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A Trip4India > Destinations India > Jaisalmer Tourism

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Jaisalmer Tourism

State : Rajasthan
Area : 126.27 sq km
Language : Marwari, Rajasthani, Hindi, English
Temperature : 46° C - 34° C (Summers), 14° C - 30° C (Winters)
Best Season : October to March

Set in the midst of the Thar Desert is the honey-hued city of valour and colour—the city of Jaisalmer. Founded at the juncture of profitable trade routes, this once-remote civilization came to be celebrated for the gallantry of its rulers, and for the aesthetic beauty brought forward by their palaces and havelis. Jaisalmer, with its magical legends and the ‘only living fort’, will leave you spellbound. A fascinating blend of the old sophisticated charisma and a dash of the contemporary, this city, with its latticed stonework, undulating sands, camels that seem to be straight out of the pages of the ‘ Arabian Nights’, its tranquil waters and serene temples, will leave an eternal impression on your mind.

A major part of Jaisalmer lies outside the Fort walls and this township is peppered with grand havelis. The main market outside the walls is the Manak Chowk (Square). You can access a number of havelis from lanes leading off from here. Each one bears a distinctive air, with unique stone-carved facades. Jaisalmer, its colourful celebrations and festivals, its enchanting people and art museums—all this and much more have placed this oasis firmly on the world tourism map.

History
The Bhatti Rajput chieftain Rawal Jaisal founded the city of Jaisalmer in AD 1156. The Bhatti Rajputs were the feudal chiefs who levied taxes on the caravans crossing their territory. They were said to be Krishna’s descendants, valiant and most feared of the desert marauders, perennially locked in territorial skirmishes with Jodhpur and Bikaner.

The wealth accumulated by the traders, merchants and the Prince was invested in the construction of havelis and temples that draw so many tourists to this city. Jaisalmer suffered a further fall in fortune when, following the partition of the country, trade routes across the border were sealed. But the two wars with Pakistan revived its strategic importance once again. National highways, a railway track, and now an airstrip, have brought Jaisalmer within easy reach of the people.