Jaisalmer
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.
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.
Jaipur Festival is a fairly recent event that takes place in the month of November where myriad of programs, competitions and felicitations are organized meant to revive old customs and traditions of princely Jaipur. It closes on, November the 18th, which is deemed as 'the birthday' of Jaipur.
Kite Festival is a three-day festival held on the eve of Makar Sankranti that falls on 14th January every year when the skies are of multi-colored skies vying with each other all-day long. The featured events are Fighter Kite Competition and Display Flying, where the participants compete with each other for the coveted prizes. On the final day, the Maharaja of Jodhpur gives a farewell dinner and distributes prizes at Umaid Bhawan Palace, the royal residence.
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.
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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.
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.
 |
Kite Festival is a three-day festival held on the eve of Makar Sankranti that falls on 14th January every year when the skies are of multi-colored skies vying with each other all-day long. The featured events are Fighter Kite Competition and Display Flying, where the participants compete with each other for the coveted prizes. On the final day, the Maharaja of Jodhpur gives a farewell dinner and distributes prizes at Umaid Bhawan Palace, the royal residence.
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.