Being a travel person my recent visit was to Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Jaisalmer is located in the middle of the Thar desert, the Great Indian desert. When I arrived in the town the first thing I noticed was how clean the city of Jaisalmer was as compared to other places. The city has got another name called “golden city”, because of the yellow sand and yellow sandstone in every architecture.
The Golden City of Jaisalmer will transport you back in time as soon as you arrive. The fort in the Jaisalmer is believed to be one of the only living forts in the entire world as nearly one-fourth of the city’s population still resides within the fort. The best time to visit Jaisalmer is during its winter season from November to March. Sightseeing and other outdoor activities like camel rides, a desert safari is more enjoyable during this time.
EPIC THINGS TO DO IN JAISALMER:
SAM SAND DUNES:
Sam Sand Dunes are situated at a distance of approximately 42 km from the city of Jaisalmer. My experience with Sam sand dunes is meaningful and most cherished in my life. I reached there by evening and my guide took me to the sunset point on a camel ride. It was a feeling of amazement in the midst of the Thar desert. I witnessed a magical sunset and the rays spread all over the sand which look pleasant and the atmosphere tended to cool. To walk on these dunes and playing by rolling down on the desert gave me immense pleasure.
Camel safari in Jaisalmer is one of the best experiences I had during my trip to Jaisalmer. It was wonderful to sit at the back of the camel and enjoyed the views of sand for miles together. The trip with the camel safari was well organized and the camel owners are well aware of the temperature in the
sand dunes of Jaisalmer.
The
camel safari packages in Jaisalmer have various features. It depends upon the route, food provided, comfort facilities, etc. The
desert camping in Jaisalmer is a must-try for every traveller during their trip to Rajasthan. My most cherished experience during my trip is staying in the desert camp. The
Jaisalmer desert camp package varies from basic to premium.
BADA BAGH:
Bada Bagh is called Bara Bagh in the local language and it means a “Big Garden”. This place left a big impression on me during my trip to Jaisalmer. This place was built as a resting place for the kings and queens of the royal family. I discovered the typical tomb-shaped cenotaphs called chhatris. The sculptures are wonderfully crafted and it is one of the special attractions of Bada Bagh. Cenotaphs mean a tomb or a monument built in honor of a person or group of persons who passed away during battle.
The first cenotaph in Bada Bagh was built in the 18th century to commemorate Maharaja Jai Singh II. During his reign, he made significant improvements to the infrastructure of Jaisalmer and always strived to make people’s lives better. After his death, his son Lunkaran built a chhatri to commemorate his father. It then continued as a tradition to build a cenotaph for each Jaisalmer king or queen that passed away.
The cenotaphs are varying in sizes. It represents the family status. The largest one for Jaisalmer kings, the bit smaller one for queens, the smallest one for prince or princess. I went during sunrise; the golden glow of the sunshine falls on these royal cenotaphs making literally glow in the desert.
GADISAR LAKE:
Gadisar Lake is a manmade reservoir. It’s a peaceful and scenic place that once served as an integral water source for the people of Jaisalmer. During day time, I took a ride on a
jeep safari in Jaisalmer to reach out to the lake place. When I was here, there were many tour groups, photography groups, and even a wedding shoot. I sat on the long golden stairs and was looking at the peaceful lake and relaxes myself along with the beauty of the nature. I took a photo of the lake and the picture is covered in and around the lake.
The lake’s shore is lined with temples and pavilions it was a totally different world. That experience itself was surreal and peaceful. The street vendors slowly setting up their stalls, kids brushing their teeth and parents running behind toddlers to get them to take a bath, dogs barking at this new stranger and curious passers-by wondering as to what this girl was doing running down the streets at this time of the day. It was a beautiful feeling to watch the golden rays of sunshine slowly rise up from the horizon. It cast a beautiful orange pink glow to the sky.
