Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer, nicknamed the Golden City, is a city in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan, located in the heart of the Thar Desert, 575 kilometres (357 mi) west of the state capital, Jaipur. It serves as the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer district. It is a former medieval trading centre and the historic capital of Jaisalmer State, founded in 1156 by Rawal Jaisal of the Bhati clan of Rajputs. Jaisalmer is situated on a hill of yellow sandstone and is crowned by the World Heritage Site, Jaisalmer Fort, a massive hilltop citadel supported by 99 bastions. The fort contains a royal palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many houses and temples in both the fort and the town below are made of finely carved yellow sandstone.

Etymology

Jaisalmer was founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD. It is named after its founder, the word "Jaisal" signifies the king's name and the word "mer" or "meru" is of Sanskrit origin, meaning mountain or high, prominent place. Historically it has been used in the names of various geographical sites and landmarks, such as Ajmer.

History

The state of Jaisalmer was founded on the remains of a kingdom ruled by the Bhati dynasty. The early Bhati rulers ruled a vast empire stretching from Ghazni in modern Afghanistan to Sialkot, Lahore and Rawalpindi in modern Pakistan and Bhatinda, Muktsar and Hanumangarh in modern India. This empire collapsed over time due to constant invasions from Central Asia. According to Satish Chandra, the Hindu Shahis of Afghanistan allied with the Bhati rulers of Multan as they wanted to put an end to the slave raids carried out by the Turkic ruler of Ghazni, however this alliance was defeated by Alp Tigin in 977 AD. Bhati dominance continued to expand southwards while ruling Multan. Jaisalmer was the new capital, founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156 and the state was named after this capital.

Tourism is a major industry in Jaisalmer.

Jaisalmer Fort, Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan. Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, located on Mount Meru and popularly known as Trikuta Garh, the Jaisalmer Fort has been the site of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are pale yellow during the day, turning into a deep golden hue at sunset. Famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later made a film on it - Sonar Kella (Golden Fort), which was based on this fort. About one-fourth of the city's population still lives inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are the Raj Mahal (Royal Palace), Jain Temple and Lakshminath Temple.

Jain Heritage (Temples), Jaisalmer has many ornate buildings built by the Jain community, including temples, most notably the temples dedicated to the 16th Tirthankara Shantinath and the 23rd Tirthankara Parshvanath. There are a total of seven Jain temples located within the Jaisalmer Fort built during the 12th and 15th centuries. The largest of these temples is the Parshvanath Temple; the others are Chandraprabhu Temple, Rishabhdev Temple, Sheetalnath Temple, Kunthunath Temple and Shantinath Temple. Known for their exquisite work of art and architecture in the medieval era, these temples are made of yellow sandstone and have intricate carvings. Jaisalmer has some of the oldest libraries in India that house rare manuscripts and artifacts of the Jain tradition. Jaisalmer

Gadisar Lake – Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, it is a scenic rainwater lake surrounded by the small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. Earlier, this lake was used to be the main water source of Jaisalmer. Due to an increased water demand for agriculture, the lake is increasingly threatened with drying up.

Bada Bagh, a complex with chhatris of Jai Singh II (d. 1743) and subsequent Maharajas of Jaisalmer

The Jaisalmer War Museum was conceived by Lieutenant General Bobby Mathews, AVSM, VSM, General Officer Commanding, Desert Corps and constructed by the Desert Corps of the Indian Army.

Kuldhara is an abandoned village in the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan, India. Established around the 13th century, it was once a prosperous village inhabited by Paliwal Brahmins. It was abandoned by the early 19th century for unknown reasons, possibly because of dwindling water supply, an earthquake, or as a local legend claims, because of the atrocities by the Jaisalmer State's minister Salim Singh.

Kothari's Patwon Ki Haveli / Patwa Haveli, Series of early-1800s palaces, now a museum featuring intricate carvings, furniture & artwork. People say this heritage museum offers a glimpse into the lives of wealthy merchants through intricate carvings, detailed architecture, and a collection of artifacts. They also highlight the well-maintained interior, the stunning jharokhas, and the beautiful mirror work. Other reviews mention the entry fee can be high.

In the neighborhood

• Jaisalmer War Museum, a true tribute to the country's military heritage and the sacrifices of its soldiers.
• Kuldhara Village
• Tanot Mata, a historic temple near the Indo-Pak border.
• Ramdevra, a village in Jaisalmer, is named after Baba Ramdevji, a Tanwar Rajput and a saint who attained samadhi at the age of 33 in 1384 AD. Today, many social groups in India worship him as their Ishtadeva.
• Longewala Battle Site
• Desert National Park
• Lodhruva
• Rajkumari Ratnavati Balika Vidyalaya

Museums

• Thar Heritage Museum
• Baa RI Haveli On Fort
• Desert Culture Centre & Museum
• Jaisalmer Folklore Museum
• Government Museum
• Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum
• Akal Fossil Park Museum
• Cactus Park Museum, Kuldhara
• Tanot Museum

Jaisalmer Desert festival

Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is the most awaited and famous cultural and colourful event of Rajasthan. Camel races, Turban-tying and Mr. Desert competitions are organised. It is held in the month of February every year. The festival showcases Rajasthani folk songs and dance and it is very attractive to foreign tourists. Gair and Fire dancers which are the major attraction of the Jaisalmer desert festival celebrations. This is the best time to visit Jaisalmer to witness performing arts like Kalbelia dances and folk songs and music.

Transport

• Jaisalmer is connected to the rest of Rajasthan by buses provided by Rajasthan State Transport Corporation as well as other private bus operators.
• Jaisalmer Airport is located 17 km south-east of Jaisalmer. Flights are available from here to Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat, Jodhpur etc.
• Jaisalmer railway station runs daily trains between Jaisalmer and Jaipur, through which it is connected to Delhi and other cities all over India. This station comes under Jodhpur (JU) division of the Northwestern Railway (NWR). Additionally, there exists a luxury tourist train known as Palace on Wheels, which covers the major tourist destinations of Rajasthan, including Jaisalmer.

In popular culture

• Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen (1969), a Bengali film directed by Satyajit Ray, was partly shot at Jaisalmer Fort.
• Sonar Kella (1974), Satyajit Ray's Bengali film, based on his eponymous novel featuring his creation, the detective Feluda, was based in Jaisalmer and surrounding areas.
• Hothat Brishti (1998), a Bengali film, was shot in Jaisalmer.
• Nanhe Jaisalmer (2007), Hindi film shot in Jaisalmer
• Goray Gondogol (2012), a Bengali film, was partly shot in Jaisalmer.
• Kishore Kumar Junior (2018), a Bengali film, was partly shot in Jaisalmer.
• The Eken: Ruddhaswas Rajasthan (2023), Bengali movie directed by Joydip Mukherjee and based on Ekenbabu, a detective of Kolkata Police, written by New Jersey–based Bengali author Sujan Dasgupta.

Notable people

• Multanaram Barupal, politician, advocate and former member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Jaisalmer constituency
• Chhotu Singh Bhati, politician and member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Jaisalmer constituency
• Queen Harish, folk dancer
• Mame Khan, Rajasthani folk singer
• Swaroop Khan, playback folk singer
• Raseshwari Rajya Laxmi, queen of Jaisalmer
• Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, politician, Olympic medallist and retired colonel in the Indian Army
• Rooparam, politician and former member of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Jaisalmer constituency
• Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, politician and union cabinet minister in the Minister of Culture and Minister of Tourism

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