The Golden City of Jaisalmer in Rajastha

The Golden City of Jaisalmer in Rajastha

The Golden City of Jaisalmer in Rajastha

Situated within the heart of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, Jaisalmer city built on the inspiration of yellow sandstone justifies its tag because the 'Golden City' of India. The yellow stone monuments glittering within the sunlight is indeed a sight to behold. Jaisalmer offers many places to go to, starting from yellowed forts to golden palaces and even deserted towns! The unique great thing about the place represented within the contrasting hues of gold against vivid reminder blue and green makes Jaisalmer an unforgettable experience. Built by the Bahti Rajputs, the town of Jaisalmer showcases interesting architecture, intricately carved sculptures and strategically built forts. Here may be a list of places to go to in Jaisalmer, covering the main tourist attractions within the region.

 Jaisalmer Fort

Also called the 'Golden Fort' and locally the 'Sonar Quilla' the Jaisalmer Fort is an iconic symbol of the town . Built by the Rajput ruler Rao Jaisal, this is often among the most important forts within the world. Situated within the Thar Desert on the Trikuta Hill, the fort has stood witness to several battles. The unique fort situated among the golden sands of Thar and built from yellow sandstone is indeed a wide ranging sight from the surface. The fortification includes three layers of walls that are as high as 30 ft. The fort once the house to royals is now inhabited by hundrends of local families. And therefore the insides of the fort are during a sad shape in comparison to the outside, due to the improper sanitation system and lack of maintenance. Inside the fort, travelers must explore the Gyan Bhandar library, the Raj Mahal, Laxminath temple, Jain temples, four massive gateways and merchant Havelis. The exquisitely done sculptures and motifs, classic of the Dilwar style, is breathtaking in its beauty.

Bada Bagh

Bada Bagh, which suggests big garden is that the final resting place of the royals, the varied cenotaphs stand silent testimony to the passing time. Albeit they represent the top, the cenotaphs, also built from yellow sandstone are a gorgeous expression of artistic workmanship. The intricate work makes the walls mesmerising during the day, and is additionally an excellent place to watch vivid sunsets.

Salim Singh Ki Haveli

Built in the year 1815, the Salim Singh Ki Haveli located in Jaisalmer was built on an existing 17th century Haveli. The Haveli employed by the foremost influential family of the day, the Mehtas, was commissioned by the then Prime Minister Salim Singh, after whom the Haveli is known as. Inbuilt a definite style, the Haveli sports interesting features like the peacock inspired roof and therefore the gateways guarded by realistic sculptures of elephants. Among other noteworthy features are the balconies of the Haveli; as many as 38 in number, all of them sport distinct designs.

Gadsisar Lake

Away from the Jaisalmer city may be a spot of tranquility that travelers must visit, the Gadisisar Lake. Situated within the city outskirts, the lake was constructed in 1400 A.D. as a water source for the whole city. The world surrounding the lake has many temples and shrines, attracting devotees from across the country. The lake itself is beautiful; the sharply contrasting coolers of the encompassing are reflected within the lake. It’s also where you'll catch a glimpse of avian life. Many migratory birds come here during the winter season.

Kuldhara, Abandoned Village

Among the foremost fascinating places to go to in Jaisalmer is Kuldara, the abandoned villages. Set within the arid Thar desert, Kuldara and therefore the nearby 82 villages were once upon a time the house to the Paliwal Brahmins. Strategically roads, homes, a number of them even two-strayed, common parking areas and other structures that substitute ruins today, force the viewer to imagine them within the past, when life still walked the streets. In 1825, the villagers of all 82 villages are said to possess disappeared within the night, there's no clear conclusion on why and where they went, or maybe how all of them managed to disappear together during a single night! Definitely a requirement see place in India.

Khaba Fort

Another seemingly haunted place is Khaba in Jaislmer. Considered a well-liked tourist attraction alongside the deserted ruins of Kuldara, the Khaba fort was once inhabited by the Paliwal Brahmins, and suddenly deserted one night. The fort stands in absolute stillness and has only a few people walking about. Maintained by the govt , it's many peacocks within the surrounding areas. Don't miss out on asking the locals for spooky stories related to the fort and therefore the village.

Patwon Ki Haveli

One of the foremost important Havelis in Jaisalmer is that the Patwon Ki Haveli, which sports enthralling architecture. The grand structure actually consists of a cluster of 5 havelis, built by the rich trader Guman Chand Patwa for every of his five sons. The whole structure was built over 50 years! Besides the exquisite architecture, you'll also observe wall paintings and mirror work that hints at the past glory of the Haveli. The Haveli is currently occupied by the govt offices of archeological and art and craft departments.

Vyas Chhatri

Among the foremost popular location for the shutterbugs, is that the Vyas Chhatri in Jaisalmer. This beautiful version of cenotaphs was inbuilt honour of the favored Hindu sage Vyas, author of the epic Mahabharata. The structures flaunt delicate pillars and clear carvings. Head out here early within the morning to catch the sunrise.

Surya Gate

Located within the famed Jaisalmer Fort, the 12th century gate referred to as Surya gate may be a popular tourist attraction in itself. The fort has four entrances or gateways; the Akhai gate, Surya gate, Ganesh gate and Hawa gate. The gates are popular for the stretch of lovely carvings that adorn the walls and passages. It’s a requirement visit place in Jaisalmer due to its majestic size. A key feature of those gates is that they're constructed on a bend, the rationale is claimed to stem from military strategy as gates were weakened by elephants, but with gates situated on a turn, the elephants lost the needed power to interrupt through!

Thar Heritage Museum

Located in Gandhi Chowk, the Thar Heritage museum in Jaisalmer has an exciting collection of things from the past. an excellent place for all history lovers to go to, the museum showcases a good range of artifacts like musical instruments, fossils, customs concerning births and deaths, etc. The guided tour provided by historian LN Khatri can indeed bring history within the museum alive.

Zaveri Food & Stay Options

A trip to anywhere in Rajasthan is incomplete without tasting the local cusine. Typically the world saw less meat and more vegetarian content. Try the Ker Sangri, a preparation with desert beans and due to the increasing popularity of non-vegetarian cosine, you'll also try the succulent boneless preparation of chicken called mug-e-subs.

Shopping at Jaisalmer

A traveler in Jaisalmer is going to be enthralled by the road markets, selling everything from antiques to colorful clothing. However, what you would like to see out for are the local Rajasthani arts and crafts. Products starting from a good sort of mirror and embroidery work to beautifully carved wooden boxes and Rajasthani puppets are definitely worth buying!

How to Reach Jaisalmer

By Road: Jaisalmer is well connected to all or any destinations in Rajasthan. Both the state transport and personal tour operators provide standard and deluxe buses to Jaisalmer. The capital city of Jaipur is found 568 km away. Other tourist destinations in Rajasthan are Jodhpur (278 km), Bikaner (331 km) and Ajmer (461 km). 

By Rail: The Jaisalmer railroad station has direct trains to Delhi and Jaipur. There are trains on railroad track to other major cities in India also. The 'Palace on Wheels' offering of IRCTC also makes a stop at Jaisalmer. By Air: The Jaisalmer Airport is primarily employed by the military and only sees a couple of chartered commercial flights. the closest commercial airport is Jodhpur (278 km) and has both domestic and international flights to major destinations.