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Jaisalmer Travel Guide
Jaisalmer Travel Guide
Location : 285-km From Jodhpur, Rajasthan
Tourist Attractions : Jaisalmer Fort, Manak Chowk & Havelis
Festive Attraction : Desert Festival
Best Time To Visit : October To Februay
Rising from the heart of the Thar desert like a golden mirage is the city of Jaisalmer. The city is popularly known as the Golden City. It is city in the north Indian state of Rajasthan. A commanding fort etched in yellow sandstone stands with its entire awesome splendor, dominating the amber - hued city. The city has an fascinating legend associated with it, according to which Lord krishna - head of the yadav clan foretold Arjuna that aremote descendent of the Yadav Clan would built his kingdom atop the Trikuta Hill. His prophecy was fulfilled in 1156 A.D.
Rawal Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput, in 1156, founded the city of Jaisalmer and made it his capital after abandoning his fort at Lodurva.
Jaisalmer has turned into major tourist destination of India. The Jaisalmer city is well-regarded by both Indian as well as foreign tourists. There are very few cities, which boast of the glory and charisma that encircles Jaisalmer. The romantic sand dunes here will remind you of the Arabian Night Stories, which you must have read in your school days.
Mr. Desert contest and camel races enliven the festivities. Colorful craft bazaars are set up for the occasion and a sound and light spectacle is organized wit folk artists performing against the splendid backdrop of the famous Sam sand dunes on the full moon night. Surely a not-to-be missed event.
Places to Visit
The Fort : Situated on the Trikuta hill in Jaisalmer, this splendid fort, also known as the Golden Fort was built by Raja Jaisal. The fort hoses the entire township within the ramparts. It has enchanting cow-web of narrow lanes dotted with some lovely havelis, three beautifully sculptured Jain temples of the 12th-15th century and five interconnected palaces. The fort is apprched through four gateways - Akhaiya Pol, Ganesh Pol, Suraj pol and Hawa Pol. The fort seems to rise out of the desert haze, its yelow sandstone walls and bastions taking on a golden hue in the afternoon when sun reflects on the fort. In fact at whatever time of the day you look at the Sonar Kila or Golden fort it looks like a fairy tale creation.
GadsisarLake : This is a rain water artificial lake. This artificial lake was built by Maharawal Gadsi in the 14th century. This is a scenic rain water lake with numerous beautiful shrines around and a spectacular avian variety. The lake is an idyllic spot for outings.
Tazia Tower : A pagoda like structure looming up from the "Badal Mahal" with beautiful Taazias' - richly decorated bamboo, paper and tinsel replicas of a bier, carried out in processing during Moharram by the Muslims.
Nathmal ji ki Haveli : This the late 19th century haveli with complex architecture, a display of sheer craftsmanship. The left and right wings of the mansions, which were carved by two brothers, are not identical but very similar and balanced in design. The interior walls are ornate with splendid miniature paintings.
Patwon ki Haveli : Patwon Ki Haveli is the most elaborate and magnificient of all the Jaisalmer havelis. It has exquisitely carved pillars and extensive corridors and chambers. One of the apartments of this five story high haveli is painted with beautiful murals.
Salim Singh ki Haveli : This 300 year old Haveli of Jaisalmer's Prime Minister to Maharaja Rawal Gaj Singh Salim Singh, has a beautiful blue cupola roof with superby carved brackets in the form of peacocks. This extraordinary mansion in yellow stone is covered with intricate carvings and has an elaborate projecting balcony on the top storey. The mansion is one of the most notables of the array of havelis.
Jain Temples : The fort has three exquisitely carved Jain temples dedicated to the Jain Tirthankara-Rishabdev, Sambhavnath and Parswanath.
Excursions
Lodurva : The ancient capital of Jaisalmer and an important Jain pilgrim centre lies 16 km to the west. Among the ruins of the city is a complex of superb Jain temples with ornate archway at the entrance, perhaps the finest of its kind in Rajasthan.
The AkalWoodFossilPark : Located at the distance of 17kms on the road to Barmer this park is an interesting stop to the fossilised remains of a forest that grew 180 million years ago. Not far from there is another prehistoric site at Kandiala where different kinds of fossils are found – still older, but undated fossilised rocks, with tiny sea shells embedded in them, that show that this sandy desert wasteland was once part of the ocean bed!
The Sand Dunes at Sam : No one can think about a complete trip to Jaisalmer without a visit to the sand dunes at Sam, 42 km away, on the edge of the Desert National Park. The varying patterns, ripples and waves that the wind creates on the undulating, ever changing dunes is awesome to behold. The sunsets at Sam are particularly beautiful, with the desert changing into a kaleidoscope of red, orange and copper before darkness engulfs the desert in a blanket of sheer black.
The DesertNational Park : Located at the distance of 45kms this park stretches across 3000km of protected biosphere, where the fragile ecosystem of the desert is preserved in its natural environs. The native flora consists of cacti, thorny shrubs, bushes and trees and vegetation that survives in the dry and arid soil grow here and some of the local fauna- few animal species like the monitor lizard, desert foxes, porcupines and herds of black buck live in this protected park.
How to reach there
Rail : Jaisalmer is 290-km from Jodhpur via Pokhran, Dechu and Balesar or 330-km from Bikaner via Pokhran and Phalodi. It is well connected by train with Jodhpur and other major cities of the country by a meter gauge line.
Rajasthan
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