 |
The Fort - As you enter deep into this enchanting
city of Jaisalmer the 800-year old Golden Fort towers
over the Trikuta Hills. Within its walls, defended
by 99 turrets is the old city. The Fort is almost
30 meters over the city. It is approached through
Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, Bhoot Pol and Hawa Pol. Within
the fort, you will find many beautiful havelis
and a group of Jain Temples dating from the 12th to
the 15th centuries. The fort has five palaces called
Sarvottam Vilas, Akhai Vilas, Gaj Mahal, Rang Mahal
and Moti Mahal, all interconnected behind the seven
- storied façade . Small stairs will
take you from one court to |
|
another with superb jali (latticework) screens
shading interiors from the fierce heat and desert
wind. The opulence of the jharokhas (projected
balconies) and the delicate quality of the jali work
has earned the Jaisalmer artisan an enviable reputation
for extraordinary excellence in stone workmanship.
The honey-colored stone appears transformed miraculously
into a maze of filigreed adornment. The Rang Mahal,
built by Mool Raj II, has some exquisite murals painted
on arches and spandrels. From the balconies you will
get a marvelous view of the massive fortifications
guarding the small city. Balconies at the Gaj
Mahal are also breathtakingly beautiful. Exploring
the Fort and walking through the narrow lanes, you
will have an experience worth savouring.
Gadi Sagar - This tank,
south of the city walls, once held the town water
supply, and as per its importance in providing precious
water to the populace of this arid city, small temples
and shrines surround it. The beautiful yellow sandstone
gateway arching across the road down to the tank is
the Tilon-ki-Pol, and is said to have been
built by a famous prostitute, Tilon. When she offered
to pay to have this gateway constructed, the Maharaja
refused permission under it to go down to the tank
and he felt that this would be beneath his dignity.
While he was away, she built the gate, along with
a Krishna temple on top so that king could not tear
it down.
Sunset Point - An area
just north of Fort is popularly called ‘Sunset
Point’ due to the breathtaking view of the sun
setting over Jaisalmer, turning the citadels sandstone
from flaming yellow to burnished gold to bronze. |
| Havelis
-You will find five havelis outside
the fortress. Built by the Patva brothers in 1800,
two of the havelis are now owned by the government.
These havelis are open to the public. The
interior of the other three havelis can also
be seen with an offer of small fee to the present
residents. The Nathamal Ki Haveli was built
by two brothers. The design of the havelis are remarkably
harmonious. The Salim Singh Ki Haveli is
a six-storied structure with 38 balconies and elaborate
carvings. |
 |
Quick Getaways near Jaisalmer
|
Amar Sagar
- This natural spot developed by Maharawal
Amar Singh is a water reservoir in 1688 AD. The dams
were built to hold rainwater. Several terraces are
formed where summer palaces, temples are constructed
& Garden developed. On the south of the lake stands
the exquisitely carved Jain temple constructed by
Himmat Ram Bafna, the descendant of famous patwas.
|
|
Londurva - 16 kms northwest
from Jaisalmer, Londurva is the ancient capital of
Jaisalmer. Mostly in ruins, it is visited for the
large Jain temple that contains the most delicate
jali work (latticework), grand ceiling and a magnificent
triumphal arch at the entrance. The original carriage
for the deity, made in AD 1675, is still preserved.
The most interesting object d’art is Kalpataru,
a mythological tree of wish fulfillment. Londurva has
a huge number of peacocks that linger around the temple
walls imparting magnificent colour to the dry and
stony landscape. Here once flowed the river Kak. |
 |
|
Legend has it that
along its banks had prospered the romance between
princess Moomal, and prince Mahendra of Amarkot. Their heartrending
end is still the premise of folk songs. It is said that
when the lovers perished, the river Kak stopped flowing.
Sam
Dunes - Situated at the edge of the Thar Desert,
your trip to Jaisalmer is incomplete without a visit to
these fascinating dunes. These wind-caressed slopes are
marked with undulations creating an enthralling mirage,
a visual chimera of extraordinary splendour. The dunes can
be extremely treacherous since they can sink to a few feet
the moment one steps on them. Occasionally, you can see
the dunes shifting with the strong desert winds—an
astonishing feat of nature. Watching the sunrise and sunset
on the dunes is an unforgettable experience with the great
ball of fire rising from behind the low hills of sand, amid
a perfectly immobile landscape. You will be fascinated beyond
words at the cultural programmes, which take place on the
dunes of Sam. The full moon bathes the entire landscape
in a celestial light. As the programmes begin, the entire
atmosphere gets charged with magical strains of music on
instruments typical to a desert land. The very essence of
the desert will bare itself to you as enchanting dancers
perform the traditional dances of Ghair, Dhap, Chari, Moria,
Ghoomar, and the Terehtal. When the presentation by the
Kalbelia dancers is announced, remember to greet them with
a standing ovation and watch young girls dressed in long
black skirts, blouses and a long scarf dance to an exhilarating rhythm.
Akal Wood Fossil Park - If
the Jaisalmer fort offers one of the most tender and impressive
chapters in the history of Rajasthan, the Akal Wood Fossil
Park takes you back in time to some one hundred and eighty
million years to the Jurassic period when the whole Thar
region lay under the sea. The 21-hectare conserved area
of the park is 15 kilometres from Jaisalmer on the road
to Barmer. The solidified logs of trees trunks are now exposed
to view. The largest log is seven meters in length and 1.5
meters in width. Slow accumulation and disintegration of
numerous microorganisms at the bottom of the sea is believed
to be responsible for the formation of oil and natural gas
in the Thar region. Nearly 35 million years ago, the sea
finally withdrew from the Thar.
 |
 |