As you arrive in the 'Golden City' of Jaisalmer, you will be met by the truly breathtaking sight of its sandcastle-like fortress, which really does evoke a feeling of the desert dream or even an actual mirage. Jaisalmer Fort itself comprises just less than 100 gigantic bastions, which encompass the narrow alleyways of the fort itself, which is still very much home to its own community of characterful houses, popular hotels, sumptuous temples, a magnificent palace, shops selling Rajasthani textiles, and local Indian restaurants, all of which have been constructed using golden sandstone.
Jaisalmer has many exceptional qualities, and its remote location is just one of them, being surrounding by the barren Thar Desert and also some very important trade routes to Pakistan. Tourists will discover than much of the city has been shaped by its past Indian maharajas and wealthy merchants, and much of its past structure and appearance remains quite unchanged today. For tourism advice and similar information, the Jaisalmer Tourist Reception Centre is conveniently close to the fort, being located on the Gadi Sagar Road and to the south-east of the First Fort Gate.
Main Attractions of Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer Fort is a magnificient monument in Jaisalmer. The Jaisalmer fort is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan after Chittorgarh. Jaisalmer fort is also known as the "Sonar Quila" or the Golden fort. This fort was built by the Bhatti Rajput chieftain Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD The five storey fort adorns itself with balconies and windows that displays some of the finest masonry work, while the interior is painted and tiled in typical Rajput style. The bastions envelops a whole township that consist of palace complex, the havelis of rich merchants, several temples and the residential complexes of the armies and merchants.
Jain Temples
Jain Temples situated in the Jaisalmer Fort are a must visit site in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. You will find these temples to be very old and high pilgrimage as well as archeological value attached to them. These are a group of Jain temples dating back 12th and 15th centuries and are dedicated to various Jain Tirthankars (Hermits). On the walls of the temples, you can find animal & human figures, carved in famous Dilwara style. These temples are built in the Dilwara style that is famous all over the world for its architecture. The style got its name from the famous 'Dilwara Temples' situated on Mount Abu, a famous Hill station and pilgrimage destination in Rajasthan.
Desert Culture
Desert cultural center and museum is a place where you will get to know about the rich cultural heritage and customs of Jaisalmer, a popular destination in Rajasthan. So if you are short on time and cannot mug up in library, this is the place to be. The place is well maintained and harbors rare coins and manuscript related to Jaisalmer history and the history of Rajasthan in whole.
This museum has some eye-catching collection of traditional Rajasthani textiles, utensils, weapons, musical instruments and fossils. One thing that is very popular among foreigners is 'Karal', the traditional opium mixing box. The place regularly organizes showcase programs for tourists. Try to get there before the mentioned time in order to avoid rush.
Gadsisar Lake
Gadsisar Lake is one of the major tourist attractions of Jaisalmer. Just leave the madding crowd behind and venture towards the outskirts and you will find yourself next to the famous Gadsisar Lake. Contrary to the popular belief, it is not an oasis but a water conservation tank made around 1400 A.D. by the then maharaja of Jaisalmer, Maharwal Gadsi Singh. Can you believe this structure just outside the city walls once acted as a reservoir that controlled the entire supply of water to the arid city!
This place was selected because it had a certain amount of declivity already and it automatically retained some of the rainwater. If you are lucky and venture out in winters, you might get to see a variety of migratory birds.
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