ABOUT JAISALMER

Jaisalmer is a small town in the state of Rajasthan. The town is named after its founder Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king. It is also called as the "Golden City of India" because of the yellow sand and yellow sandstone used in the town's architecture giving a golden tinge. Jaisalmer is located at around 575 km west from Jaipur the capital of Rajasthan. It is situated near the border of India and Pakistan in West Rajasthan and is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District. Jaisalmer has an average elevation of 229 m and covers an area of 5.1 sq km. The climate is dry is hot summers and pleasant winters. Average rainfall is 209.5 mm. Jaisalmer is just about entirely a sandy waste and forms a part of the Great Indian Desert. The west is covered with log bushes and the east with bunch of long grass. Water is scarce and there are no permanent streams, except one small river, Kakni, which flows at a distance of 48 km. It also forms a Lake Orjhil "The Bhuj Jhil".

:: EXPLORE JAISALMER ::

JAISALMER FORT ::

Known as SONAR QUILA, rising from the sand , the mega structure merges with the golden hues of the desert ambience and the setting suns in its most colourful shades gives it a fairy tale look. Its simply a magic, the bastions envelops a whole townships that consist of palace complex various security sources and the havelis of rich merchants carved with an incredibly light touch, several temples and the residential complexes of the armies and traders placed strategically on the trade route, from where the ancient caravans passed en-route passing all the riches for the prosperity to an otherwise non source full kingdom.

PATWON JI KI HAVELI ::

This is one of the largest and most elaborate Haveli in Jaisalmer and stands in a narrow lane. It is five storeys high and is extensively carved. It is divided into six apartments, two owned by archaeological Survey of India, two by families who operate craft-shops and two private homes. There are remnants of paintings on some of the inside walls as well as some mirror work. The most elaborate and magnificient of all the Jaisalmer havelis. It has exquisitely carved pillars and exquisitely carved pillars and extensive corridors and chambers. One of the apartments of this five story high haveli is painted with beautiful murals. Patwon-Ki-Haveli is the largest and most elaborate haveli in Jaisalmer. This five-storeyed building extensively carved and is notable for its jharokhas (balconies). In the early 19th century, the family of Ghuman Chand Patwa, an extremely rich patwa (trader of brocades and expensive embroidery) began construction of this mansion, an effort that took half a century.

GADI SAGAR LAKE ::

This tank, south of the city walls, once held the town water supply, and befitting its importance in providing precious water to the inhabitants of this arid city, it is sourrounded by small temples and shrines. The beautiful yellow sandstone gateway arching across the road down to the tank is the Tilon-ki-Pol, and is said to have been built by a famous prostitute, Tilon . When she offered to pay to have this gateway constructed, the Maharaja refused permission under it to go down to the tank and he felt that this would be beneath his dignity. While he was away, she built the gate , adding a Krishna temple on top so that king could not tear it down.

WOOD FOSSIL PARK JAISALMER ::

Location: 17 K.M. from the main Jaisalmer city near Barmer Road.
How to reach: Take a cab or share an Auto-rickshaw. 
Importance: Fossil remains of Jurassic era till 130 million years ago. 
If you are done with history then Akal Fossil Park is the place to be. For, it takes you beyond History. It takes you back to the prehistoric Jurassic era, which is, hold your breath, 180 million years back! It is a fossil park where stood a forest 180 millions years ago. Then the area submersed in to the sea and the tree trunks got preserved in the form of fossils. The fossil trunks lie scattered in this park. Fossilized tree trunks are of various sizes with the largest being 13 meters in length and 1.5 meters in width. Covering about 10 sq. Km of bare hillside, the Fossil Park contains 25 petrified trunks, in total. The 21-hectare preserved area of the park lies about 17 Km from Jaisalmer on the road to Barmer. If you happen to be a Conservationist or a Geologist by chance, try to get there early. Get there before tourists come pouring in. You will have to seek prior permission in order to study the remains.