Jaisalmer Fort lies to the south of the city, on the Trikuta hill, amidst the sandy expense of the great Thar Desert. The city of Jaisalmer, named after King Jaisal Singh of the Bhati clan of Rajputs, is also called the ‘Golden city’ of India, well known for it’s temples, it’s fortress, it’s famous ghost village on the Indo-Pak border and it’s never-ending golden silky sand dune desert.
If you have wanted to lose yourself in a flaxen meadow, in a place so different, in the luxury of something raw and earthen, like pure silk beaten out of a silkworm, you have to bring yourself to Jaisalmer and experience its wonders.
Take yourself to the golden fortress – it stands watching over the city like a lion, tawny and rich, but old, with talking walls. The fortress is a community, a mixture of what was and what is – with restaurants, age old gem and textile shops and bhang stores that sell poppy seed sweets and much more. You can dine here as the fort holds restaurants of French, Italian and native cuisines, so you will leave satisfied whether you’re craving antipasti and a glass of wine or rich bajra rotlas with gatta sabzi drenched in pure ghee. The fort also holds 7 Jain sandstone temples which were built in the 12th – 16th century that are a must-see.
Come see the Patwon Haveli – the first haveli erected in Jaisalmer, with it’s rich architecture, celestial mirror-work and royal furnishing, or take yourself to Gada Sagar lake and enjoy a peaceful, relaxing boat-ride with a glass of wine.
This city has various rooftop cafes and restaurants that serve lip-smacking food in different cuisines – from Tibetan to traditional Rajasthani, and from every rooftop, you will find yourself surrounded by a golding city browning on the edges with the background of a vermillion sky.
In the evening, take yourself to the sand dunes, or to the ghost village. The desert holds private dining set ups with good wine and delicious food and private folk dance performances. The silky sand of the Thar will give you chills – you will think you are somewhere really different, somewhere away from civilisation but secure in the lap of luxury, somewhere primal – and that is just what Jaisalmer is…