Jaisalmer ,
nicknamed "The Golden city", is a town in the Indian state of
Rajasthan. It is located 575 kilometres (357 miles) west of the state capital
Jaipur. It is an World Heritage Site. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. 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 (great
Indian desert) and has a population of about 78,000. It is the administrative
headquarters of Jaisalmer District.
Jaisalmer is
named after Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king who founded the city in 1156
AD. "Jaisalmer" means "the Hill Fort of Jaisal". Jaisalmer
is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow
sand and the yellow sandstone used in every architecture of the city gives a
yellowish-golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area.
Jaisalmer
Points of Interest
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer
Fort is one of the largest fortifications in the world. It is situated in the
city of Jaisalmer, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a World Heritage
Site. It was built in 1156 AD by the Bhati Rajput ruler Rao Jaisal, from whom
it derives it name. The fort stands proudly amidst the golden stretches of the
great Thar Desert, on Trikuta Hill, and has been the scene of many battles. Its
massive yellow sandstone walls are a tawny lion color during the day, fading to
honey-gold as the sun sets, thereby camouflaging the fort in the yellow desert.
For this reason, it is also known as the “Golden Fort”. This fort, popularly
known as the 'Sonar quila' by the locals, is located in the very heart the
city, and is one of the most notable monuments in the locality.
Salim Singh ki haveli
Salim Singh
ki haveli has been built on the remains of an older haveli built in the late
17th century. The new building was built in the year 1815 and was occupied by
the Mehta family of Jaisalmer. They were the most influential family of their
time. This haveli was commissioned by Salim Singh, the then Prime Minister of
the kingdom when Jaisalmer was the capital. The haveli has a distinct
architecture. The roof has been constructed in the form of Peacock. The haveli
is situated beside the hills near the Jaisalmer Fort. People claim that Salim
Singh made two additional floors in order to make it as high as the fort but
the Maharaja did not take this attempt in good spirit. He ordered the extra
floors to be torn down. Nevertheless we do not find enough evidence to
corroborate the story.
Kuldhara Abandoned Village
Kuldhara is
an extremely intriguing village which has been abandoned since early 1800s and
is believed to carry a curse of the residents who migrated elsewhere. Salim
Singh, the minister of the state, once visiting this village fell for this
young beautiful girl and wanted to get married to her. The girl was the
daughter of the chieftain and belonged to the clan of Paliwal Brahmins. The
minister threatened the villagers that if they did not marry the girl to him,
he would levy huge taxes. The chief of the village with those of other 84
adjoining villages decided to abandon and migrate elsewhere as against marrying
the girl to Salim Singh. Apparently, this cause one of the most intriguing migrations
of mankind and no one has any clue where all these people from 84 villages went
to.
Patwon ki Haveli
One of the
largest havelis in Rajasthan, Patwon ki Haveli is a cluster of five small
havelis. Started by Guman Chand Patwa, a wealthy banker, Patwon ki Haveli took
almost 55 years to be built and was completed by his sons. The haveli is dipped
in an enchanting shade of gold and instantly draws your attention to the
intricacy of its architecture. It is most famous for its fine wall paintings,
beautiful jharokhas (balconies), archways and gateways. A walk through the
haveli should not take more than an hour, and this can easily be covered in a
city tour.
Surya Gate
A 12th
century gate, the Surya Gate is found at the famous Jaisamler Fort popularly
known as 'Golden Fort'. Located on top of Trikuta Hill, the fort has four gates
that you have to cross before you get to the palace. These are – Akhai Gate,
Surya Gate, Ganesh Gate and Hawa Gate. Surya Gate is narrow and is decorated
with stone carvings. As you go from the first gate to Surya Gate you will also
cross small gift shops. Once you get to the fort, you can also visit the
palaces and the Jain and Hindu Temples located inside.
Bada Bagh
Bada Bagh,
which literally means 'Big Garden', is located on the Ramgarh road. It was
commissioned by Maharawal Jait Singh in the early 16th century and completed by
his son Lunakaran after his death. The site has three different things to
watch, a garden, a tank and a dam. In the vicinity itself you will find Govardhan
Stambh (pillar). This pillar was constructed to commemorate the construction of
the Dam and the tank. In the local dialect the Dam and the tank are known as
Jait Bandh and the Jait Sar respectively. It is believed that these are based
on the name of the man who constructed them. The Jait Bandh is a dominating
structure. It is about 1,200 feet in length and 350 feet in width. If you
observe it closely you will notice that this has been built out of solid blocks
of stone. The same material has been used for the construction of well as well
as the tank.
Gadisar Lake
The Gadisar
Lake in the city of Jaisalmer is one of the primary tourist attractions of the
region, originally conceived as a water conservation tank to fulfil the water
requirements of this acrid city, by the then maharaja of Jaisalmer, Maharwal
Gadsi Singh, around the year 1400 AD. Being of such paramount importance, it is
perhaps natural to find many shrines and temples dotting the precincts of the
lake that have with time become spots of pilgrimage. The most popular among
them is perhaps the Tilon Ki Pol, a yellow sandstone gateway that was made by a
courtesan by the name of ‘Tilan’, despite the contempt of the Maharaja. Tilon
dedicated the structure to the Lord Satyanarayan, or Krishna, by placing the
statue of Vishnu in the year 1908, which resulting in its declaration as a
Krishna Temple, anddespite the King’ repeated attempts, ensured its subsequent
survival.
Khaba Fort
Yet another
fascinating and slightly spooky fort in Jaisalmer, Khaba Fort, was once
inhabited by the Paliwal Brahmins. It was then suddenly deserted for mysterious
reasons. The fort still has the ruins of the homes of some 80 families that
used to live here more than 200 years ago. When you visit the fort, you can
take a walk around the crumbling structure and then take a tour of the small
museum that carries ancient artefacts. Khaba Fort still carries an abandoned
feel with very minimal human activity in the area. While you will see very few
humans, you would be pleasantly surprised to see a number of peacocks around
the fort.
Vyas Chhatri
A beautiful
example of Rajasthani architecture, Vyas Chhatri as the name suggests, is
dedicated to sage Vyaas, the writer of the epic Mahabharata. This local version
of a cenotaph, is made up of delicate carvings that are a sight to behold. This
is also one of the most scenic spots to catch a sunset in the desert.
The Thar Heritage Museum
This is a
great place for history enthusiasts who will love the artefacts preserved here.
The museum displays ancient coins, manuscripts, photographs, weapons and
musical instruments. The owner of the museum is a history buff himself and you
can ask him for a tour of the museum and its fascinating relics that tell the
story of Rajasthan’s history and folk culture.
The museum
also hosts a puppet show during evenings.
About PRABISH BISHUNGKHE
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