City of Golden Fort and Sand Dunes

Situated in the Great Indian Thar Desert, near the Indo-Pak border in Rajasthan, lies the Golden City of Jaisalmer. The city is a major tourist attraction and is known for its cultural extravaganza. Jaisalmer, once one of the most famous royal cities of Rajasthan, is located in the middle of the desert and is full of smooth, golden sand. The majority of any inhabitants of Jaisalmer are Bhati Rajputs, who take their name from an ancestor named Bhatti, renowned as a warrior when the tribe were located in the Punjab. Shortly after this the clan was driven southwards, and found a refuge in the Indian desert, which was henceforth its home.

Jaisalmer is also known as The Golden City and was named after Rao Jaisal Yadav, the founder and king of Jaisalmer. The city is called Golden city because of its yellow sand that gives yellowish golden touch to it and its nearby places. Jaisalmer is connected with all major cities of the country via rail as well as buses and the internal transport of city depends on autos, buses and personal vehicles.

Today, this Golden city in Rajasthan thrives on tourism industry. The prime tourist attraction of the place is the Jaisalmer Fort, also known as the Golden Fort, which was built in the year 1156 by Bhati Rajput ruler Raja Jaisal. Situated on the Trikuta Hill, Jaisalmer Fort has witnessed several battles.

Jaisalmer is also home to several havelis. Famous for its havelis, Jaisalmer is home to havelis like Patwon-ki-Haveli and Nathmalji-ki-Haveli which are known for their different architectural styles. Other places of tourists’ interest in Jaisalmer are the temples dedicated to Jain Tirthankars like Shambhavdevji Temple, Rikhabdevji Temple and Astapadhi Temple among others. The artificial lake Gadsisar in the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is also very popular among the visitors coming on a tour of Jaisalmer and is home to many migratory birds and the pride of Jaisalmer.

Bada Bagh is another excursion site and is a very old haveli. It was residence of Prime Minister of Maharaja of Jaisalmer. The yellow coloured mansion is magnificently beautiful with its blue capola roof and carvings. It is the most famed among all the other havelis of Jaisalmer. The life within the citadel conjures up images of medieval majesty visible in its narrow lanes stewn with magnificent palace, havelis, temples and of course skilled artisans and ubiquitous camels.

Jaisalmer is renowned all over the globe for its golden sand dunes called Sam sand dunes. Try camping with camel safari in this lovely and very relaxing place. Jeep safari could be another option to explore the scenery of the city and watch the sun go down.

Jaisalmer is a beautiful city that has enchanted visitors from long time from all over the world. It is one of the most alluring lures of Rajasthan that is popular for its quaint settlements, places and temples. It is naturally a delightful place for excursions. For years Jaisalmer remained untouched by the outside influences. The rise of shipping trade and the port of Mumbai saw the decline of Jaisalmer. But the desert fortress, that seems to be straight out of the Tales of the Arabian Nights still enchants with its charm and beauty.