Jaisalmer City
Population : 43,400
Distance : 285 km from Jodhpur
STD : 02992
¤ The Founding of Jaisalmer
 The
founder of Jaisalmer was Raja Jaisal (after whom the city is named) in
the middle of the 12th century. Shortly after deposing his nephew as
king, he decided to shift his capital from Lodurva to Jaisalmer, the
former being too susceptible to invasions from the west. While
searching for a site, he came across a triple-peaked hill called
Trikuta, which became the site for the for the fort and Jaisal’s
new capital.
¤ Jaisalmer Legend
The legend behind why Raja Jaisal chose this particular spot to found
his new capital is intriguing. He came upon a sage called Eesul, the
local Nostradamus who showed him Lord Krishna’s prophecy
inscribed on stone nearby. He had predicted that one his descendants
would found a settlement here. Jaisal needed no second invitation and,
with the help of wealthy Jain traders, built a gilded fortress. Within
its ramparts the Rajputs added their Hindu temples, Jains their
shrines and along with the habitations of Muslim stone cutters, it
became a truly secular centre.
¤ Monument Attractions
Most of the monuments of Jaisalmer were built between the 12th and
the 15th centuries. The fort has a series of wonderful palaces like
the Gaj Palace, the Sarvottam Vilas, the Junaand Rang Mahals to name
but a few. The palaces are profusely ornamented and are a virtual
treasure trove of ancient palm leaf manuscripts and treatises locked
up in its vaults. The fort also contains a series of beautiful Jain
temples, seven in all, linked by a protective chain. The most
prominent among them are the Parshvanath Temple, the Rishabhnath
Temple, the Shantinath Temple, the Shambhavnath Temple and the
Chandraprabhuji Temple, all dedicated to different Jain tirthankaras
(Prophets).
¤ Haveli Attractions
Jains facing religious persecution elsewhere in the middle ages
migrated to the desert kingdoms of Bikaner and Jaalmer and added much
to the splendour of these cities. Other architectural attractions of
Jaisalmer include the havelis or mansions which proliferate the
labyrinthine lanes of the town, and were described by one writer as "filigreed
stone gems set in the desert." Built by wealthy merchants, these
havelis have lace like facades fitted into an intricate combination of
geometric patterns.
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Garsisar Tank
Another important landmark is the Garsisar water tank, water being a
very precious commodity in sun-soaked Jaisalmer.
¤ Bada Bagh
Nearby lie a number of marvelous temples, and an eloquent archway
built by Teelon, a religious courtesan. Just a few miles away lies the
Bada Bagh, housing a garden atop a water tank with a unique drainage
system and a lovely mango grove, rather an oasis in the desert.
¤ Chhatris
Also in the suburbs of Jaisalmer lie the chhatrisor cenotaphs of the
Jaisalmer royalty, a poignant tribute to a valorous people. and one of
the most picturesque spots in the area is the Amar Sagar lake and
palace, located about 7km away from Jaisalmer city.
¤ Desert Adventure
Sam Sand Dunes : But to our
mind the most romantic spot around Jaisalmer are the pristine Sam Sand
Duneswhich you cannot afford to miss if you are in the vicinity.
Sleeping supinely on the silken sand with your face to the sky is a
memorable experience. Slightly further away is
¤ Desert National Park
Desert National Park, a wildlife sanctuary and home inter-alia to the
endangered bird, the Great Indian Bustard. Lodurva , the ancient
capital of the Bhattis, is not too far away either, while another
desert town Barmer, is just a three hour drive away. and last but not
the least you must visit Pokhran to make your trip to Jaisalmer
district complete. A nondescript little town, it hit the international
headlines when India conducted five nuclear tests here in May 1998.
But don’t be fearful of the radio-active waste – just about
the only thing you will find here is an old fort and museum, and a few
temples and cenotaphs.
¤ Arts and Crafts of Jaisalmer
The arts and crafts of Jaisalmer reveal the vivacious character of
the people and their celebration of life and beauty despite the harsh
terrain. Textile printing, which is an important industry in the area
is indicative of that, with special colour schemes, designs and
techniques being the leitmotif. Jaisalmer and adjoining Barmer are
renowned for their ajrakh prints (ajrakh is possibly a corruption of
the Arabic word 'azrak' which means blue). Designed in blue and red
geometrical patterns, they are very similar to the ajrakh prints found
right across the border in Sind in Pakistan. The prints are used to
make odhnis (long scarf), multi-coloured turbans, bedspreads and other
household items. The odhni is a ten foot long, five feet wide garment
worn by both Hindu and Muslim women.
¤ Tie and Dye Textiles
Tie and dye textiles called Bandhani are also very much in vogue in
Jaisalmer as all over Rajasthan. The methodology is to draw the
outline of the design on the fabric using a non-permanent dye which is
then fastened with strings. The fabric is then pinched with
fingernails and tie strings and then dipped in dye. Another craft
which abounds in Jaisalmer is embroidery and applique work, especially
zari (gold-thread) embroidery which is known locally as karchobi.
