Jaisalmer , nicknamed "The Golden city", is a city in the
Indian state
India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, with a total of 36 entities. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions.
History
Pre-indepen ...
of
Rajasthan
Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern s ...
, located west of the state capital
Jaipur
Jaipur (; Hindi: ''Jayapura''), formerly Jeypore, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. , the city had a population of 3.1 million, making it the tenth most populous city in the country. Jaipur is also known ...
. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone and is crowned by the ancient
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer Fort is situated in the city of Jaisalmer, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is believed to be one of the very few "living forts" in the world (such as Carcassonne, France), as nearly one fourth of the old city's population still re ...
. This fort contains a royal palace and several ornate
Jain
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
temples. Many of the houses and temples of both the fort and of the town below are built of finely sculptured sandstone. The town lies in the heart of the
Thar Desert
The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is an arid region in the north-western part of the Subcontinent that covers an area of and forms a natural boundary between India and Pakistan. It is the world's 20th-largest desert, a ...
(the Great Indian Desert) and has a population, including the residents of the fort, of about 78,000. It is the administrative headquarters of
Jaisalmer District
Jaisalmer is the largest district in the Indian state of Rajasthan, and the third largest district in India. Located in Marwar (Jodhpur Division), the city of Jaisalmer is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is around from the ...
. Jaisalmer was once the capital of
Jaisalmer State.
Origin of name
Jaisalmer was founded by
Rawal Jaisal
Rawal Jaisal (–1168), was a Bhati Rajput ruler of Jaisalmer who lived during the 12th century and founded the city of Jaisalmer and Jaisalmer state. Sixth in descent from Rawal Deoraj Bhati, he was the eldest son of Rawal Dusaj of Deoraj (D ...
in 1156 AD.
''Jaisalmer'' means ''the Hill Fort of Jaisal''. Jaisalmer is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow sandstone used throughout the architecture of both the fort and the town below, imbues both with a certain golden-yellow light.
Geography and climate
![Sand sunes sum rajasthan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Sand_sunes_sum_rajasthan.JPG)
Jaisalmer, being an arid desert region, is prone to extremes in terms of temperature. The temperature varies greatly from day to night in both summer and winter. The maximum summer temperature is around while the minimum is . The maximum winter temperature is usually around and the minimum is . The average rainfall is . Highest ever recorded temperature was ; the lowest ever recorded temperature being . Temperature of up to have been recorded near the international border close to Pakistan, but standard conditions of this temperature recording remain unverified.
Demography
According to the 2011 census, Jaisalmer had a population of 65,471. Around 90% of the population is Hindu, 8.20% is Muslim and the remaining are Sikhs, Christians and Jains.
Economy
Tourism is a major industry in Jaisalmer.
The Government of India initiated departmental exploration for oil in 1955–56 in the Jaisalmer area.
Oil India Limited discovered
natural gas
Natural gas (also called fossil gas or simply gas) is a naturally occurring mixture of gaseous hydrocarbons consisting primarily of methane in addition to various smaller amounts of other higher alkanes. Low levels of trace gases like carbo ...
in 1988 in the
Jaisalmer basin.
Musicians and dancers are also a major cultural export from Jaisalmer to the rest of the world. Manganiyar musicians have played the world over, and
Queen Harish
Harish Kumar (1979 - 2 June 2019) popularly known as Queen Harish was a folk dancer from Rajasthan, India. A person who worked towards revival of Rajasthani folk dances, his performances included various folk dance forms from Rajasthan like Ghoo ...
, the dancing desert drag queen, has toured the world over and has featured in international movies.
Jaisalmer is also known for its leather
messenger bag
A messenger bag (also called a courier bag) is a type of sack, usually made of cloth (natural or synthetic). It is worn over one shoulder with a strap that goes across the chest resting the bag on the lower back. While messenger bags are som ...
s, made from wild camels native to the area.
Transport
Jaisalmer is connected to the rest of Rajasthan by buses provided by
Rajasthan State Transport Corporation as well as other private bus operators.
Jaisalmer Airport
Jaisalmer Airport is a domestic airport serving Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India. It is located from the city centre. The airport operates as a civil enclave on an Indian Air Force base.
The airport has a single runway of in length and in widt ...
is located 17 kilometres southeast of Jaisalmer. Flights serve Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Surat and Jodhpur.
