Pokhran Town
Distance : 112km from Jaisalmer
¤ Location For Testing Nuclear
Devices
Strategically located midway in the triangle between Jaisalmer,
Jodhpur (172km southeast) and Bikaner (224km), Pokhran is a sparsely
populated area consisting mainly of scrub and sand. This place
suddenly hogged the international spotlight when the Indian government
detonated nuclear devices here on 18th May 1974,
ironically code-named ‘The Buddha Smiles’. Once again
international attention was focussed on it on the 11th and 13th May,
1998, when five more nuclear tests took place underneath its sandy
surface, code-named this time as ‘The Buddha Laughs’.
¤ Pokhran Town Linked With A Great Legend
Interestingly this links back to a legend from the epic Ramayana
where the god-king Ram once fitted his bow with a powerful arrow which
generated great heat in order to dry up the seas of Sri Lanka. Cajoled
not to do so, he instead fired it into the mythical river Saraswati
which, according to one legend, flowed here. The river dried up as a
consequence and was replaced by the barren desert.
¤ Pokhran Attractions
However, although an under-devoloped area Pokhran was once the
capital of the Thakur (chief) of Marwar. The Maheshwaris (a trading
community) built many beautiful havelis here which, like the Pokhran
fort, are built in red and yellow sandstone. The windows and balconies
are handsomely embellished with parrots, peacocks and elephants. The
chief thoroughfare of Pokhran is the Gandhi chowk where women selling
vegetables sit resplendent in their colourful Rajasthani dresses.
Apart from the fort and the havelis thare are a few cenotaphs and
temples which you can visit.
¤ Pokhran Fort
The yellow sandstone fort is over four centuries old and was
constructed by the Marwar Thakur (local chieftain) Rao Maldeo who
reigned from 1532-1584. Built with the remains of an earlier fort
called Satelmer Fort, the Pokhran fort is well stocked with wells and
grain stores and has a wonderful dining hall constructed in the second
half of the 19th century. The wooden doors at the gateway were fitted
with lethal iron spikes to guard against an elephant charge in case of
an enemy onslaught. There is a small temple dedicated to the goddess
Durga located in the second biggest courtyard of the fort, with stairs
leading upto a zenana (women’s quarters).
¤ Pokhran Museum
The Pokhran Museum housed inside the fort’s premises is smallish
and contains an assortment of weapons, paintings, pottery and the
costumes which the Maharajas wore. Also displayed are the little games
the royal family played during their leisure such as dominoes and
dice.
¤ Palaces
The palaces housed in the fort, the most exquisite is the Phool Niwas
or the Flower Palace with its latticed screens and delicately feminine
arches, probably inviting the fantasies of innocent maidens gazing
outside in yearning. The other palaces found in the fort are the
Mangal Niwas, the Rani Mahal and the Hawa Mahal, which is a much
smaller version of its namesake in Jaipur. The Pokhran fort is not as
grand a fort as some of the others in Rajasthan and does present a
slightly desolate look. However, as is the norm with most forts and
palaces in the area, it has been converted into a hotel and provides
very comfortable accommodation, which is not too heavy on the pocket
either.
¤ Ramdeo Temple
The main temple in the area, it is located about 15km from Pokhran.
The chief attraction of the place is the fair held biannually in the
months of Bhado and Magh (August and February according to the
Gregorian calendar), and is attended by pilgrims from all over Marwar
and even other states like Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
Held in honour of the Baba Ramdeo, who is revered by Hindus and
Muslims alike, the fair lasts for 11 days, the last day being an
important day of worship. To Western eyes it may all seem rather
quaint but there is no doubting the fervour of the participants. One
of the highlights of the festival is a dance performance by women
called Terahtal in which most women join in enthusiastically.
 ¤
Chhatris
Chhatris: Just a little way off from the fort you will come across
some beautifully carved sandstone cenotaphs or chhatris. The colour of
the sandstone is deep shade of red here which is unlike Jaisalmer
where it is the colour of gold. Chhatri (which literally translates
into English as ‘umbrella’) alludes to the pillared domes of
the cenotaphs. The construction of chhatris as a tribute to royalty is
very much part of Rajasthan’s rich architectural heritage. Mostly
built to honour their kings they commemmorate queens too, especially
when they have immortalized themselves by committing sati.
Occasionally you might find chhatris in honour of wealthy merchants
and other prominent members as well. Chhatris usually consist of
series of pillars on a raised platform supporting a central dome, with
possibly a few pavilions on the flanks. Pokhran is no different from
other places in the state, and just outside the city gates you’ll
find a generous number of cenotaphs – a fitting memorial to
Pokhran’s rulers. |
