JAISALMER The golden town
Located at the western part of the Rajasthan state this small town was once popular as a trade route and lost its position once the trade was shifted to sea route. But Jaisalmer remained as a famous tourist destination of India for its unique town style, culture, forts and most important is for its Thar Desert.
Jaisalmer gives a look of golden color along with its fort so this town is known as golden town of Rajasthan. As per the colors, Jaipur is known as Pink city and Jodhpur is known as blue city of Rajasthan. From the railway station the Jaisalmer fort is visible and to justify its name as golden town, the railway station , parks , road junctions are made with yellow sand stone and it gives a unique look to the town.
As this town is very close to Indian border so one can find the presence of Indian Army personnel and their vehicles inside the town. There is a Air force base near the Jaisalmer so you will find fighter planes taking up and landing here. Hanuman chowk is the important town center of Jaisalmer.
Gadisagar Lake
To collect precious rain water this tank was constructed by Rawal Gadsi Singh in the year 1367. At present Gadisagar ( Also known as Gadisar) tank gets water from Indira Gandhi Canal so it never dries. There are nice designed temples and shrines located by the side of the Gadi Sagar lake. At the center there is a big domed pavilion. Boating facility is available in this lake where charges vary from type of boat and based on duration of boating. Sikaras are also available to go around the lake.
TILON-KI-POOL
Tilon Ki Pool is a beautifully carved gate way to the Gadisagar Lake. This was constructed by a renowned singer of the nearby area. This was converted to a temple by installing a statue of Lord Satya Narain ( Krishan ) to save the construction from the angry princess of royal house as the singer was close to the prince.Badal Vilas - Mandir Palace
This is the present residence of erstwhile royal family. Part of this palace is used as a restaurant and hotel. This is a beautiful carved palace with many attractive galleries and paintings. There is an entry fee to enter into the visitors area. Private area and the restaurant is not allowed for the visitors to enter. At the top of the building the picture of Jaisalmer fort and town is visible.
Ludarva
Ludarva is the ancient capital of Jaisalmer. Located at a distance of 16 KM from Jaisalmer town has some beautiful Jain temples. There is a nice carved ornamental gateway or Toran. This place has its link to the folk story of Moomal and Mahendra.The Puppet Show
This is a single person effort for more than a decade to keep alive one of India's oldest cultural events by a person named Mr M.K. Sharma. The show is organized daily in the from 6.30pm onwards till 8.30 pm in the Desert Folklore Museum on the road opposite to the lane towards Gadi Sagar Lake. The show depicts the daily simple lifestyles of the common people of Jaisalmer, their struggle, their satisfaction with simple things in life, their history, etc.There is a wood fossil park at Aakal. It is a proof that water once flowed over this region before it became dry.
BadaBagh(royal cenotaphs + group of temples). It is 5 km from the city of Jaisalmer
Three most important tourist destination at Jaisalmer is the fort , Patwon ki Haveli and Sam Sand dunes
Best Time to Visit Jaisalmer 🔝
The best time to visit Jaisalmer is from October to March when the weather is pleasant and ideal for sightseeing, camel safaris and desert camping. Daytime temperatures during this period stay comfortable between 15°C and 25°C, though nights in the desert can get quite cold, especially in December and January. Summer months from April to June are extremely hot with temperatures regularly crossing 40°C, making outdoor activities difficult. The monsoon season from July to September brings some relief but the desert receives very little rainfall. Note that Jaisalmer Airport operates only between October and March, with direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Ahmedabad - outside this window you will need to travel via Jodhpur.
Desert Festival - Maru Mahotsav 🔝
The highlight of the Jaisalmer calendar is the Jaisalmer Desert Festival, also known as Maru Mahotsav, organized annually by the Rajasthan Tourism Department every February during the Hindu month of Magh, a few days before the full moon. The three-day festival is held partly in Jaisalmer city and concludes with a grand finale at the Sam Sand Dunes, 42 km from the city. The festival opens with a colourful procession from Jaisalmer Fort to Shahid Poonam Singh Stadium, with participants dressed in traditional Rajasthani attire.
The festival is a showcase of Rajasthan's rich folk culture. Highlights include performances of Ghoomar and Kalbeliya dance, soulful ballads by Manganiyar and Langha folk musicians, fire dancers, acrobats and puppet shows. Camel events are central to the festival - camel races, camel polo, camel decoration competitions and the popular camel beauty contest draw huge crowds. Quirky competitions like turban tying, the Mr. Desert pageant and the longest moustache contest add humour and colour to the proceedings. The grand finale on the full moon night at Sam Sand Dunes, with folk artists performing under the desert sky, is an unforgettable experience. Handicraft stalls and food stalls serving authentic Rajasthani cuisine line the festival grounds throughout.
The Desert Festival is held every February - exact dates vary each year based on the lunar calendar. Check with Rajasthan Tourism for the current year's dates before planning your trip. Book hotels and desert camps well in advance as accommodation fills up quickly during festival days.
Jaisalmer is connected to Delhi and other Rajasthan cities by Indian railway network. However being an end point of the rail map, all the trains' passes through Jodhpur. There is a direct train to Delhi from Jaisalmer. Passenger and express trains are there between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer. From Jodhpur there are many trains to different parts of the country.
Indian Railway station code for Jaisalmer is JSM
| Destination | Distance from Jaisalmer |
|---|---|
| Jaipur (via Bikaner) | 675 KM |
| Jaipur (via Jodhpur) | 625 KM |
| Udaipur | 575 KM |
| Jodhpur | 285 KM |
| Delhi | 885 KM |
| Bikaner | 352 KM |
Number of User Comments : 3
Tweet
| ravindra ghatmale | 10-05-2009 |
| i want to go to jaiselmer with my family. the approx date is between 5 june to 10 june 2009 . kindly guide me and also suggest some economical packages | |
| smo | 11-05-2009 |
| June is not a pick season for Jaisalmer so better after reaching there take a hotel. Jaisalmer is not a big town so you will get good budget hotel easily by little effort. Don't forget to visit Sam Sand Dunes in afternoon. You can stay there for one night and return next day after watching sunrise. You can bargain for stay as this is not a rush season. Take an auto or Taxi to go around the town including the fort, one half day is enough to visit in and around the town ( fort will take bit more time ) | |
| vishnu dutt chopra | 20-08-2010 |
| i want to go to jaisalmer alongwith my wife during winter.can you guide me and let me know how to go ther by rail and about accomodation. | |
