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JAISALMER
And then Jaisalmer.
And this is where it started.
En route Jaisalmer. The magic where the rolling hills disappeared into the chimera of the desert.
Light and Shade, Sun and Moon streaking through the soft sand dunes.
Creating Magic!
The mystery and magic of the dessert.
The heart of Rajasthan.
Rolling golden dunes
And scrubby desert shrubs.
The sun had turned strong, really strong, as we made our way to Jaisalmer. It was a round plate of blazing orange most of the day and when the sun set that day it set the sky ablaze in flames.
Jaisalmer, immortalized by our very own Maestro Satyajit Ray in the movie Sonar Kella (The Golden Fort).
Photo credits: Inside : Hill fort of Jaisalmer - tourmyindia.com; Inside 1A: Badal Mahal - yogoyo.com
It is named after Jaisal Singh, a Bhatti Rajput king who founded the city in 1156 AD. “Jaisalmer” means “the Hill Fort of Jaisal”. It is sometimes called the “Golden City of India” because of the yellow sandstone used throughout the architecture of both the fort and the town below, imparting a golden yellow shade to life in general.
This is a town largely confined within the gates of the old city which is predominantly the Quila or Fort.
Curiously the Quila itself has been taken over by the successors of those who once served the king. The king’s successor having been driven out of the Fort now lives outside in Badal Mahal.
Part of the royal residence is also a heritage hotel.
Photo credits:Sonar Kella - footlooseforever.com; Inside 2A: Jain Temple - indiatravels2011.wordpress.com
Sonar Kella is filled with people who stay within its premises and make a living by selling a multitude of interesting items and artefacts including the famous “Sonar patharbaati” (sandstone bowls).
There is a beautiful ancient Jain temple within the fort and residents are happy to lead you to the shooting spots where the famous movie was made.
Proud of the fact this golden- hued fort is unique in that it has inhabitants it has earned the tag of being A Living Fort.
One cannot help but wonder how long this heritage site will hold up to the ravages of daily living of its seemingly large numbers.
Photo Credits: Rajwada Fort - tourmyindia.com; Inside 3A: weddingz.in
Outside the fort, life is about the romanticism of the Fort. Most hotels are also named forts − like where we stayed was called Rajwada Fort. The other significant thing about Jaisalmer is its proximity to the Pakistan border. Jaisalmer District has a large international border and is an important army base.
The air hangs golden here.
Simmering dust particles surround us
So does the haunting music of the dessert.
It is in the hearty sandy desserts that the folk songs ring out loud.
Banner Left: whereintheworld.ca; Banner Center: remotelands.com; Banner Right: whereintheworld.ca
− To read more of Ipsita Ganguli's writings please log into www.ipsitaganguli.com
Photo credits: Inside : Hill fort of Jaisalmer - tourmyindia.com; Inside 1A: Badal Mahal - yogoyo.com
It is named after Jaisal Singh, a Bhatti Rajput king who founded the city in 1156 AD. “Jaisalmer” means “the Hill Fort of Jaisal”. It is sometimes called the “Golden City of India” because of the yellow sandstone used throughout the architecture of both the fort and the town below, imparting a golden yellow shade to life in general.
This is a town largely confined within the gates of the old city which is predominantly the Quila or Fort.
Curiously the Quila itself has been taken over by the successors of those who once served the king. The king’s successor having been driven out of the Fort now lives outside in Badal Mahal.
Part of the royal residence is also a heritage hotel.
Photo credits:Sonar Kella - footlooseforever.com; Inside 2A: Jain Temple - indiatravels2011.wordpress.com
Sonar Kella is filled with people who stay within its premises and make a living by selling a multitude of interesting items and artefacts including the famous “Sonar patharbaati” (sandstone bowls).
There is a beautiful ancient Jain temple within the fort and residents are happy to lead you to the shooting spots where the famous movie was made.
Proud of the fact this golden- hued fort is unique in that it has inhabitants it has earned the tag of being A Living Fort.
One cannot help but wonder how long this heritage site will hold up to the ravages of daily living of its seemingly large numbers.
Photo Credits: Rajwada Fort - tourmyindia.com; Inside 3A: weddingz.in
Outside the fort, life is about the romanticism of the Fort. Most hotels are also named forts − like where we stayed was called Rajwada Fort. The other significant thing about Jaisalmer is its proximity to the Pakistan border. Jaisalmer District has a large international border and is an important army base.
The air hangs golden here.
Simmering dust particles surround us
So does the haunting music of the dessert.
It is in the hearty sandy desserts that the folk songs ring out loud.
Banner Left: whereintheworld.ca; Banner Center: remotelands.com; Banner Right: whereintheworld.ca
− To read more of Ipsita Ganguli's writings please log into www.ipsitaganguli.com
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