Jaisalmer

What to do in Jaisalmer? Imagine a city nestled in the middle of the desert in the shadow of a massive fortress. You stroll through its bustling streets filled with beggars, artisans, and gurus while hoping that the princesses, hidden behind the latticed windows of their palaces, will notice you… Welcome to Jaisalmer, India’s “City of the Thousand and One Nights.”

The city's origins date back to 1156 AD, when the local king decided to abandon the former site of his capital and move it to Jaisalmer, considering it easier to defend. When you arrive in Jaisalmer and see Trikuta Hill (where the fort is located), you begin to understand the wisdom of his decision.

THINGS TO DO IN JAISALMER: THE TOUR

Jaisalmer is known as “The Golden City.” The reason lies in these golden buildings made of sandstone, which take on a truly spectacular coppery hue in the evening light.

Well, here we are… where to start? It seems logical to begin by visiting the city’s most prominent building: the Fort.

The Fort

If Jaisalmer is the Golden City, the fort we’re talking about is called Sonar Quila (The Golden Fort), and in 2013 it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site—so you know something truly special awaits you when you step inside.

I'm sure you've been to many forts in your life… What makes this one special enough to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Well, unlike other forts (which are usually empty—except for military personnel—and are only occupied by the townspeople in the event of an enemy attack), the Golden Fort is home to a large portion of Jaisalmer's population—about 3,000 people.. Let´s go to see it

Enter the fort through a narrow gate guarded by dozens of fearsome sentinels: a swarm of bats.

Once inside, you're immersed in a cheerful chaos of tourists, vendors, cows, and whatever else you can imagine….

I haven't been in India very long, but I get the impression that they've quickly figured out what Western tourists like and are applying that knowledge systematically: every restaurant claims to have the best “sunset view” or the best “observation point” of the fort; the truth is, the sun sets over an open field and isn't all that charming, but it's funny to hear how they try to sell you on it..

The Royal Palace and some temples

The truth is that the Royal Palace didn't impress me as much as it should have; I suppose it's because after seeing so many palaces in India, you end up becoming desensitized. It’s much more fun to explore some of the temples located in the Fort, especially the Jain Temple (200 Rp), which isn’t bad; there’s a “holy man” praying there who abandons his spiritual purity the very moment you show up, insistently asking you for a tip… this one has truly reached Nirvana…

The palaces of the wealthy class: the Havelis

Here we are, on the edge of the Thar Desert, an inhospitable place… How is it that we’re talking about a wealthy class that builds its own palaces?

Jaisalmer is situated in a prime location along the Silk Road, but these palaces were built later, in the 19th century, by various merchants who sought to outdo one another with buildings more ostentatious than their neighbors’.

It's almost pointless to include a map here to help you find the main havelis in Jaisalmer, since they're scattered throughout a labyrinth of alleys filled with cows, dogs, and other wildlife. On Google Maps, you'll only find a rough idea of their locations, so you'll have to wander around to find them:

For the first test, the simplest one, the Salim Singh-ki Haveli. It's easy to find: from the fort's main gate, walk straight ahead, toward the east.

Salim Singh was the Diwan (or chancellor) of the Kingdom of Jaisalmer in the early 19th century. He amassed so much power and wealth that he built a palace two stories taller than the Maharaja’s own palace; the Maharaja, understandably furious, ordered it demolished until only the current structure remained. It's currently home to a very friendly man who lets you in for 50 Rp and doesn't try to sell you anything ☺️.

The upper part, which has been least affected by human activity, is breathtaking. What you see in the photo below is called jharokha which means“carved balcony” And if you travel around Rajasthan enough, you'll see it all the time: it's sandstone, but it's carved so skillfully that in the evening light it practically looks like wood.

Find the second haveli, the Nathmal-ki Haveli It's like taking a master's degree in navigating the streets. As soon as you leave the Salim Singh Haveli, head generally northwest along the widest, busiest street you see (ask for Sadar Bazar), and you'll eventually get there.

Once you've passed the test, a young man—who claims to be the owner of the textile workshop housed in the building—will also show it to you for free, without being too pushy about getting you to buy something. Go up to the top floor for some breathtaking views of the fort.

