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Jaisalmer General Info
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General Information |
| Area |
5.1 sq. km. |
| Altitude |
225 mts |
| Temperature |
summer : Max 41.4ºC, Min 25ºC. |
| Winter : Max 23.6ºC, Min 7.9ºC. |
| Rainfall |
15 cms |
| Languages |
Hindi, English, Rajasthani. |
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Jaisalmer Introduction : |
Rajasthan, the land of the kings, in India at its exotic and colourful best with
its battle-scarred forts, its palaces of breathtaking grandeur and whimsical
charm, its riotous colours and even its romantic sense of pride and honour.
Jaisalmer is a great place to simply wander. The old city was once completely
surrounded by an extensive wall, much of which has sadly been ripped away in
recent times for building material. Some of it remains, however, including the
city gates and, inside them, the massive fort which rises above the city and is
the essence of Jaisalmer. The main market area is directly below the hill, while
the banks, the new palace and several other shops and offices are near the Amar
Sagar Gate to the west.
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Jaisalmer History |
The 'Golden City' of Jaisalmer was founded in the year 1156 by a Bhatti
Rajput prime Jaisala named the city from the vulnerable former capital of
Lodhruva, 15 kms to the southeast. The succession of Maharajas of Jaisalmer
trace their lineage back to the ruler of Bhatti Rajput Clan Jailasimha. 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. Today, tourism will soon rival military bases
as the pillar of the city's economy. The military bases hardly impinge at
all on the life of the old city and only the occasional sound of war planes
landing or taking off in the distance ever disturbs the tranquillity of
this desert gem.It's not always been so peaceful, of course, since
fortresses have rarely been constructed for aesthetic reasons and medieval
desert chieftains were not known for their pacific temperaments. Chivarlic
rivelry and ferocity between the various Rajput clans were the order of the
day and the Bhatti Rajputs of Jaisalmer were regarded as a formidable force
throughout the region. While Jaisalmer largely escaped direct conquest by
the muslim rulers of Delhi, it did experience its share of sieges and
sackings with the inevitable jauhar being declared in the face of
inevitable defeat. There is perhaps no Rajasthani city in which you can
more easily conjure up the spirit of those times.
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Fair and Festivals |
Desert Festival
Desert Festival is the perfect occasion to take a glimpse into the royal
past and affluent cultural heritage of Jaisalmer. The festival offers a
breathtaking spectacle of folk dances, traditional songs and various
competitions that virtually set the deserted land of Jaisalmer on fire.
The festival exudes a delightful spirit and for three days the entire town
is clustered with colorfully dressed people..
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Best Season |
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. Therefore the best season to visit Jaisalmer is between
October and March.
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