Jaisalmer railway station
Jaisalmer railway station is a major railway station located in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The railway station is under the administrative control of North Western Railway of Indian Railways. The station has three platforms and a total of five tra ...
runs daily trains between Jaisalmer and Jaipur, through which it is connected to Delhi and other cities all over India. This station comes under Jodhpur (JU) division of the Northwestern Railway (NWR). Additionally, there exists a luxury tourist train known as
Palace On Wheels
The ''Palace on Wheels'' is a luxury tourist train. It was launched by the Indian Railways in association with Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism in Rajasthan. It is now known as Heritage Palace on Wheels.
The trai ...
, which covers the major tourist destinations of Rajasthan, including Jaisalmer.
Places of interest
Jaisalmer Fort
![JaisalmerFort](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/JaisalmerFort.jpg)
Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal,
Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer Fort is situated in the city of Jaisalmer, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is believed to be one of the very few "living forts" in the world (such as Carcassonne, France), as nearly one fourth of the old city's population still re ...
, situated on Meru Hill and named as ''Trikoot Garh'' has been the scene of many battles. Its massive
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...
walls are a tiny lion colour during the day, turning to a magical honey-gold as the sun sets. The famous Indian film director
Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later turned it into a film − ''
Sonar Kella
''Sonar Kella'' ( bn, সোনার কেল্লা), also ''Shonar Kella'', is a 1971 mystery novel written by by Bengali writer and filmmaker Satyajit Ray. In 1974, Ray directed a film adaption of the book, also named ''Sonar Kella'', ...
'' (The Golden Fortress) which was based on this fort. About a quarter of city's population still live inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are: Raj Mahal (Royal
palace),
Jain
Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religion. Jainism traces its spiritual ideas and history through the succession of twenty-four tirthankaras (supreme preachers of ''Dharma''), with the first in the current time cycle being ...
temples and the Laxminath temple.
Jain heritage of Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer has been enriched by its
Jain community
The Jains in India are the last direct representatives of the ancient Shramana tradition. People who practice Jainism, an ancient religion of the Indian subcontinent, are collectively referred to as Jains.
Sangha
Jainism has a fourfold orde ...
, which has adorned the city with beautiful
temples
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
, notably the temples dedicated to the 16th
Tirthankara
In Jainism, a ''Tirthankara'' (Sanskrit: '; English: literally a ' ford-maker') is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the '' dharma'' (righteous path). The word ''tirthankara'' signifies the founder of a '' tirtha'', which is a fordable pass ...
,
Shantinath
Shantinatha was the sixteenth Jain tirthankar of the present age (Avasarpini). Shantinatha was born to King Vishvasena and Queen Aiira at Hastinapur in the Ikshvaku dynasty. His birth date is the thirteenth day of the Jyest Krishna month of the ...
, and 23rd Tirthankara,
Parshvanath
''Parshvanatha'' (), also known as ''Parshva'' () and ''Parasnath'', was the 23rd of 24 ''Tirthankaras'' (supreme preacher of dharma) of Jainism. He is the only Tirthankara who gained the title of ''Kalīkālkalpataru ( Kalpavriksha in this "Ka ...
.
There are seven Jain temples in total which are situated within the Jaisalmer fort built during the 12th and 15th centuries. Among these temples, the biggest is the ''Paraswanath Temple''; the others are ''Chandraprabhu temple'', ''
Rishabdev temple'', ''
Shitalnath Temple'', ''
Kunthunath Temple'', and ''
Shantinath Temple''. Known for their exquisite work of art and architecture that was predominant in the medieval era the temples are built out of yellow sandstone and have intricate engravings on them.
Jaisalmer has some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts and artefacts of Jain tradition. There are many
pilgrimage centres around Jaisalmer such as
Lodhruva
Lodrawa (aka Lodurva, Lodarva or Laudrava) is a village in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, India. It is located 15 kilometers to the north-west of Jaisalmer. Lodrawa was the ancient capital of the Bhati dynasty until Rawal Jaisal founded the Jais ...
(Lodarva), Amarsagar, Brahmsar and
Pokharan.
File:Jaisalmer, India, Jaisalmer Fort, Jain Temple Interior.jpg, Jain Haveli architecture
File:Lodurva Temples.jpg, Lodhurva Jain temple
Lodhurva Jain temple is a Jain temple in the Lodhruva village of Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan.
History
Lodhruva was established as the capital by Rawal Deoraj, the Bhati clan, in 8th−9th century CE. The temple was constructed in the 9th ...
