Location
Jaisalmer is a city in state of Rajasthan, India. It is in Thar desert. In summer temperatures can exceed 48 °C, and during the winter they may dip below freezing. The city is famous as golden city as almost all city has natural yellow stone buildings and these change hue in a day. It has about 800 years old living fort which are only very few in world. About centuries ago the whole city was nothing except this fort and outside the fort people started living only in 17th century.
Roads are in good condition and city is well connected by buses and trains. There is domestic airport just 15 KM from city.
History
I have mentioned the history and genealogy of kingdom of Jaisalmer at link – ‘A glance at rajasthan rajput dynasties‘.
Our Itinerary
Exploring this fort was part of our 18 days trip to Rajasthan. After spending three days in Bikaner we caught 11.30 PM train to Jaisalmer which touched it at 5.30 AM. We came out of the railway station and just walking few meters got auto for Rs.100 to drop us at RTDC Moomal hotel (2 KM). This hotel is in huge compound, restaurant and rooms are OK.
Time required to visit Jaisalmer fort
3 hours. Entry into fort is free but there is ticket of Rs.250 for entry into Raja mahal and Rani mahal cum museum.
Best time to visit
September to March end.
Where to stay
I stay always in state’s Government tourist department hotels. They are average but have good restaurant spacious airy rooms and big and green premises. Renovation was going on and room was not in good state but it was OK for me. If rush is less or off season they prepare lunch as per your individual order. Breakfast is normally included in tariff. In North India they usually serve you aloo paratha, curd or poori-bhaji.
Hotel booking – https://rtdc.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/client/hotellist.aspx
About fort
The fort is today inhabited by about 4500 inmates as their ancestors lived in this since nine centuries. The houses might have been allotted by kings those days and in some quarter of fort only Brahmins are staying, in some kshatriyas, Shudra and Vaishya. So based on those the houses are also even today occupied community wise. Other story among locals as told to us by our guide is that before partition the inhabitants of Jaisalmer used to migrate to Sindh region of Pakistan as there was water. So they had some living arrangements there also. Jinnah offered them to unite with Paki and secure their property but since lot of Hindu massacre happened and so finally Jaisalmer Maharaja decided to be with India only. But is 1952 govt asked the fort property in lieu of pension. So king gave it all to public. The inhabitants can not see their house as there are no legal papers of property.
Let us move now inside the fort.
There are four gates in this fort. Ganesh pole, Akhe Pole, suraj pole and Hawa Pole. Raja and Rani mahal are above Hawa Pol.
Since we had taken guide, he took us through different streets inside the fort. The points are few like Jain’s Parshwanath temple, Lakshminath ji Temple, old well, Shiva temple, cannon point, jail and Bairisal Burz (punishment point) and some streets to show the life of people.
Jain Chintamani Parshwanath Jain temple is magnificently temple with complex designs. There are 6666 sculptures and frescoes in this temple and during Muslim invasion the capital Lodruva was changed to this place and and installed here, many frescoes were transported and installed in this temple.
Guide showed us this particular step which is mouth of Chinese dragon. Since Jaisalmer was on silk route and lot of Chinese might be visiting here.
Then he showed us an old water well which is covered now. He took us the Lakshminath ji temple which opens at 4.45 AM for aarti, as well. It is also very old temple.
Streets inside Fort
To reach the famous cannon we have to climb tough 30 steps. It was presented by British in 1759. Earlier it was kept in Jhansi.
The guide left us outside Dussera Chowk and ask us to see Raja and Rani Mahal ourselves. The entry fee was Rs. 250. Raja mahal inside fort of Jaisalmer was converted to as heritage Centre Museum in 2005. In this museum the royal throne, armory, stamp collection of Rajputana, Rani Mahal are displayed and city’s full view can be seen from top of palace.
Inside Raja mahal, Shri Swangia temple, Deewan-khana, Tripolia, portraits of kings, Gaj Vilas, Akhey Vilas, Sarvottam Vilas, armory and Jauhar point are some main attractions. Inside Rani Palace the main attractions are Queen’s apartment, Het Vilas, Roop Mahal and Anoop Mahal.
Deewan-e-khaas – Here guests used to stay on first floor room. Surprisingly below the horses astble is there and a small tank for their water.
Check post gun is to directly fire on suspected. Daggers and few armory are imported from Nepal as Daadi sa (grand mother) of current king is from Nepal.
Noticed that roofs are of very less height to save from heat.
Deewan Khana- It is Kings meeting room. King on this chair and meeting guys on either side. Brahmins drank paani-sharbat and Kshatriya took afeem. Weight of chair is 850 kg. All work is by hand. A sword is kept to indicate that that king is alive.
A small Nyaya Palika is in the mahal. Since the population was less those days it could suffice the purpose as cases might be less. There is a seat of the king and both sides are his ministers sitting, front if for witnesses. Just side of it there is a extremely fine stone mesh and it is amazing how they carved it in stone. It looks wooden but it is of stone. This is one of the most photographed piece in this mahal.
Seeing these two mahals I feel of course you can not compare it with Agra Fort and Red fort as these are in desert and have been made as per that climate and demography. The exterior and interior are not so extravagant but this fort gives us a clear picture that how would be royals life in desert those days.
The zenana mahal or Rani mahal is small compared to Raja Mahal and it has some rooms now which are converted to picture gallery and decorated with furniture and bed of that period.
From top of Queen’s room
Epilogue
This fort was declared UNESCO World Heritage in 2013. It is not magnificent and as glamourous as Mughal forts yet, it enjoys the privilege of being the one of the very few living forts in world. The streets are bustling with people and shops, houses owned hereditarily. The old parts are maintained very neat and enough space for tourists to enjoy the antiquity of period of maharajas. Do not miss to hire a guide and see Raja and Rani mahal. Though the entry ticket is expensive yet it is worth to know life of kings of desert areas. They might have lead a tough life as there was famine every third year and they had to migrate to Sindh side of Pakistan. It was once a rich state with lot of dry fruit business and tax collection from the merchants on silk route.
सफर जो धूप का किया तो तजुर्बा हुआ I
वो जिंदगी ही क्या? जो छांव – छांव चली हो!
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