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Jaisalmer stands tall in the
desolate beauty of the
desert, proudly welcoming
visitors to an enchanting
world of fable, color, and
history. The view of
Jaisalmer Fort, first seen
from a distance of 15 km is
stunning. In the early
morning the ramparts,
bastions and the long
stretching walls dazzle
gloriously. The yellow
sandstone fortifications
look magnificent.
It is one of the most exotic
cities of the Orient,
standing in the heart of the
desert for centuries,
weathering with fortitude
the vicissitudes of fortune
and furious onslaughts of
nature. The sudden emergence
of the 76-meter high rock in
the flat desert country
crowned by the most
awe-inspiring fort makes a
majestic sight.
Today, Jaisalmer is the
personification of the old
order influence the new. An
inherent feel for color and
design percolated ever
stratum of society, and
jewelry, crafts and
architecture became objects
of delight equally between
prince and peasant. |
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JAISALMER -
IMPORTANT INFORMATION |
Jaisalmer is a border town
in the Thar Desert with not
much of facilities.
Development of tourism in
the recent times has brought
about some changes like new
hotels, restaurants, and
people's perception.
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Area: |
126.27 Sq Km |
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Population:
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2,324,319 (2001) |
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Altitude:
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250 m above sea
level |
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Languages:
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Marwari, Hindi,
English |
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Best Time to
Visit: |
Hinduism, Islamh |
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STD Code:
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02992 |
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Climate |
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At an altitude of 793
meters, maximum temperature
is 46 degrees Celsius and
minimum 354 degrees Celsius.
In winter the highest is 14
and lowest is 1-degree
Celsius. Best season to
visit Jaisalmer is between
October and March. |
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Location |
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Jaisalmer is a border
district of India located in
the state of Rajasthan and
touching Pakistan. Most of
the district is part of Thar
Desert and offers excellent
camel safari options.
Jaisalmer is connected to
other cities in the state as
well as in Gujarat and some
other places in India with
National Highway No 15 |
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JAISALMER - HISTORY AND
LEGENDS |
History of Jaisalmer is very
interesting. Jaisalmer was
founded by the Bhatti Rajput
chieftain Rawal Jaisal in
1156. According to the local
legends, seeking a more
secure capital, the usurper
was advised by a saint to
build a castle on the
Trikuta hill. It was in
fulfillment of Lord
Krishna's prophecy that a
distant scion of his Yadav
clan would build a kingdom
here. There was water on the
hill, a miracle performed by
Krishna to quench the thirst
of Arjuna. The hilltop
offered the safest fort
location, dominating and
surveying the desert for
miles.
The Lunar clan of Bhattis is
Krishna's descendant,
valiant and most feared of
the dessert marauders,
perennially locked in
territorial skirmishes with
Jodhpur and Bikaner. One
Bhatti scion-Gaj Singh had
founded the city of Ghazni
in Afghanistan but
ultimately lost it to forces
from Khorasan. One of his
grandsons reclaimed Ghazni,
embraced Islam, and came to
be called Chagattas (Mughals).
They later plundered the
land of their ancestors
between 1000 and 1025 A.D.
Again, led by Babar they
came to found the Mughal
Empire in India. All is part
of Jaisalmer History.
Jaisalmer lay on the camel
trade route between India
and Central Asia, a
caravanserai for traders and
earned its share of profits
without producing anything
of its own. But the rise of
the shipping trade and
development of the Bombay
port led to its decline in
importance. Jaisalmer
suffered a further fall in
fortune when following the
partition of the country;
trade routes across the
border were sealed.
Jaisalmer stood high and
dry. But the two wars with
Pakistan revived its
strategic importance once
again. National Highways and
a railways track, and now an
airs travel have brought
Jaisalmer within easy reach
of the people. |
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JAISALMER -
TRANSPORTATION |
By Air |
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Flights are not the best way
to reach Jaisalmer. Jodhpur
is the nearest airport at a
distance of 500 km. Indian
Airlines has a twice-weekly
service to Jodhpur from
Delhi. |
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By Rail |
From Jodhpur there is a
direct train to Jaisalmer
for overnight journey,
except on Wednesday. The
journey takes approximately
ten hours.
The Palace on Wheels is the
most luxurious way to travel
to Jaisalmer, recreating
within the coaches the
ambience of the legendary
palace comforts. Advance
reservation required. |
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By Road |
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Jaisalmer is 897 kilometers
from Delhi; 638 kilometers
from Jaipur; 285 kilometers
from Jodhpur; 500 kilometers
from Ajmer, and 330
kilometers from Bikaner.
Most of these places are
connected to Jaisalmer by
National Highway No 15. |
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Local Transport |
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The city of Jaisalmer is
small and can be covered
within two hours of
leisurely perambulation
through the lanes and
by-lanes. You can't get
lost, to be sure. |
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