 ¤
Jaisalmer Jewellery
Jaisalmeris also love their jewellery, be it in the natural
simplicity of the tribals whose ancient designs are often shaped like
leaves, tendrils or flower buds, or the opulent ornaments of the
ruling classes. The rulers of Jaisalmer (called the Maharawals) were
strongly influenced by the Mughals, and their turbaned ornaments or
jighas were studded with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and other
precious stones. Ornamented turbans like that are still made by the
jewellers of Jaisalmer.
¤ Carpet weaving
Carpet weaving was a skill that was brought to India by the Mughals
in the 16th century, but indigenous weavers soon learnt the trade and
weaved carpets and dhurries (rugs) comparable with the best in Persia
and Arabia. Jaisalmer, because it was a vassal state of the Mughal
empire, became an important carpet weaving centre of Rajasthan.
¤ Jaisalmer Paintings
Jaisalmer is also one of the most important centers as far as
Rajasthani painting is concerned, which is characterised by striking,
exuberant colours defined by strong, bold lines. There are no Leonardo
Da Vinci’s here, but the paintings are of uniformly high quality
and a distinctive style, with cool palettes, intricate drawings and a
robustly conservative style full of passion summing it up if you get
the picture.
¤ Jaisalmer Trade
But by far the most important export of Jaisalmer and the rest of the
Marwar area are the jootis (leather sandals), made of sheepskin and
embellished with intricate needle work. Pottery remains an important
art in parched Jaisalmer and the narrow mouthed water pitchers in
Jaisalmer are ingeniously conceived to reduce loss of water through
evaporation to a bare minimum. The pitchers are deliberately
constructed as a little porous to allow some liquid to escape which
keeps the water within cool. Geologically, Rajasthan in general and
Jaisalmer in particular comprises of myriad hard rocks, quartzites,
marbles and granite which has allowed the stone-cutters to give full
rein to their skill. This can be gauged from the splendid forts,
palaces and monuments found in Jaisalmer and the beautiful sculptures
found resplendent in its temples.
¤ Jaisalmer Fort
The most elegent architectural marvel is the Jaisalmer Fort itself,
incredibly constructed from solid blocks of stone interlaced with each
other. and the great talent of the silavats (stone carvers) is
self-evident from the beautifully chiselled friezes, ornamental jalis
(latticed windows) and plinths, pillars and cornices of the monuments.
Some of the best examples of the unique jali work of Jaisalmer’s
artisans can be found in the havelis or mansions of the city wherein
the yellow sandstone surface has been converted into exquisitely soft
ornamental designs. The silavat carvers are meticulous about their
intricately created jali works. They select the stone to be carved
carefully, sketch the design in charcoal and then chip away the
unwanted stone.
¤ Badal Vilas
 Another
stunning example of the high-quality work of the silavat artisans is
the Badal Vilas, where they created a multi-storeyed Tazia tower, a
replica of bamboo and paper towers taken out by the Shia Muslims on
Moharram. Moharram is the festival when the Shia Muslims celebrate the
martyrdom of Hussain, the son-in-law of Prophet Mohammad, and tazia
processions are taken out by them on the streets.
Today Jaisalmer is a bustling desert town with people living in
houses built by their ancestors, and the fortress itself is a self
contained township. Jaisalmer abounds in palaces and Jain and Hindu
temples.
¤ Music & Dance
As with other areas of Marwar, music and dance play an important part
of the lives of the people of Jaisalmer. There are three main groups
of professional singers in the area namely the Langas, the Mangniyars,
and the Dholiyas. The Langas perform mainly for Muslim patrons and the
two instruments they play are the shehnai (a flute-like instrument
played at weddings) and the sarangi (a stringed instrument). The
Mangiyars, on the other hand, were wandering minstrels and have always
had an intimate association with the Rajputs. It was their job to pep
up their spirits before a battle and keep a watch over them on their
death beds until the final rites were performed. The two musical
instruments played by them are the morchang which is similar to a Jew’s
harp, and a kamayacha which is a stringed instrument with a big belly
played with a long bow.
¤ Fairs & Festivals
Principally there are two religious fairs celebrated in the Jaisalmer
district; one is the Ramdeora fair which is celebrated twice a year at
the famous Ramdeo temple located a short distance from Pokhran (see
more about the Ramdeo fair under Pokhran). The second is Gangaur which
is of course celebrated all over Rajasthan and with great gusto in
Jaisalmer. Dedicated to the goddess Parvati, consort of Lord Shiva (of
the three gods who comprise the holy trinity of Hindu Gods, Shiva is
the Destroyer), Gangaur is celebrated by married women who pray for
continued marital bliss.
¤ The Enchanting Desert Festival
But the time when Jaisalmer really comes alive is during the desert
festival which has been held annually every year since 1979 during the
months of January-February. The soulful music of folk artists rends
the air as ballad singers and puppeteers present the desert heritage
of Jaisalmer in all its glory. The Langas and the Mangniyars are in
their elements during the celebrations with their sarangis and their
kamayachas, and if you have never seen a camel performing acrobatics
or dancing a jig here’s your chance to do so – an extremely
rare sight indeed.
Major Circuits
Major Tour Packages To Rajasthan
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