ho-ho Rhoda has one eye on the Agent Provocateur award here. Stand by for action: seconds out....

  
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  12th January by Liz Cleere

  Oooh, pot-kettle-kettle-pot Pluckster!
  
  What with all the talk of members on the forum I'm too giggly at the moment to reply to this one. Anyway, it's up to Jamie to answer on technical matters (mind you his dongle's not working too well at the moment - snigger, snigger - so you might have to wait).

  
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  12th January by Rhoda1

  Far from it, SP.  I don't see the point of the awards.  Yawn ...
  
  
  
  (Sorry to hijack your thread, Jamie)

  
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  12th January by Sergeant_Pluck

  Point? Who says there has to be a point, other than to have a bit of fun?

  
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  12th January by Rhoda1

  Not my idea of fun.  Sorry

  
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  12th January by Rhoda1

  But it was a question, not necessarily a criticism, Jamie

  
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  12th January by Liz Cleere

  This is just what it looked like from the top of Mehrangarh Fort, and down in the town. If anything I'd say the colours are muted compared to what they can look like in direct sunlight.
  
  If you do a Google image search for Jodhpur you'll see millions of images of the city in a multitude of blue shades.
  
  Jamie's researching batteries -- don't ask -- which I'm supposed to be doing too, instead of tinkering on myW, so you won't get an answer from him. He assures me, though, that he did not touch the colours here.

  
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  15th January by Jamie Furlong

  Hi all, and a happy new year. I'm really sorry I've not been answering your comments but I've been really busy doing some essential work on the boat... don't ask. Plus my dongle has been throttled so it takes about two years to load up a web page.
  
  
  
  Rhoda, if you don't remember the city looking like this, perhaps you should revisit and remind yourself exactly why it's called the Blue City. There was no manipulation involved. And your comment was not a question, it reads as an awkward, slightly snidey statement. Desist, please, not on my watch. Take your beef elsewhere.
  
  
  
  Thanks to the rest of you for the comments. It's always a nice surprise to return after a week to read through this interesting thread.
  
  
  
  Now, can someone please pass me the number eight spanner please?

  
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  15th January by Jamie Furlong

  Hi all, and a happy new year. I'm really sorry I've not been answering your comments but I've been really busy doing some essential work on the boat... don't ask. Plus my dongle has been throttled so it takes about two years to load up a web page.
  
  
  
  Rhoda, if you don't remember the city looking like this, perhaps you should revisit and remind yourself exactly why it's called the Blue City. There was no manipulation involved. And your comment was not a question, it reads as an awkward, slightly snidey statement. Desist, please, not on my watch. Take your beef elsewhere.
  
  
  
  Thanks to the rest of you for the comments. It's always a nice surprise to return after a week to read through this interesting thread.
  
  
  
  Now, can someone please pass me the number eight spanner please?

  
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  15th January by Rhoda1

  Jamie, you are reading ‘snide’ into a statement where none was intended.  I did say it was a question, not necessarily a criticism.  People boost colours all the time, and as long as it is done reasonably well, I have no problem with it.  Or even ‘beef’, as you put it.

  
  

  Your response to me was an over-reaction and your sarcasm uncalled for.  Get a grip.

  
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