Kalyan Bhawan

Patwa ki Haveli

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 16:46:59 +0000

Patwa ki Haveli or Patwon ki Haveli is not one but rather a cluster of five havelis. These were constructed for each of the five sons of an exceptionally rich trader who made his fortune in jewelry and brocade. These havelis have been constructed in the same sandstone as the fort. One of these havelis is out of bounds for public since it is owned privately but the other have been converted into museums. The havelis with their intricate carvings and views of the fort also offer an insight into just how rich the small town of Jaisalmer really was. If you are interested in history and culture, it is very easy to lose track of time in these havelis. Unfortunately, unlike Jaisalmer Fort there is no audio guide available the local guides to tend to rush you through the havelis.

Patwa ki Haveli timings: 10am to 5pm

Jain Temple

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 11:45:52 +0000

The group of intricately carved temples within the walls of Jaisalmer Fort is yet another attraction of the city. These seven Jain temples were built between 12th and 15th centuries and are connected to each other by corridors and walkways. You will be required to take leave all your leather accessories (belts, purses, wallets) as well as your shoes before entering the temple. The first temple in this cluster (and possibly the most popular one) is the one dedicated to Chandraprabhu, the eighth tirthankar. Constructed in 1509, this temple opens at 7 am and shuts at 1pm

Right of the Chandraprabhu temple is the Rikhabdev temple that features some exquisitely sculpted apsaras. Shitalnath temple is dedicated to the 10th tirthankar by the same name and then there is the temple of Sambhavnath. The last two temples — that of Shantinath and Kunthunath — with their numerous sensual carvings are bound to make you blush.

Jain Temples, Jaisalmer Fort timings: 11am to 1pm for all temples except Chandraprabhu temple which is open from 7am to 1pm.

Fort Palace

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 11:44:51 +0000

The fort’s center is Dussehra Chowk and towering over this square is the 11-storey palace that served as the private residence of the rulers. A part of the palace stands over Hawa Pol (Gate of Winds) and offers views of the square that was (and remains) the center of most activity within the fort. Quite like the buildings of its time in Rajasthan the windows of the zenana or the women’s chambers are designed such that they offer the person inside unrestricted views of the goings-on below without being spotted in return. Almost all the rooms have quite small doorways, built for the express purpose of forcing the entrant to bow and stoop as they enter.

Within the palace is Rang Mahal the excuisideely painted and mirrored room that served as the bedroom of Mulraj II and is without a doubt one the biggest attraction of the palace. Other attractions in the palace include a gallery of sculptures, a display of stamps of the erstwhile states of Rajputana and a balcony that served as a venue for the drummers who would raise an alarm to alert the populace of an advancing enemy. Note that the audio guide is compulsory here.

Fort Palace, Jaisalmer Fort timings: (April to October) 8am to 6pm; (November to March): 9am to 6pm

Jaisalmer Fort

admin — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 11:43:43 +0000

One of the largest fortifications on the planet, Jaisalmer Fort is the only living fort in Rajasthan. Home to some 3,000 people, Jaisalmer Fort has within its walls houses and businesses, homestays and cafes and temples galore. In 2013, Jaisalmer Fort was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its sandstone walls lend the fort a golden hue thus giving it the sobriquet, Sonar Quila or Golden Fort. Being a living fort makes Jaisalmer extremely unique and making it very easy to imagine what life inside the fort must have been all those centuries ago.

Jaisalmer Fort has 99 bastions of which 92 were built between 1633 and 1647 alone! The three-layered walls made the fort difficult to capture — remember it did take eight years for it to fall — and the fort’s several lookouts offered unrestricted views of the plains around it giving the rulers sufficient heads-up should an army come invading. Today, these lookouts serve as vantage points for tourists.