File:Jaisalmer-6.jpg, Chhatris
''Chhatri'' are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indo-Islamic architecture and Indian architecture. Originating as a canopy above tombs, they serve as decorative elements. The earliest example of chhatri being used in the ...
at Bada Bagh
Bada Bagh, also called Barabagh (lit. "grand garden" in Hindustani) is a garden complex located about six kilometers north of Jaisalmer in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Overlooking a mango grove sits a set of royal chhatri cenotaphs constructe ...
File:N-RJ-87 Fort including Ancient Temples Jaisalmer SolReyes20100917 332.JPG, Chandraprabhu Jain Temple inside the Jaisalmer Fort
File:Jain temples, Jaisalmer Fort - panoramio.jpg, Jain Temple inside the Jaisalmer Fort
File:Parsvanatha Lodhruva.jpg, Parshvantha, Lodhruva Jain Temple
File:Umbrella roof.JPG, Ceiling of Jain temple inside the Jaisalmer Fort
File:Jaisalmer Jain Temple 17.jpg, Carving on the wall of Jain Temple, Jaisalmer Fort
Museums
* Baa RI Haveli On fort
* Desert Culture Centre & Museum
*
Jaisalmer Folklore Museum
* Government Museum
* Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum
*
Jaisalmer War Museum
The Jaisalmer War Museum was conceived by Lieutenant General Bobby Mathews, AVSM, VSM, General Officer Commanding, Desert Corps and constructed by the Desert Corps of the Indian Army.
It was dedicated to the Nation by Lieutenant General Ashok ...
*
Akal Fossil Park Museum
* Cactus Park Museum, Kuldhara
*
Tanot Museum
Other
Ramdevra
Ramdevra is a village situated about 12 km to the north of Pokhran in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan in India. Ramdevra was established by Baba Ramdev Pir, who was son of ruler of Pokhran Ajmal Singh Tanwar. Gram Panchayat of Ramdevra is on ...
a village in Jaisalmer is named after Baba Ramdevji, a Tanwar Rajput and a saint who took Samādhi in 1384 CE, at the age of 33 years. He is worshiped today by many social groups of India as Ishta-deva.
![Gadsisar_lake,_Jaisalmer_(retouched)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Gadsisar_lake%2C_Jaisalmer_%28retouched%29.jpg)
*
Gadisar Lake
Gadisar Lake also called Gadaria Lake is located in the Jaisalmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was built by the founder of Jaisalmer, King Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD and later rebuilt by Gadsi Singh around 1367 AD. This lake is an ...
– Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, it is a scenic rainwater lake surrounded by the small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. Earlier, this lake was used to be the main water source of Jaisalmer. Due to an increased water demand for agriculture, the lake is increasingly threatened to dry out.
In neighbourhood
*
Bada Bagh
Bada Bagh, also called Barabagh (lit. "grand garden" in Hindustani) is a garden complex located about six kilometers north of Jaisalmer in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Overlooking a mango grove sits a set of royal chhatri cenotaphs constructe ...
, a complex with
chhatri
''Chhatri'' are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indo-Islamic architecture and Indian architecture. Originating as a canopy above tombs, they serve as decorative elements. The earliest example of chhatri being used in the ...
s of
Jai Singh II
Jai Singh II (3 November 1681 – 21 September 1743) popularly known as Sawai Jai Singh was the 29th Kachwaha Rajput ruler of the Jaipur State, Kingdom of Amber, who later founded the fortified city of Jaipur and made it his capital. He was born ...
(d. 1743) and subsequent Maharajas of Jaisalmer
*
Lodhruva
Lodrawa (aka Lodurva, Lodarva or Laudrava) is a village in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, India. It is located 15 kilometers to the north-west of Jaisalmer. Lodrawa was the ancient capital of the Bhati dynasty until Rawal Jaisal founded the Jais ...
*
Desert National Park
Desert National Park is a national park situated in the Indian state of Rajasthan, near the towns of Jaisalmer and Barmer. This is one of the largest national parks, covering an area of 3162 km². The Desert National Park is an excellent ...
*
Bhaniyana
Bhaniyana is a census village mostly of the ethnic group Rajput,Jaat, Paliwal, Maheshwari and Banjara, in the Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, India.
It is located 110 km east of Jaisalmer and 36 km south of Pokaran. Bhaniyana has a p ...
