Enchanting Jaisalmer with its magnificent fort maybe one of Rajasthan’s more remote destinations but it certainly isn’t the least loved. We spent two days exploring this fabulous city! This is a post about our experience in the city and the many things to do in Jaisalmer.

i.

Not that I am obsessed with food but the fort, suspended in the polished darkness, surely appears like an extravagant cake. A gilded cake resplendent with lights, a cake fit for the royalty of Rajasthan who, once upon a time, downed glasses of ghee instead of water and slept in rooms decorated with leaves of beaten gold. The halogens that saturate the honeyed gold of the local rocks weren’t there when Ray arrived with cameras and tents and bedrolls to shoot his epic, Sonar Kella. He must have pottered around in the smudged darkness of a twilight like this, stepping on dung and exploring his set through the winding alleys that wove past havelis, beneath hanging balconies and their intricately carved jharokhas. Below him, below the ramparts of the fort, the sands of the Thar would have been hissing in the receding light of the day.

Maharawal Palace, Jaisalmer Fort

Urbanization has pushed the desert farther and the fort now forms the southern edge of the desert city of Jaisalmer. Structures, all built of the same golden rock, have mushroomed with a freakish eagerness. Since their eviction from the fort, cows and bulls now compete with motorbikes for the most traffic violation awards in the maze of gullies. Western tourists in desi pants and loose kurtas wander about seeking a touch of royalty and spirituality. A variety of languages adorn the cacophony. From the roof of Hotel Shahi Palace where I am shivering as I wait for dinner, I see the moon rise over the fort. Silver over a sprawling city of gold. The night is clear. A group of musicians with bright red and yellow turbans poised on their heads indulge diners with Rajasthani songs. Harmoniums, pairs of wooden kartals, and stringed instruments colour their deep, earthy voices. Glasses of frothy beer, inexpensive whiskey, and imported wines flow with abandon. The mood resembles Rawal Jaisal’s fort, golden and ecstatic. 

Also read: Explore the old city of Hyderabad on a walking tour: Here is a guide for you: Charminar to Badshahi Ashurkhana, Hyderabad.

Jaisalmer Fort

ii.

Morning is the colour of peach. Cold. The expansive blue is fractured with streaks of ruby. My lips are parched. There’s dust in the air, in my hair, in the cracks of my lips. A coven of guides descend on us at the entrance of the fort and realizing we are Bengali tourists, try to sell us Ray. I want to hear about the architecture, the palaces, the queens whose giggles escaped through the jharokhas but there is none of it. It is different when you are travelling with family. Perhaps it is the generation gap or perhaps a difference in tastes and desires, ways of perceiving travel or the landscape, even the texture of the foreign air. So we end up with a guide, a middle-aged man who speaks too fast and has a trembling impatience about him. First, he tells us about the fort, then shows us key points of the Sonar Kella set, and finally takes us to an overpriced shop owned by a Bengali gentleman.

We enter through the 60 ft tall gate carved of Indian rosewood and zigzag up the steep slope through Hawa Pol, Ganesh Pol, Rang Pol, and Jawahar Pol– the walls around each scalloped gateway carved with chariot wheels, elephants, fruits, and other Rajput motifs– and reach Dashera Chowk. 

Also read: Explore Varanasi with our series of photos from Varanasi.

Jharokhas in the Jaisalmer Fort
The Golden City of Jaisalmer

iii.

Jaisalmer fort is a living entity and visiting it is one of the main things to do in Jaisalmer. The twisting lanes are filled with curio shops, restaurants, and guesthouses. Shops selling souvenirs, Rajasthani outfits, paintings, and jewellery jostle for space. Especially sought after are glasses made of fossil sandstone. Locals claim that drinking from it can heal numerous ailments! Of the roughly two thousand inhabitants, 70% are Brahmins; the rest, Rajputs. At the Maharawal’s Palace, there’s lace everywhere. Fine lace carved from the golden rock that is this desert city’s heart. Intricate masonry adorns every inch of the five-storied palace. An ornate marble throne from where the king addressed the monarchy stands to the left. A silver coronation throne stands proudly in one of the rooms decorated with photographs of the royal family. The museum houses a collection of stamps, sculptures, utensils, clothes, and furniture. A maze of narrow passageways and staircases connect the rooms in the haveli. The doors are surprisingly low. We wonder how the 7 ft tall Rawal squeezed through them! The stairs are so narrow they are suffocating but once on the rooftop, an unrivalled view of the royal city of Jaisalmer with pigeons scurrying golden rooftops over greets us. Within the fort, stands the Laxminath Fort which dates back to 1494 and an impressive complex of seven Jain temples. Built of white and yellow marbles, the temples exhibit exquisite masonry. Carved motifs and sculptures adorn every square inch of walls, ceilings, and pillars.

