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Desert Circuit
Places of Interest: Jodhpur
- Barmer - Jaisalmer - Bikaner
Rajasthan
has long been synonymous with
camels, sand dunes and colorfully dressed people.
A lot of people are pleasantly surprised when they visit the state and find
so much greenery - the lush green hills and deep valleys, the lake palaces and
gardens.
If you are wondering just where the desert lies, welcome to Marwar.
This is your desert land. Come and see as much sand as you want, ride camels
and be fascinated by the colorful costumes of the inhabitants.
Places to See:
Jodhpur can be your starting point. Popularly called the Sun City, Jodhpur
gives the impression of being a rugged , no nonsense city that has little time
for the decorative and pretty. Take a look at
Mehrangarh Fort, one of
the most impressive and formidable structures that looks down from a height
of 125m. The solid walls with tiny openings appear so daunting that it is easy
to imagine the dread with which the enemies must have viewed it. That is how
the fort appears from the outside- but when you're inside its as if you've entered
into a different world altogether- magnificent palaces with marvelously carved
panels and latticed windows like the
Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal, Sheesh Mahal
and the Daulat Khana.
Spend a lot of time in the museum, one of the best in Rajasthan, and see the
fabulous collection of Jodhpur royalty - palanquins, howdahs, furniture, miniature
paintings, musical instruments, and costumes. There are other interesting areas
in and around Jodhpur like the
Jaswant Thada, Girdikot and Sardar Market,
and the 20th century
Umaid Bhawan Palace.
A
little further away from the city is
Balsamand lake and gardens,
Mandore
with its unusual Hall of Heroes,
Mahamandir temple, and Kailana lake.
The observant visitor will notice that most of the houses here use the red stone
typical of Jodhpur, giving a rather near and uniform look to the city.
Today, craftsmen use the stone to produce a wide range of gift items that the
visitor can take away as a memento. There is also a greater demand for this
stone from other cities where carved pillar and balconies are shaped to give
a unique look to houses.
Another thriving desert city, though not on the usual tourist circuit, is
Barmer,
a city that can trace its origins to the 12th century. Once on the ancient camel
trade route, barren land and rough terrain surround the town. It is a lively
town but the harsh climate has also kept this town a little isolated from growing
into a major tourist center. The town, however, does have its little areas of
interest. The ruined fort and some Jain temples should be visited.
A little away from Barmer is the famous town of
Kiradu, an archaeologist's
dream, where ruins of some beautiful 12th century temples should not be missed.
Barmer is famous for its carved wooden furniture and hand block printing industry.
This area is best visited to gain an insight into the desert life and admire
the decorative skills of the simple village folk. Undaunted by the harsh, unfriendly
climate, the villagers have some of the most beautiful mud huts that are decorated
with delicate folk motifs. The neat huts are a wonderful backdrop for the colorfully
dressed men and women. Try and visit Barmer when it is festival time, the
Tilwara
cattle fair is a good time to be here. Don't make the mistake, of thinking
that if you've visited one desert city you've seen them all. Desert cities are
not all alike.
A
visit to
Jaisalmer will make you realize just how different each desert
city can be. No matter what you may have heard about this golden city, nothing
can quite prepare you for the sheer magic and poetry of this brilliant city.
Very few cities can boast of the magnificence that surrounds Jaisalmer. The
fort seems to rise out of the desert haze, its yellow sandstone walls and bastions
taking on a golden hue in the afternoon sun. In fact, at whatever time of the
day you look at the sonar kila, or golden fort, it looks like a fairy tale creation.
The fort dominates the small city that spreads around it. History records the
fact that the Bhati Rajputs of Jaisalmer lived off the forced levis on the great
caravans that crossed their area enroute to Delhi, or Central India. Those caravans,
laden with precious cargoes of spices and silk brought great wealth to this
town. The princes prospered and so did the merchants. They displayed their wealth
in the exquisitely carved and ornamented havelis that lined the narrow cobbled
streets.
In the past, getting to Jaisalmer was not easy. Its remote location kept it
safe from external influences, very few invading armies had the courage to cross
the harsh desert to attack Jaisalmer. Even during the British ''Raj, Jaisalmer
was the last to sign the Instrument of Agreement with the British. This remote
citadel is today famous for its carved havelies, its narrow cobbled streets
and its well-preserved Jain temples.
The small market located just outside the fort is the main hub of activity;
you can pick up a large variety of local crafts here and explore the streets
on foot. In fact, the streets do seem like a walker's dream - no traffic, no
crowds and clean lanes. Just follow you instincts and you'll have covered the
entire town on foot. If you can pull yourself away from the charm of the carved
havelies then the to the places that you can see are
Gadsisar Lake, Ludrava Aakal and the royal cenotaphs at Bada Bagh. For
a closer look at the sand dunes, get somebody to take you to
Sam. Ride
a camel on the dunes and gear yourself up for an unforgettable experience of
watching the sunset over the desert. This lonely area comes alive at the time
of the desert festival every spring. Some more desert life awaits you at Bikaner.
This city lies on the northern point of the triangle of the desert cities. A
city that goes back over 500 years when it was founded by one of the princes
of Jodhpur clan. One rather interesting element about the history of these deserts
cities is that though they were located on the major trade routes that connected
Central Asia and North India with the Gujurat ports, outside influences were
minimal. This is true of
Bikaner as well. Like most of the other cities
of the desert region, Bikaner has been able to keep its medieval flavor alive.
Water has been limited here so the customary water palaces and pleasure gardens
are missing.
The wealth of its architectural heritage lies in its fort, palaces and temples.
Two outstanding palaces of
Bikaner are the
Lalgarh Palace and
the
Gajner Palace. Other important sights are
Junagarh Fort and
the
Camel Breeding farm. For those inclined towards archaeology, it would be
interesting to know that the Rajasthan State Archives is located here. The Ganga
Golden Jubilee museum here has a vast collection of rare exhibits covering almost
every period of Indian history.
When in Bikaner don't miss the famous temple fo Karni mata at Deshnok, it is
a beautiful temple where the humble rats are also venerated, Gajner, for lovers
of wildlife, and Kolayat, an ancient pilgrimage center. Visitors will love the
camel wool products of this region. Carpets, durries, carved wooden furniture,
stone carving and block printing are popular items to pick up from here. Other
desert crafts like leather work, basket weaving and pottery are interesting.
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