Jaisalmer City Guide

Jaisalmer City Guide

Location:	Western Rajasthan, India
Significance:	One of the cities of the Desert triangle
STD Code:	02992
Best Season:	October To February (Winter season)
Language:	Hindi, Rajasthani, English
Distance From Jodhpur:	223 Km
Distance From Bikaner:	242 Km
Distance From Jaipur:	413 Km
Distance From New Delhi:	630 Km

In the heart of Thar Desert, lies the honey-colored mirage of Jaisalmer. The lonely cliff of Trikuta Hills weathered dary winds and scorching desert sun for thousands of years to win a magnificent fort of yellow sandstone as its crown in 1156 A.D. It is said that Lord Krishna, the head of Yadav clan, had prophesized its emergence long before it was built. Rawal Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput, who established his new capital at Jaisalmer, founded it after abandoning his fort at Lodurva. Once the commercial center of the ancient silk route, the city with its awesome beautiful scenery and extreme climate leaves a lasting impression on every mind.

Jaisalmer charms the tourists with its mystical legends and feel of valor and romantic zeal. It is the most fascinating blend of the old worldly charm with the electrifying quality of the contemporary. There are swirling sands and towering monuments with latticed stonework. The golden sands of the daytime take on almost fairy-tale appearance by the silvery moonlight of the night along with the melodious music and perfect rhythmic performances of the multihued desert people. There are camels that seem to come straight out of the 'Arabian Nights' and there are calm waters and tranquility of the divine temples. Don't miss out the opportunity to explore the India's only 'living fort'.

CLIMATE
Typically a desert climate, the summers in Jaisalmer are hot and dry, while winters are windy and chilly. In summers the temperatures range between 41ºC to 25ºC while, in winters, temperatures range from 23.6ºC to 7.9ºC.

HOW TO REACH

By Air: Jaisalmer is well connected by the flights from New Delhi, Jodhpur and Jaipur. The Jaisalmer Airport is in the cantonment area, 5 km away from the city center. It is managed by the Indian Air Force and is operational only from September to March, the prime season.

By Train: There are daily trains to Jaisalmer from Jodhpur, which is well connected to all the major cities by the network of trains such as New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Mumbai and many more. The Jaisalmer Railway Station is just a 10-minute drive from Gadi Sagar Pol.

By Road: Smooth network of roads and luxury coaches link Jaisalmer to all the major cities of Rajasthan such as Bikaner, Jaipur and Jodhpur. The main Bus Stand is situated near the Railway Station, but all the major buses are available from a Bus Depot situated in the heart of the city.

WHERE TO EAT
Most of the good eateries are in the hotels that add to their ambience with the heart-wrenching local music and dance. The liberal use of red chilli and ginger and distinctive tangy flavor of each dish characterizes the fiery cuisine of Jaisalmer, typical to Rajasthan. The most famous of these mouth-watering delicacies are gatta curry, macchi/ maas sulas, lal/ safed maas and ker-sangri and the Rajasthani top favorite of the combination of daal, baati, and choorma.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
Desert Festival is held in January or February every year on 'Purnima' or the full moon day. It is a three-day long festival and is the best showcase, one can ever want to view the rich and colorful and rich culture of the desert region of Rajasthan. The major attractions of the festivals are Gair and Fire dancers who wear vibrant and brightly colored costumes as they dance and sing and perform on the regional tunes that are mainly based on the ballads of tragedy, valor, and romance of the local heroes. Along with these folk performers are snake charmers, puppeteers, and acrobats. The ship of the desert camels, of course earn their special place in the festival and camel rides are quite popular here. Camel polo and camel dance are two unique feature events of the fair just as the turban tying competition and display of the most glorious moustaches. The thing to note here is that turbans and mustaches are considered symbols of honor in the region. There is also a Mr. Desert contest that further enhances the fun of the occasion.

The picturesque backdrop of Jaisalmer Fort and barren, silvery Sam sand dunes compliment the music and rhythm, graceful movements and brilliant hues of the performers and the traditional handicrafts that can bee seen in the fair. The full moon night completes the picture with its magic aura making it one of the most unforgettable events.

SHOPPING ATTRACTIONS
The jeweler's craftsmanship in the stonework of Jaisalmer is well known. You may also opt for the beautifully carved wooden boxes instead that replicate the intricacies of the stone carvers in wood. Tie and dye fabrics, unique embroidery patterns, mirror-work, typical Rajasthani silver jewellery, brilliantly hued traditional rugs, hand-woven blankets and shawls with typical Rajasthani weave are also good mementos to look out for. The items made out of camel leather are also a specialty. The major shopping spots include the market within the fort, Sadar Bazaar, Gandhi Darshan, Seema gram, Rajasthani Govt. Shop and Khadi Gramodyog Emporium.


WHAT TO WEAR
The most appropriate outfits to wear in Jaisalmer include loose cotton clothes in summer and heavy woolen clothes to keep you warm in winter. Use a hat or a scarf as a head covering and drink lots of water to avoid heat strokes. It will be advisable to wear comfortable footwear, as you will have to walk a lot here while sightseeing. Sunscreens are not to be forgotten to save yourself from sunburns you may get from the scorching hot desert sun in summers.