State : Rajasthan
Nothing else in India is remotely similar to Jaisalmer. Its desert fort, which resembles a gigantic sandcastle, is straight out of ' The housand and One Nights '. There are many havelis which can be found elsewhere in Rajasthan, but nowhere are they quite as exquisite as in Jaisalmer. Even the humblest shops and houses display something of the Rajput love of the decorative arts. There is a down side to Jaisalmer becoming one of Rajasthan's most popular tourist destinations. Jaisalmer is a great place to simply wander. The old city was once completely surrounded by an extensive wall, much of which has sadly been ripped away in recent times for building material. Some of it remains, however, including the city gates and, inside them, the massive fort which rises above the city and is the essence of Jaisalmer. The main market area is directly below the hill, while the banks, the new palace and several other shops and offices are near the Amar Sagar Gate to the west.

Jaisalmer History
The city has an interesting legend associated with it, according to which, Lord Krishna-the head of the Yadav Clan, foretold Arjuna that a remote descendent of the Yadav Clan would built his kingdom atop the Trikuta Hill. His prophecy was fulfilled in 1156 A.D. when Rawal Jaisal, a descendent of the Yadav Clan and a Bhatti Rajput, abandoned his fort at Lodurva and founded a new capital - Jaisalmer, perched on the Trikuta Hill.

Bahti Rajputs of Jaisalmer were feudal chiefs who lived off the forced levy on the caravans laden with precious silks and spices that crossed the territory enroute Delhi-or-Sind. These caravans earned the town great wealth.


Place to See
Jaisalmer Fort
Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, it is situated on Trikuta Hill and had been the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are a tawny lion color 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.

Salim Singh Ki Haveli
Haveli: It was built by the scheming Prime Minister Salim Singh in 1815. It has a beautifully arched roof capped with blue cupolas and carved brackets in the form of peacocks.

Patwon Ki Haveli
Built by Guman Chand Patwa (and later by his five sons), a wealthy merchant 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.

Sam Sand Dunes
Sam Sand dunes are the major attractions of Jaislamer. It is 3 kms long and 1 km wide and is half a kilometer high. The sam sand dunes are unreliable and they are picturesque. Sam Sand dunes are just the place to surf the golden sands of Rajasthan through a safari.

Desert National Park
The Desert National Park envelopes a rich flora and fauna. The Sudashri forest post is the most model spot for observing wildlife in this reserve. The inhabitants are the blackbuck, chinkara, wolf, Indian fox and desert cat. One also spot the grey partridge.

Bada Bagh
This is a 300 year old Jaisalmer Haveli. It has a beautiful blue cupola roof with carved brackets in the form of peacocks. This is an amazing mansions in yellow stone and has an amazing projecting balcony on the top storey.


Fairs & Festivals
Jaiselmer Desert Fair
Once a year in winters and on the middle of the continually rising and falling stark yellow sands of the great Thar Desert, the empty sands around Jaisalmer come alive with the brilliant color, music and laughter of the Desert Festival. The festival is organized by the tourist authorities as tourist entertainment around January-February.

The very rich and colorful Rajasthani folk culture is on show here for a few days. Rajasthani men and tall beautiful women dressed in their brightly costumes dance and sing lingering ballads of valor, romance and tragedy. Traditional musicians attempt to outdo each other in their musical superiority.

The high points of the festival are - snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats, folk performers do rapid trade. Camels, the lifeline of the desert, play a foremost role. Proud mustached villagers, dressed in their ethnic best come astride their picturesquely caparisoned camels to join in the camel dances and competitions of camel acrobatics, camel races and décor, camel polo, tug of war and the like. The tourist dances, turban tying competitions and tug of war are big draws and laughter.


How To Reach
Air :The nearest airport that caters to Jaisalmer - bounded travellers is at Jodhpur. Jodhpur is connected to many other indian cities by air.

Train : The nearest railway station that caters to Jaisalmer - bounded travellers is at Jodhpur. Jodhpur is connected to many other indian cities by train.

Road : Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe & air conditioned buses from Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner. The roads are very good and fairly comfortable.