Rajasthan
is most divergent Indian State. The State climate varies from hot-cold of
desert to the cold of hills to moderate in other parts. The state is a heritage
to old Forts, lakes, Palaces, Temples etc. The beauty of Rajasthan is
unparallel and community is mixed. The state was remained under ruling of
Mughal’s for long time and indelible marks are left here.
Jaisalmer - The Golden City
The
Jaisalmer, nicknamed the “The Sun City”, is located around 250 Km from Jodhpur
and is the westernmost town of India. Jaisalmer is named after its founder
Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king in 1156 AD. "Jaisalmer" means
"the Hill Fort of Jaisal". The city is also named as ‘Golden City’
due its famous Golden Fort. The city was founded by Rao Jaisal. A camel safari
would take you right into the desert, which is one of the prime tourist
attractions in Rajasthan. The yellow city lying in the heart of the desert, is
surrounded by sand dunes with an imposing and impregnable sand coloured forts
and palaces. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort,
which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses
and temples are finely sculptured. It lies in the heart of the Thar Desert and
has a population of about 78,000. Today it is an inhabited city busy city whose
chief attraction is meticulously stone carved havellis and private houses, and
a series of ornately carved Jain temples. It is regarded as the driest place in
India.
This
amber-hued city, in the heart of the desert, dazzles gloriously in the early
morning. The sunset has a peculiar glow here. As the night descends, the sky
goes up in flames, which fade leaving a few embers, till it becomes black. A
breathtaking sight indeed while going for Rajasthan tourism.
The
mainstream of the population of this gold city is Bhati Rajputs. This
population is belonged to the warrior community of India. Many rulers ruled on
Jaisalmer, which gave the special spot to this place in India's history. Deoraj
was the well-known prince of the Bhati family, and he was the real founder of
Jaisalmer Empire. In 1818, this place was under the British rulers, and that
was the real period of politics in Jaisalmer.
Tourist
attractions at Jaisalmer:
While
Jaisalmer may always have been remote, it is filled with many artistic
structures and monuments of local historical importance. Jaisalmer's medieval
mud fortress and walled township make it a popular tourist destination. The
surrounding desolate landscape evidences a stark, austere beauty. Camel safaris
through the nearby desert dunes are popular with tourists; competition for
business is fierce. A few quiet days spent wandering around the town and the
surrounding desert can be a wonderful way of unwinding from the chaos of larger
Indian cities.
Jaisalmer
Fort: The
Fort was built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal. It is situated on Meru
Hill and Named as Trikoot Garh had seen the scene of many battles. Its massive
sandstone walls are a yellowish-brown colour (lion colour) during the day,
turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. The best part about the
Jaisalmer is more than a quarter population of the city still live within the
fort. The main attractions inside the fort are: Raj Mahal (Royal Palace), Jain
temples and the Laxminath temple.
Havelis
(Royal houses):
the major spots of Jaisalmer are their royal houses built by local as well as
the rulers of the town.
Haveli of
Patwon:
Guman Chand Patwa (and later by his five sons), a wealthy trader belonging to
influential Oswal Jain society and banker who had over three hundred trading
centres from Afghanistan to China, constructed this five storey complex, which
took more than 50 years to get completed. This is the largest, the most
magnificent and the most elaborate of Jaisalmer havelis. This Haveli is also
known as the largest and most wonderfully developed Haveli of Jaisalmer.
Haveli of
Salam Singh:
This royal construction was done by the scheming Prime Minister Salam Singh in
1815. It has a beautifully arched roof capped with blue cupolas and carved
brackets in the form of peacocks. The beautifully arched roof with blue cupolas
makes it different from other constructed havelis of Jaisalmer.
Haveli
of Nathmalji: This haveli was constructed by Prime Minister of generous state
of Jaisalmer. Its concealment is an uprising of decoration such as flowers,
elephants, birds, soldiers, steam engine and a bicycle.
Haveli of
Shreenath:
The Haveli constructed by Vyas family is another special spot to visit. It is
turned as the popular hotel of Jaisalmer and visitors can enjoy the tradition
of Rajasthan in this hotel.
Transport
for reaching Jaisalmer:
Jaisalmer
is the last station of a Broad gauge situated at the border of India and
Pakistan. Visitors have to check with railways for train as limited trains are
only available for Jaisalmer. The other was to reach Jaisalmer is through
Jaipur. Recently the railways have started Double Decker to the Jaipur. The
onward journey from Jaipur to Jaisalmer could be made by luxury coaches operated
by local tour operators or from Rajasthan Tourism Corporation. The best palace
train of India known as “Palace on Wheels” is having a scheduled stop at
Jaisalmer. Sleeper and sitting buses are also accessible to reach Jaisalmer.
