Jaisalmer, a dream in the dessert sands.

Jaisalmer, at the western end of the Indian side of the great Thar dessert, at one time amassed great wealth as it lay on the caravan route of the Indian branch of the "Silk Route."

Besides, after the Muslim invasion of North India and the increase of a muslim population accross north India, Jaisalmer was the stopping station on the route to Mecca.


Jaisalmer has been nicknamed the Golden City, with the towering fort, rising from a sandy hill called Trikuta, with the ramparts turning a golden hue at sunset.

The Bhatti Rajput clan, named after a great warrior Bhatti who ruled over Punjab, moved south to the southern reaches of Rajasthan. This clan has a checkered history with one of the early founders of the dynasty, Deoraj, escaping from a massacre of his family, at his wedding, by a neighbouring clan!

Still later, in the 12th century, Rawal Jaisal was guided by a holy man, by the name of Eosul, to build the present fort, assuring him (Jaisal) that, as a descendant of Krishna, the latter had prophesised that this region would become a kingdom of the Yaduvanshi clan to which Jaisal belonged!

Jaisalmer withstood invasion and seige of the fort from successive attempts by Muslim invaders; Allahuddin Khilji, in 1294, and others over the next few centuries. When the defenders felt they were on the verge of losing, the Rajput ladies committed "Jauhar," an act of mass self immolation, rather than fall into the hands of the enemies! see this link for the history of Jaisalmer; and this link for some info on the royal line of Jaisalmer.

Jaisalmer lost most of its wealth and prominence after the port of Bombay was developed in the 18th century, replacing the ports of Gujrat which were closer to Jaisalmer.

Besided the great fort, Jaisalmer is famous for its havelis (residences of the wealthy) with intricately carved balconies, windows and wall facades.

After travelling through the arid dessert, to come upon a dessert city with a massive fort and a town with gems, the havelis, carved with such intricate patterns defies the imagination!
Jaisalmer getting there....

Nagaur, and Khimsar, palace fort in the dessert.

On the road between Bikaner and Jodhpur is the old town of nagaur. Although Nagaur has never been the centre of a Princely state, it has very ancient links, its mention in the great Indian epic Mahabharata, where Arjun (Krishna was his charioteer in the epic battle against the Kauravas-see post on Vrindavan) conquers this place then known as Ahichhatrapur. Later, Nagaur was first occupied by the Naga clan of Rajputs and then the Chauhan clan of Rajputs, its romantic leader Amar Singh defied the Moghul Emperor Shah Jehan (of the Taj Mahal fame) and was killed for this. see link for this episode and this link for more info on Nagaur.


For a very unique stay in the heart of a dessert, Khimsar with its fortress, and an opulent palace within, is a must visit. The fort was built by Rao Karamsiji, a son of Rao Jodha, founder of Jodhpur.



This great Prince (Rao Jodha) seems to have been fortunate in sons who were as ambitious as him, his other son Rao Bhika founded the Princedom and city of Bikaner, and the rulers of many other states were descended from him. The present occupant of this dessert fort, a scion of Karamsiji's line , runs a superb hotel in the Palace and he and his family personally look after the guests.
Here is a link for more info; and one more link .
Link for history of the Khimsar family .
first 6 pictures festival in and views of Nagaur Fort; next 5 pictures of Khimsar fort.

RAJASTHAN MAP

My posts here:From New Delhi south to Agra, then further south to Gwalior and Dholpur on the way(not in map but just below Agra where the map boundary points out eastward.) Then back north to Agra and a detour west to Bharatpur and Deeg and the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary there (also called Ghana B. S.); then a short northern route to Vrindavan (not in map as it is situate in Utter pradesh state- but roughly a short distance north-east of Bharatpur,) then west to Alwar and Sariska. Then south to Jaipur, the Pink City and Samode..From here north west to the Shekhawati region with the towns of Dundlod, Jhunjunu, Nawalgarh, Mandawa. Then west to the dessert city of Bikaner, and south to another dessert city of Jodhpur. Its worth covering Nagaur and Khimsar between Bikaner and Jodhpur. Then further west into the heart of the Great Indian Dessert of Thar, to Jaisalmer, city of the sand fort and the intricately carved havelis. Then eastwards to the great city of Udaipur with Kumbalgarh and Chittorgarh forts.

Jodhpur, and the great Meherangarh Fort.

Jodhpur is 195 kms south of Bikaner and 285 kms south-west of Jaipur. I would call Bikaner Jodhpur and Jaisalmer the "dessert triangle."
The 'ruling' dynasty, the Rathore clan of Rajputs have their origin in the Deccan as the Rashtrakuta dynasty that ruled as the vassals of the Kannauj rulers.(Kannauj-link) Shivaji Sihoji, grandson of the last ruler of Kannauj, Jai Chand(- the latter defeated by Shatab-uddin,) left on a pilgrimage to the north; at a place near present Jodhpur, Pali, he was befriended by the local Brahmins he saved from marauders, and who then persuaded him to settle there! Nine generations later, Rao Chanda (1383-1424) beat back a Muslim invasion in the region and acquired the city of Mandore, few kilometers from present Jodhpur, and then on, the fortunes of the Rathore clan turned for the better. Chanda's grandson Rao Jodha(1438-1489) founded Jodhpur city in 1459; he is also credited by many as the actual founder of the State of Jodhpur. But Rao Jodha had fourteen sons and twenty-three brothers from whom the rulers and nobles of Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kishangarh, Ratlam, Idar and Ahmednagar are descended ! This link for history of the Princely State of Jodhpur.
Jodhpur is referred as the Blue City, as most of the houses in the old city are washed in blue colour.
The city is famous for its impregnable hilltop forttress, the Meherangarh Fort, and the huge majestic Umaid Bhavan Palace, now a heritage hotel. The well known Jodhpur shoes get their name from here.
more info on Jodhpur link, and link 2.

Jodhpur, getting there