Rajasthan,land of sand and sun, myriad colors and soulful ballads, blushing women in ghunghats and men in dhotis and colorful turbans, a past reminiscent of a glorious era and a present steeped in heritage and culture.

The most important thing that strikes the traveler on their first visit to Rajasthan or in particular to Jaisalmer are the vast empty stretches of dry land dotted with shrubs here and there.

It is a long journey to Jaisalmer incase you are taking the Delhi-Jaisalmer Express.So it is with a sense of relief that one gets off at Jaisalmer and the Jaisalmer station appears as wordlessly in sight without any tell tales like habitation before we enter a city.

We were soon on our way to the IAF Officers quarters and lo behold a little ahead of the quarters was the Sonar Qila or the Golden Fortress in all her awe inspiring beauty.

We took the car and went to the fort to buy some vegetables and dairy for the party later in the evening.The Sonar Qila loomed ahead brilliant against the clear blue sky and standing impressively at a height of 100 m, with 99 bastions, the fort-complex with approximately 3000 people living within its ramparts, and is one of a kind.We were amazed at the number of small alleys and cobbled streets and the myriad bazaars that catered to the number of foreign and Indian tourists alike.

The fort has Jain Temples.The Jains were the rich financiers of the Rajputs, were powerful and wielded immense clout especially with regard to religious matters. They built numerous temples in and around the city, however, the temple-complex within the fort of seven temples dating back to the 12th & 14th centuries are truly a marvel of architecture. The Parasvanath Temple holds the distinction of being the oldest as well as the most stunning of all the temples.

The story of how the Mughal rulers laid siege to the fort for months but could not climb its tall ramparts and had to beat a hasty retreat when their water resources ran out is awe inspiring.The setting sun throws its light on the fort and the surrounding areas making the place look like it is bathed in gold.The sight is sheer poetry in colour.

Jaisalmer is dotted with many havelis or residences and the most prominent ones are

Salim Singh-Ji-Ki-Haveli :It was the residence of the powerful Mohta family, who were the ministers of Jaisalmer's ruling family. The Haveli has an ornamental blue cupola kind of roof, with intricately carved faade and many beautiful balconies.

Patwon-Ki-Haveli: One of the largest and most heavily-worked havelis rises five storeys high and was the residence of the richest merchants of Jaisalmer.This havelihouses some of the most beautiful rooms and is a reminder of an era that went by. The haveli also showcases some of the different turbans worn by the people in Rajasthan. This haveli is also seen from one of the balconies from the fort.

Nathmal-Ji-Ki-Haveli: Built by two brothers of the same family, the two sides exhibit different styles of carving, however they meld perfectly to form an amazingly lovely haveli. The jalli work and gossamer appearance of the carved screens showcases the talent of the carver.

Be prepared to walk long distances and climb plenty of steps.

Gadsisar Lake: This rainwater lake is very close to the fort and can actually be seen from the fort. This lake feeds Jaisalmer and is the only water resource in and around Jaisalmer.The periphery of the lake has a quaint museum and plenty of small temples and is bordered by lush greenery.The temple is rich in folklore.

Kuldhara: A trip to Jaisalmer is incomplete without visiting the deserted villages of Kuldhara, a 400-year village. This is situated 25 kms from Jaisalmer and is a popular stop for camel trekkers.

According to a legend the 300 odd houses were vacated overnight to protect a young girls honour from the lecherous tyrant king.It is very poignant to see ashes at the hearth suggesting a hurriedly cooked meal.

The village has well laid roads,a temple in the middle of the village and also a big well at one corner.A huge boundary wall surrounds the entire village.According to one of the stories, the villagers had abundant wealth, which was stored in big cellars in their houses.The wealth was plundered by one and sundry and it is very recently that the Rajasthan Government has made the village a National heritage.

Sam Sand Dunes:

Sam is pronounced SUM and is situated 42 kms from Jaisalmer.The norm is to take a jeep safari till a certain point and then take a one hour camel safari to Sam.It is wonderful towatch the Sun bidding farewell in all his glory and covering the entire desert in a magical golden and orange hue amidst the melodious strains of the local musicians.

Tanot:

Jaisalmer has many places of interest dotted in and around 100 kms from the city.We decided that we had to pay a visit to Tanot, a temple close to the Pakistan border.The presence of the Army, Airforce and BSF in Jaisalmer is something that cannot be missed.You will see them everywhere.

Tanot is 100kms from Jaisalmer and is a Durga temple run by the BSF.This is a 1300 year old temple and the legend on the temple pillars say that during the 1971 war about 3008 artillery and mortar shells were fired at Tanot before it fell to the invading troops.

But interestingly none of the shells which fell on the temple exploded.Infact none of the people who took shelter in the complex were hurt but those who ventured out were killed. Tanot was later liberated by Gurkha fighters.

Lodhurva:
Situated 15 kms from the city, stands the deserted ruins of the ancient capital-city of Jaisalmer. The citywas founded by the Lodra Rajputs and handed down to the Bhatti Devaraja in the 10th century. The place is dotted with exquisite Jain temples, which are worth a dekko.

Travel Advice:

The best attire to travel in and around Jaisalmer is loose cotton clothes in summer and warm jackets with trousers/leggings in winter.

Comfortable footwear is a must as most of Jaisalmer sightseeing is done on foot.

It is important to drink lot of water as one tends to get dehydrated both in summer and winter.This is so as the weather is a dry climate and one needs to replenish the water that is lost.

Do not forget to slather ample sunscreen to avoid sunburns.

What are you waiting for, hurry and plan your vacation to Jaisalmer, for the Sonar Qila beckons you!!