Discovering Jaisalmer

chillibreeze writer — Kerman Chowna

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If tourism in India offers a traveler the grand trifecta of history, culture, and purchasing power, the Indian state of Rajasthan is perhaps, the culmination of all three, plus a certain enigmatic je nes se quoi. Formerly the state of Rajputana, it boasts a fierce and proud warrior people with ancient feudal princely states and a culture of royalty, polo and many a lusty brawl.

Most tourists, however, forsake the small town of Jaisalmer for the more mainstream destinations of Jaipur and Udaipur. And while the state capital Jaipur and the lake city Udaipur are charming and conducive to tourism, I cannot urge you enough to take the five-hour road trip from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer.

Jaisalmer is unique in the fact that it is 40 kilometers away from the Indo-Pakistan border and is surrounded on all sides by desert. Dubbed ‘the golden city,’ every structure in Jaisalmer is constructed out of gold sandstone, the exact color of the desert.

The handsome women of the desert only wear the very brightest colors (think Matthew Williamson couture) for some visual relief from a monochromatic desert. Tourists will be enchanted by the herds of camels, as common as cows in Mumbai, all over Jaisalmer. The tradition goes that the caravans bring supplies to the desert town, while the camels bring husbands back to their wives. So the ladies of the house bedeck the camels in beaded necklaces, bracelets and nose rings as a thank you for the safe return of their husbands.

Out of the dozens of hotels available, within and outside of the Jaisalmer Fort, none will have the charm or the feeling of actually living in an oasis in the desert as the ‘Mool Sagar.’ Formerly the Maharwal of Jaisalmer’s pleasure gardens, Mool Sagar is now a luxury tented camp, five minutes out of the city. Complete with swimming pool, dining tent, boutique and environment-friendly water coolers, Mool Sagar is comfortable, full of character and a peaceful arbor from the dust and noise of Jaisalmer.

Of all the sights that the city has to offer, the Jaisalmer Fort is India’s only ‘living’ fort, with an entire walled city existing within it. The walk up through the multiple gates is magnificent, curling around the ramparts, until you arrive in the main courtyard, when the bustle of a living-breathing town within a town hits you. It is dirty, solicitous but undeniably captivating.

On the one hand, the Maharwal’s old palace with all the accoutrements of Rajput royalty and on the other, roadside stalls selling harem pants, journals and postcards, and cattle brushing past you like busy commuters in the narrow fort lanes. After you've wandered around the fort, take a look at the Jain temples and the former palace of the Maharwal of Jaisalmer. The temple is exquisitely carved and a real sanctuary within the fort.

What the palace lacks in upkeep, it makes up for in folklore, salacious palace intrigue and the Rajasthani people’s adulation for their royals, all brought to you courtesy of a registered guide. Hire a guide recommended by your hotel and fix the price for a day of sightseeing before you leave. The fort also has many hotels with spectacular ‘no end in sight’ views of the golden city, so break your day in half by having lunch on one of the terraces.

The Gadi Sagar man-made lake is another tourist destination with a Jain temple and ruins to explore, but more interesting are the bags of breadcrumbs that you can buy for a few rupees on the side of the lake to feed the catfish. You’ve never seen a bunch of more rowdy, thrashing, fat catfish fighting for their crumbs. The temple is not as impressive as the one within the fort and the lake can be covered in less than an hour.

The Jaisalmer desert is a scrub desert; don’t expect rolling sand dunes except for a specific spot outside the city, where the guides take you for ‘camel safari.’ The spot was over run with tourists and touts but is fun in all. The camels have names like Michael Jackson and Shahrukh Khan and take you careening over a couple of dunes to the border of Pakistan.

Finally, the famous trading families of Jaisalmer built homes or ‘havelis’ in the city. These are interesting because they give a view of how the middle class of Rajputana lived. The indoor kitchens, the accountant’s rooms complete with scrolls, account books and abacuses, the women’s quarters and the courtyards are all beautiful and expensive-looking, showing where the real wealth of Rajputana came from. Shopping in the famous havelis of Jaisalmer isn’t as stressful as the fort and one can find antiques, traditional jewelry, textiles and clothes.

Three days is usually enough to see what Jaisalmer has to offer and to enjoy the desert town in a relaxed fashion. The nearest airport is Jodhpur and the drive is about five hours long; it is a very beautiful drive on a straight flat road, through seemingly endless scrub desert dotted with complacent camels and strong-featured women in bright colors. Then, a quick cup of tea in Pokhran to break the journey, before proceeding to the princely state of Jaisalmer.

The weather is typical of a desert, hot and dry during the day and cool at night. Always keep water handy to avoid dehydration, which creeps up on you unexpectedly. Sun block and a hat are recommended too.

The people of Rajasthan are of an old worldly demeanor, polite, courtly and respectful, but God help you if you challenge their honor!

All in all an enchanting desert adventure, filled with discoveries of ancient cultures.

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—About our writer:

Kerman has worked in Mumbai and New York as a documentary filmmaker, editor and writer and is currently satisfying her wanderlust by tripping all over India.

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