An Introduction

Mostly the portrayal of Tourism in Rajasthan shows Camel rides in the desert. This is actually what one experiences in the Jaisalmer city of Rajasthan. It will not be wrong to call this radiant city as the Golden City. The meaning of the word Jaisalmer means ‘the hill fort of Jaisal’ which is also the most prominent tourism spot of the city. The monuments of the city are golden honey in color due to the use of yellow sandstone used in construction which is found in abundance in the area. The city is in the Thar Desert, the sand dunes and the marvelous Havelis and fort glistening in the sunshine attract the visitors from all over the world.

History of Jaisalmer

The founder of Jaisalmer, Rawal Jaisal Singh was the son of Rawal Deoraj Singh who lost his land during a mass massacre at his wedding. Later his son Jaisal Singh who succeeded him was told by a sage that Lord Krishna had made a prophecy regarding his descendant coming and settling in the Trikuta Hill. On listening about this Maharawal Jaisal Singh decided to build his capital here and named it Jaisalmer.

Tourist Attractions in Jaisalmer

The major tourist attractions in Jaisalmer are-

Jaisalmer Fort

The Jaisalmer Fort is another main attraction of Jaisalmer; it is a World Heritage Site. Situated on Meru hill called Trikut Garh, the fort has witnessed many battles. The fort is alive as around a quarter of population still lives in the fort. The fort complex has the Raj Mahal, Laxminath Temple, Shantinath Temple, Kunthunath Temple, Rishabhnath Temple and many more. Jaisalmer also has a connection to the Jain religion and hence, you can see Jain temples in the complex too, all of them having beautiful engravings and embossing over them.

Gorbandh Palace

The Gorbandh Palace is appealingly located in Jaisalmer. The name of the palace is inspired by the harness of camels which are decorated by the women for the camels owned by their husbands. These decorative accessories are decorated by anything in the reach of the village women. The use shells, colorful threads, mirrors, sequins and even colorful buttons. It is a very pleasant site to see the decorated ship of desert in these colorful accessories. The appalling yellow sandstone place have geart interiors and exteriors which has now been converted into a luxurious hotel.

Bada Bagh

Located 6kms from Jaisalmer, the Bada Bagh also called Barabagh is a series of cenotaphs of the royal family rulers. The first cenotaph was built by Jai Singh II in the memory of the founder of the city Maharawala Jaisal Singh. Later the building of Cenotaphs continued and the last one was built in the 20^th century. Unlike the other places in Jaisalmer, Bada Bagh is a green place with gardens and a dam.

Languages Spoken in Jaisalmer

 The languages that are used by the locals are Hindi, English and Rajasthani language.

Famous Festivals in Jaisalmer

There are two main festivals that are celebrated in Jaisalmer, the Desert Festival which is a huge attraction for the tourists and the Ramdevra Fair.

Cuisines of Jaisalmer

The savory cuisines one can have in Jaisalmer are Ker Sangri, Safed Maans, Lal Maans, Dal Baati Choorma, Kadhi Pakoda and Subz-e-Murg. To satisfy your sweet tooth you must taste Ghevar, Makhaniya Lassi, Malpua and Laapsi.

Climate in Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is a desert city and due to this it has a desert climate with extreme heat during summers. The best time to visit is during the months of October to February.