Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer pronunciation ,nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 575 kilometres (357 mi) west from the state capital Jaipur. 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 and has a population of about 78,000. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District.
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
Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, Jaisalmer Fort is situated on Trikuta Hill and had been the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are a tawny lion colour during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. The famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later turned it into a film – Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress) which was based on this fort. This is a living fort and about a quarter of city's population still live inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are: Raj Mahal (Royal palace), Jain temples and the Laxminath temple.
Havelis
The main havelis in Jaisalmer are:
Patwon-ki-Haveli: Guman Chand Patwa (and later by his five sons), a wealthy merchant belonging to powerful Oswal Jain community and banker who had over three hundred trading centres from Afghanistan to China. This ornate five-storey complex took fifty years to complete. This is the largest, the most magnificent, and the most elaborate of Jaisalmer havelis.[9]
Salam Singh-ki-Haveli: It was built 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.
Nathmalji-ki-Haveli: Built by a Prime Minister of princely state of Jaisalmer. Its facade is a riot of ornamentation: flowers, birds, elephants, soldiers, a bicycle and even a steam engine.
Haveli Shreenath :haveli The Vyas family built this lovely haveli Shreenath Palace - Hotel in Jaisalmer in the 15 th Century, and descendants of this family live here today. Shreenath Palace - Hotel in Jaisalmer was once inhabited by the Prime Minister of Jaisalmer, and guest are invited to stay in these rooms – there are only five available for the hotel – and join the Vyas family in enjoying this architectural treasure, and feel like aMaharaja for a few days. Some of the doors and ceilings are wonderful examples of old carved wood from many hundreds of years ago. Some of the doors have brass or iron fittings.
Jain heritage of Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer has been enriched by its Jain community, which has adorned the city with beautiful temples, notably the temples dedicated to the 16th Tirthankara, Shantinath, and 23rd Tirthankara, Parshva.
Jaisalmer boasts some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts and artefacts of Jain tradition. There are many pilgrimage centres around Jaisalmer such as Lodarva (Lodhruva), Amarsagar, Brahmsar and Pokharan.
How to reach
By Air
A military airstrip has recently been opened to limited civilian flights, with Kingfisher planning to offer flights to Delhi. A new, dedicated airport is planned for 2011.
By train
There is a direct train service from Old Delhi. Delhi- Jaisalmer Express "Shalimar Exp", departure time at 5.30pm, reaches jaisalmer at 11.30 am next morning. When arriving by train you will pass the station of Pokharan, India's nuclear testing area! The Train leaves NOT from the Station New Dehli next to the Backpacker-Ghetto "Main-Bazar", but a 15min-Rikscharide nort from the Dehli Jn - Station. We almost missed the always fully bokked Train. BTW, booking a "expensive" 3AC (850Rp) or better Ticket is a good invetion, because you will freeze you a%& off in the Sleeper Class with the open windows in Winter.
By bus
Bus or car-taxi from Jodhpur or by bus from Bikaner. A daily bus runs to and from Jaipur.
By car
Approximate road distances from various destinations are
Agra 800 km
Ajmer 440 km
Bikaner 330 km
Jaipur 570 km
Jodhpur 300 km
Mumbai 1140 km
New Delhi 800 km
Udaipur 575 km
Hotels
Hotel Shree Govindam, Near Hanuman Circle (Geeta Ashram Road), ? +91 9414150528, . checkin: After 11 AM; checkout: 9 AM. 10 AC double rooms, hot & cold water, 24-hr service, safari booking facility, and restaurant with full fort view. From its terrace you can also see a sunrise or sunset while enjoying a cocktail. 1000 C.P.
Garh Jaisal, on fort, [6]. opened in 2006 and overlooks the entrance to the fort. It has an amazing rooftop deck overlooking the city. Each room is decorated like a jewel tone. edit
Hotel Moonlight, Opp. Head Post Office, Hanuman Circle, ? +91-2992-250267, . checkin: 12.00 Noon; checkout: 12.00 Noon. Traditional-style hotel, rooftop restaurant
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