*
Lanela
*
Battle of Longewala
The Battle of Longewala (4–7 December 1971) was one of the first major engagements in the western sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longe ...
point
Desert festival
Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is the most awaited and famous cultural and colourful event of Rajasthan. Camel races, Turban-tying and Mr. Desert competitions are organised. It is held in the month of February every year. The festival showcases Rajasthani folk songs and dance and it is very attractive to foreign tourists. Gair and Fire dancers which are the major attraction of the Jaisalmer desert festival celebrations. This is the best time to visit Jaisalmer to witness performing arts like Kalbelia dances and folk songs and music.
In popular culture
*''
Gupi Gayen Bagha Bayen'' (1969), a Bengali film, directed by
Satyajit Ray, was partly shot at Jaisalmer Fort.
*''
Sonar Kella
''Sonar Kella'' ( bn, সোনার কেল্লা), also ''Shonar Kella'', is a 1971 mystery novel written by by Bengali writer and filmmaker Satyajit Ray. In 1974, Ray directed a film adaption of the book, also named ''Sonar Kella'', ...
'' (1974) (Golden Fortress)
Satyajit Ray's Bengali film, based on his eponymous novel featuring his creation, the detective
Feluda
Feluda, or Prodosh Chandra Mitra itter'', is a fictional detective, Private investigator created by famous Indian director and writer Satyajit Ray. Feluda resides at 21 Rajani Sen Road, Ballygunge, Calcutta, West Bengal. Feluda first made his ap ...
, was based in Jaisalmer and surrounding areas.
* ''
Hothat Brishti
''Hothat Brishti'' ( bn, links=no, হঠাৎ বৃষ্টি; ''Sudden Rain'') is a Bengali romance movie released in 1998 under the direction of Basu Chatterjee. It is a remake of the 1996 Tamil movie Kadhal Kottai. It was produced by ...
'', a Bengali film was shot in Jaisalmer.
* ''Goray Gondogol'' (2012), a Bengali film was partly shot in Jaisalmer.
* ''
Kishore Kumar Junior
''Kishore Kumar Junior'' (''KKJ'', released 2018) is a Bengali drama film directed by Kaushik Ganguly, starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, and Aparajita Auddy in lead roles. The film was a sleeper hit.
Plot
This film is about a singer who sings onl ...
'' (2018), a Bengali film was partly shot in Jaisalmer.
* ''Soul of Jaisalmer'' (Hindi non-feature film 2016) made by Abenezer Inder. This film is based on traditional water step well of Jaisalmer and was filmed in Gadsisar, Amar Sagar, Bada Bagh and many more far location of Jaisalmer.
See also
*
Paramara
The Paramara dynasty ( IAST: Paramāra) was an Indian dynasty that ruled Malwa and surrounding areas in west-central India between 9th and 14th centuries. They belonged to the Parmara clan of the Rajputs.
The dynasty was established in either t ...
, Dalvi-Deshmukh of Nasik originating from Jaisalmer
*
Indira Gandhi Canal
The Indira Gandhi Canal (originally, Rajasthan Canal) is the longest canal in India. It starts at the Harike Barrage near Harike, a few kilometers downriver from the confluence of the Satluj and Beas rivers in Punjab state, and ends in irriga ...
*
Pokhran
Pokhran is a village and a municipality located, outside of Jaisalmer city in the Jaisalmer district of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is a remote location in the Thar Desert region and served as the site for India's first underground nucle ...
*
Rajkumari Ratnavati Girl's School, a school in the rural thar desert of Jaisalmer with unique architect
*
Baba Ramdevji, the 14th century ruler
*
Tanot Mata
*
Kuldhara
References
Further reading
*Bhati, Hari Singh. 2002. ''ANNALS OF JAISALMER: A Pre-Mediaeval History''. Kavi Prakashan, Bikaner.
*Gahlot, Sukhvirsingh. 1992. ''RAJASTHAN: Historical & Cultural''. J. S. Gahlot Research Institute, Jodhpur.
*Somani, Ram Vallabh. 1993. ''History of Rajasthan''.
*Tod, James & Crooke, William. 1829. ''Annals & Antiquities of Rajasthan or the Central and Western Rajput States of India''. 3 Vols. Reprint: Low Price Publications, Delhi. 1990. (set of 3 vols.)
External links
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Cities and towns in Jaisalmer district
Former capital cities in India