Inside the Maharawal’s Palace
Laxminath ji ka Mandir, Jaisalmer Fort

When Rawal Jaisal built his fort on Trikuta Hill, he didn’t consider the possibility of climate change. Roofs were built with thick layers of mud so that the houses remained cool during the scorching summers. But with rainfall becoming a yearly fixture, the foundations of the fort are weakening and the mud structures collapsing but our guide doesn’t utter the word vulnerable even once. I wonder if he knows that the fort has been classified as endangered by archaeological societies around the world. Its ingenious drainage system has fallen prey to rapid construction. An increased influx of tourists who pay no heed to their water usage has worsened the problem.

Also read: Considering a trip to Udaipur? Check out our guide: In Udaipur, Rajasthan | Things to Do.

Intricate carvings on Jaisalmer’s yellow sandstone
Folk music performers in the Jaisalmer Fort

iv.

Not an inch of the Patwa Haveli has been left unadorned. So ornate are the buildings, they leave me overwhelmed. I am confused as to which section to praise, to peruse first. I run from wall to wall, from window to window like an overeager child. I cannot have enough. Built in the early 19th century by five brothers who were bankers and opium traders, these havelis with their profusion of intricately carved jharokhas now function as museums. Two out of the five suites are closed to the public, the roof of one of them having recently collapsed rendering the building unsafe. Once past the cacophony of a sea of guides, I am transported to life in 19th century Rajasthan. Coloured glasses, rugs and carpets with gold and silver threadwork, massive silver utensils, gold leaf work on the walls, lavish hardwood beds, luxurious fabrics, marble sculptures, mirror-work…there is no end to the opulence. We stroll through rooms, admiring artefacts and sighing at the exuberant decor. Up narrow, suffocating stairs, down narrow corridors brimming with tourists, past jharokhas which cause the light to paint delicate patterns on the stone floor, we reach the roof from where we can see the fort shimmering in the afternoon heat. A wire mesh has been stretched taut across the opening of the courtyard to keep the pigeons out. 

Also read: Explore a heritage town in West Bengal: On a heritage trail in Serampore.

Patwa Haveli
Paintings inside the Patwa Haveli

v.

The landscape is seething with the fervour of a wintry sun. Hardy khejri trees and tall windmills dot the barren land. On the wayside, we spot bright parachutes with paragliders in the harness. It is late in the afternoon when we reach our tents at the Sam Sand Dunes. Staying in tents in the Thar is one of the top things to do in Jaisalmer. Camels in bright livery are ferrying visitors to the dunes to watch the sunset. They look emaciated and wary of the routine but they obey their masters. As night creeps in, a bonfire is lit and Rajasthani folk performers take the stage. Among the performers, there’s an Argentinian man who, I hear, has been travelling across the unforgiving Thar to master the music of the land. He sings in praise of Lord Krishna. The women, decked in traditional regalia, present a ghumar dance. All goes well till after the cultural performance, the management begins to blare Bollywood tracks and guests surround the young Rajasthani woman. I do not know if this is part of her job or if her job is really to oblige guests but I am disappointed. I am reminded of others like her in rural Rajasthan where access to education is limited. I can tell she has seen sixteen summers but to afford a livelihood, she perhaps no longer goes to school. Winter is peak tourist season and perhaps the only time in the year where locals like the bellboy at our hotel can find employment. He is a young man of about 19 years who has had to forego school after his father’s demise to provide for his mother and siblings who live some 6 hrs away in the blue city of Jodhpur. In this busy city of palaces, not many lend them an ear. As tourists donned traditional Rajasthani outfits and posed at the windows of the Patwa haveli, a sun-ravished man with leathery skin played padharo maare desh on a stringed instrument.

Sunset at Sam Sand Dunes

Things To Do In Jaisalmer: Top Tips 

Here are our favourite things to do in Jaisalmer:

  • Start your day with a cup of Kesari Chai at Gadisar Lake. Feed the pigeons or don’t. Take photographs or don’t. But watch the first light of the day perfume the chhatris and shrines that surround it. Maybe rent a shikara. In winter, migratory birds from Bharatpur sometimes come here.
  • Explore Jaisalmer Fort aka Sonar Kella. If you take a guide, keep in mind that they will rush you through the entire place in a little less than 2 hrs. The fort deserves at least half a day. I’d say an entire day! Come early before the sun gets overbearing. Or, in the evening to watch the colours of dusk enliven the old rocks. To enjoy the sunset, sit at one of the many rooftop restaurants.
Gadisar Lake
Jain Temples, Jaisalmer Fort
  • Don’t stop at the Patwa Haveli. Visit Nathmalji ki Haveli and Salim Singh ki Haveli too.
  • Pick a rooftop restaurant outside the fort for dinner. Nothing can beat the experience of watching the moon rise over the lit fort with local music in the backdrop.
  • Spend an evening at Bada Bagh, the royal cemetery where the chhatris have gracefully endured the desert’s moodiness.
  • Try Rajasthani food: Go for Rajasthani staples like Gatte ki Sabji, Dal baati choorma, Pyaaz Kachori, and Ker Sangri. For dessert, try a ghewar or a ghotua laddoo. Note that non-vegetarian food is not easily available in Jaisalmer.
  • Spend a night in a tent in the Thar. Most camps at the Sam Sand Dunes offer camel safaris. Ask for a jeep instead because most of the animals seemed unhappy and emaciated. The sunset from the dunes is a glorious affair and a must-experience/see. For a few hundred rupees more, you can go further into more isolated stretches of the desert. The Desert National Park is nearby.
Camel Safari at sunset

What are your favourite things to do in Jaisalmer?

