The population consists of Rahtor Râjputs (who form the ruling class), Charans, Bhâts, Jâts, Bishnawis, Minas, Bhils, and Bauris, with a small proportion of Mahometans. The Charans, a sacred race, hold large religious grants of land, and enjoy peculiar immunities as traders in local produce. The Bhâts are by profession genealogists, but also engage in trade. The Minas, Bauris, and Bhils are predatory classes, but are employed in menial capacities. The Mahometans are principally soldiers. The natives, as a race, are enterprising and industrious, but the agricultural classes have to undergo great privations from poor food, and often bad water. Märwari traders are to be found throughout the length and breadth of the peninsula. No census of the population has ever been taken, but it has roughly been estimated at about 2,850,000, of whom 86 per cent, are said to be Hindus, 10 per cent. Jains, and 4 per cent. Mahometans.

The principal crops are pulses and millets, but wheat and barley are largely produced in the fertile tract watered by the Luni river. The manufactures comprise leather boxes and brass utensils; and turbans and scarfs and a description of embroidered silk knotted thread are specialities of the country. A large proportion of the population can read and write Hindi, including most ladies of good birth, which is believed to be peculiar to this state. Jodhpur town contains two good schools, one for the sons of chiefs and the higher classes, and the other for the children of tradespeople downwards. Every large village also has a school of its own, in which the vernacular is taught.

The maharaja belongs to the Rahtor clan of Rajputs. The local historians relate that after the downfall of the Rahtor dynasty of Kanauj in 1194 at Sivaji, the grandson of Jai Ch⅛nd, the last king of Kanauj, entered Marwâr on a pilgrimage to Dwarka, and on halting at the town of Pâli he and his followers settled there to protect the Brahman community from the constant raids of marauding bands. The Rahtor chief thus laid the foundation of the state, but it was not till the time of Râo Chanda, the tenth in succession from Sivaji, that Mârwâr was actually conquered. His grandson Jodha founded the city of Jodhpur, which he made his capital. In 1561 the country was invaded by Akbar, and the chief was forced to submit, and to send his son as a mark of homage to take service under the Mughal emperor. When this son Udai Sinh succeeded to the chiefship, he gave his sister Jodhbai in marriage to Akbar, and was rewarded by the restoration of most of his former possessions. Udâi Sinh’s son, Raja Geve Sinh, held high service under Akbar, and conducted successful expeditions in Guzerat and the Deccan. The bigoted and intolerant Aurangzeb invaded Marwar in 1679, plundered Jodhpur, sacked all the large towns, and commanded the conversion of the Rahtors to Mahometanism. This cemented all the Rajput clans into a bond of union, and a triple alliance was formed by the three states of Jodhpur, Udaipur, and Jeypore, to throw off the Mahometan joke. One of the conditions of this alliance was that the chiefs of Jodhpur and Jeypore should regain the privilege of marriage with the Udaipur family, which they had forfeited by contracting alliances with the Mughal emperors, on the understanding that the offspring of Udaipur princesses should succeed to the state in preference to all other children. The quarrels arising from this stipulation lasted through many generations, and led to the invitation of Marhattâ help from the rival aspirants to power, and finally to the subjection of all the Rajput states to the Marhattas. Jodhpur was conquered by Sindhia, who levied from it a tribute of £60,000, and took from it the fort and town of Ajmere. Internecine disputes and succession wars disturbed the peace of the early years of the century, until in January 1818 Jodhpur was taken under · British protection. In 1839 the misgovernment of the raja led to an insurrection which compelled the interference of the British, and Jodhpur was held in military occupation for five months, until the raj<i entered into engagements for the future good government of his subjects. In 1843 the chief having died without a son, and without having adopted an heir, the nobles and state officials were left to select a successor from the nearest of kin. Their choice fell upon Raja Takht Sinh, chief of Ahmadnagar. This chief, who did good service during the mutiny, died in 1873. The constitution of Jodhpur may be described as a tribal suzerainty rapidly passing into the feudal stage. The pattait or tribal chief is the ruler of his estate, and the judge almost exclusively in all matters of civil and criminal jurisdiction over his people. These chiefs owe military service to their suzerain, and exact the same from their dependants, to whom assignments of land have been made, and who form their following—the whole constituting the following of the suzerain himself. The maharaja alone has the power of life and death. The revenue of the state is mainly derived from the land, salt, and customs duties, a cess imposed on the feudatory nobles, succession dues, &c., estimated at a total of about £250,000 a year. The state pays a tribute to the British of £9800 a year, besides an annual payment of £11,500 for the support of a contingent—the Erinpura Irregular Force. The maharaja also maintains an independent military force of 20 field and 250 other guns, 200 gunners, 3545 cavalry, and 5020 infantry.

Jodhpur, the capital of the above state, in 26° 17' N. lat. and 73° 4' E. long., was built by Rào Jodha in 1549, and from that time has been the seat of government of the principality. It is surrounded by a strong wall nearly 6 miles in extent, with seventy gates. The fort stands on an isolated rock, and contains the mahârâjâ’s palace, a large and handsome building, completely covering the crest of the hill on which it stands, and overlooking the city, which lies several hundred feet below. The city contains many handsome buildings—palaces of the mahârâjâ, and town residences of the thàkurs or nobles, besides numerous fine temples and tanks. Building stone is plentiful, and close at hand, and the architecture solid and handsome. Three miles north from Jodhpur are the ruins of Mandor, the site of the ancient capital of the Purihar princes of Mârwâr, prior to its conquest by the Rahtors.