According to historians, the old names of Mandor, the capital of Marwar, were Maddodara, Mandowar and Mandavyapura-Durga, all have been derived from the Rishi Mandavya. The place was inhabited even in the Gupta period; the basis of this belief is the use of Gupta script in this region. Situated about 8 km from Jodhpur, Mandore is an ancient site. Local traditions say that, Mandore was first held by the Nagas, followed by the Prathiharas, the Chahamanas and the Muslim sultans of Delhi from whom it was wrested by the Rathors.
The excavations carried out in 1909-10 CE yielded two elaborately carved monoliths of Krishna-Lila scenes. The Brahmanical temple discovered in excavations, consists of sanctum (garbhagriha) perched on the summit of three high terraces which diminish in size towards the top and are ascended by flights of steps on east, north and south sides. Beside these, there are number of inscription found at Mandore Fort. The Ghatiyala inscription of 861 CE reveals that the Pratihara ruler Kakkuka constructed here a Jaina temple also.