Like it? Pin it!


Categories: , ,
Mohana & Aninda

Mohana and Aninda are travellers and advocates for car-free travel. Two-together is their travel blog where they document their travels to encourage and inspire readers to seek solace in new places, savour local cuisines, and relish both unique and everyday experiences. When they are not travelling, they are actively researching trip ideas and itineraries, obsessing over public transport timetables, reviewing travel budgets, and developing content for their blog. They are currently based in Edinburgh and exploring Scotland and beyond by public transport.

18 responses to “Field Notes: Jaisalmer”

  1. Candy Avatar
    Candy

    The architecture is absolutely incredible. It’s sad to hear that the earth’s rise in temperature is weakening the structure. It’s interesting that the guide did not say anything about how vulnerable it is. Do you think this was on purpose? Or the guide simply is unaware?

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      My guess is he is unaware. I didn’t hear any conversations on the condition of the fort in general. In order to make guests feel more at ease, hosts don’t often request them to use less water and not all tourists are aware of the water crisis or the failing drainage system.

  2. demidives Avatar
    demidives

    Great post, I went to Rajasthan several years ago, but your pictures transport me straight back! Beautiful place, so vibrant and colourful!

  3. Pashmina Avatar
    Pashmina

    Jaisalmer sounds like a great place. It would be a such a treat to camp under the stars.

  4. sinjanag Avatar
    sinjanag

    I just love reading your posts because of the beauty of your writing. The pictures are so awesome. Yes, i could get flashbacks of the movie Sonar Kella.

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      Thank you, Sinjana!

  5. Susanne Jungbluth Avatar
    Susanne Jungbluth

    I am very fascinated by your pictures. The architecture is beautiful and I wonder, as I read your report, why I have always refused to discover this corner of the world. Only the distance to Germany has disturbed me so far. I think I should think about booking a flight.
    Susanne

  6. pinkcaddytraveloguegmailcom Avatar
    pinkcaddytraveloguegmailcom

    What a beautiful post! Your writing is so elegant, and your pictures are excellent. The fort sounds amazing, but it’s sound that it’s in danger structurally!

  7. nitnatshredder Avatar
    nitnatshredder

    Jaisalmer sounds like a place that I need to visit! I am in awe of how massive forts like this were created with their intricate detail and design. The photographs are marvellous.

  8. Michael Hodgson Avatar
    Michael Hodgson

    Simpy love the camel safari photo! And the way you describe your experience with the fort and the architecture and design. One question … and this is the beauty of language … you say the morning was as “cold as a peach.” But for me, a peach is eaten at room temperature and often right off the tree. So, where you come from, are peaches typically chilled, hence the metaphor?

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      I think I had the colour of a peach in mind, the pastel blush all coated with dew at daybreak 😊

  9. 100cobbledroads Avatar
    100cobbledroads

    Jaisalmer fort sounds like a dream. But I have my doubts about whether the desert safari would be as magical as one expects it to be, since there seem to be too many people on camels everywhere. What was your experience?

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      Well…I wouldn’t ride a camel again but the sun setting on the golden sands was indeed a sight to behold. You could ask your tent owners to arrange for a trip to Desert National Park. I bet it’s not that crowded in there.

  10. The Travel Bunny Avatar
    The Travel Bunny

    I simply adore your descriptions! They help bring all your lovely photographs to life. You have a talent of turning a travel memory into a tale. 🙂

  11. Himanshu Avatar
    Himanshu

    Jaisalmer is my most fav place in all of Rajasthan and I have many many fond memories of the place. In fact I too have so much notes to prepare a guidebook on this wonderful place. You have inspired me to start that now. Fort is the high point and I have never seen such a lively and animated ambiance in any fort. The lanes and by lanes, roof tops and heritage are all magnificent. For me fort is an open art gallery where every stone speaks loud and share a story.

  12. Erica Avatar
    Erica

    I absolutely love your writing style, I was engaged from the introduction and felt almost dissapointed that it was a single blog post and not the start of some great novel! I new Jaisalmer was lovely, but you´re words and photographs really brought it out. This is definitely a must for me once I finally make it to India.

    1. Mohana and Aninda Avatar
      Mohana and Aninda

      Thank you so much, Erica! Every state in India has its own charm but Rajasthan, I think, appeals to the western tourist the most since it has all the elements of textbook India. There are the royal palaces, the magnificent camels, folk dances, and extraordinary handicrafts.

  13. Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions Avatar
    Kevin | Caffeinated Excursions

    Everything about Jaisalmer looks absolutely stunning! All those textures and patterns are so beautiful. The Patwa Haveli especially. I love learning about new places in India, hope to be able to go visit someday soon!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.