The Pawa-ki Haveli Today, it is a museum comprising several buildings (200 Rp), a true example of luxury. But by far the best part is the street that runs from east to west, connecting the first two havelis—a true testament to the gold, glitter, wealth, and splendor that Jaisalmer must once have possessed.

The Desert Cultural Museum

In addition to the Royal Palace, which is located to the left of the fort's gate as you enter, there is a small museum next to the tourist office (on the main road that circles the town) called the Desert Cultural Museum, which is a good example of a museum frozen in time.

In addition to housing the standard collection of all kinds of desert-related objects, the highlight is its abandoned puppet theater, which lends an even more melancholic touch to the whole place

There's supposed to be a short puppet show every day at 6:00 p.m., but the thick layer of dust on the chairs makes it clear that not many people were coming to see it….

Gadi Sagar

¿What to do in Jaisalmer at sunset? The place to go is Gadi Sagar, a small lake surrounded by mansions.

This structure “submerged” in the water is called chhatri and it’s neither a lookout point nor a resting pavilion without a royal family mausoleum. Along the lake’s shore, you’ll come across temples, more chhatris like these, and—now, yes—resting pavilions that the ancient maharajas used to relax in at sunset when the heat subsides here

You enter the complex through the Tilon-Ki-Pol, a beautiful gate that, according to a terse plaque at the entrance, was built by a “courtesan” (very refined, isn’t it?) named Tilon, and there’s a peculiar story behind this gate: When the Maharaja of the time learned that a courtesan was building such an imposing monumental arch, he considered it an affront to his status and ordered it demolished. To save her work, Tilon quickly placed a statue of the god Krishna atop the arch just before the royal troops arrived. Since it instantly became a consecrated religious temple, the devout king could not destroy it.…

A must-see: few vendors to bother you, plenty of little nooks where you can be alone (or with someone), and countless balconies overlooking the lake where you can relax a bit and let yourself go. For the more adventurous, you can rent traditional pedal boats to explore the lake; for the more spiritual, there’s a small temple where the monk will kindly—and for free—give you a master class on the Hindu religion

A fantastic way to end your day in Jaisalmer

Things to Do in Jaisalmer: Desert Tours

Here's the main reason why we all come all the way out here, almost to the end of the world (from India 😝): to spend one or more nights in the desert.

That's why the disappointment is even greater…. Where is the desert?

Anyone who has been lulled into imagining an endless expanse of dunes like those in Morocco or Arabia had better wake up… the landscape consists mainly of sandy soil and low scrub, more akin to an Asian steppe than a proper desert. It's true that there are 8 or 9 large dunes in the middle of the bushes—those are the ones you'll see in the photos at travel agencies, on your friend's Facebook page, in advertisements… a total rip-off, really.

But now that we're here, how do you choose the best tour? Here are a few tips:

* The price shouldn't be more than 1,500 Rp, and the schedule is always the same: they pick you up at 3:00 p.m. and drop you off at 11:00 a.m. the next day
* Make sure they explain clearly what's included: beer, water, what kind of dinner… be thorough—otherwise, you'll be in for some surprises later.
* On my tour, they just left us stranded in the middle of the desert—plain and simple; on a tour some friends took—which was much cheaper than mine—they took them to a village to see a dance, for example

In the end, the key—as with everything in India—is to ask and ask again and not take anything for granted….

ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES

Fortunately, the train station is very close to the town center—which, incidentally, isn't very big. A tuk-tuk ride to the center costs no more than 30 Rp.

For anyone planning to leave Jaisalmer on train 14809 (the one that goes through Jodhpur and heads inland), please note that there are 4 seats reserved for foreigners; you’ll need to make your reservation well in advance because they go fast….

And if you want to take the bus, ask for the “Government Bus Station”—it’s at one of the roundabouts on the main road that circles the fort—where you can book an air-conditioned bus (local buses just run with the windows open 😅).

There are numerous travel agencies scattered throughout Jaisalmer, but they all quoted me the same price, and there was no room for haggling…

Pues esto da de sí Jaisalmer; próxima parada: Jodhpur !

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Texto y fotos : Mike !