Jaisalmer Fort

This journal, part 1 of a 2 part series on Jaisalmer, features the fort, the main attraction.

JAISALMER is a remote outpost that was built around an oasis in the Thar desert by Prince Jaisal in 1156 (hence the name Jaisal-mer). The town, (only about 270 kms from the border with the Pakistan of today), became a major staging post on the “silk-route”, the busy caravan trade route from India west to Afghanistan & Central Asia. With its majestic fort, like a giant sand castle sitting on top of a hill in the distance, the ... (more)

The massive fort from a distance
The fort, likened to a giant sandcastle on top of a hill, was built in...

The "Golden City"
so called because yellow sandstone was used for building. That's a Muslim...

View of the old city
from the fort ramparts.

Another view of the Golden City

The palace, viewed from outside
the walls. The lower part of the fort’s three layers of wall is...

Silver hawkers near the entrance
I bought a jingly ankle bracelet from this family. You can see two of the 99...

Surya Gate
The fort is entered through a series of massive gates leading to a large...

A small gate?

Round missiles
The 2nd wall snakes around the fort, & between this one & the 3rd or...

Another entrance
& more crumbling walls & bastions. The fort is on the World Monuments...

Another small entrance

The fort is a warren of narrow streets
& alleyways, all of them paved with stone. They are lined with...

Holy cows wander about at will.
I used a small internet cafe here for an hour & sat close to the open...

Holy cows blocking the corner
& enjoying the sun in front of a restaurant, with collected cow...

The Raj Mahal (rm) ,
the former royal palace. The elegant 7 storey palace towers over the...

rm2

rm3
I think this is still part of the palace, or it might be ornate old havelis...

Jain temples (jt)
Within the fort is a maze-like collection of Jain temples dating from...

jt2 - View from the narrow alley
Three of the elegantly engraved temples were built in the Dilwara style &...

jt3 - The intricate carving
rivals that of the marble Jain temples in Ranakpur, but these have a warmer...

jt4 - another angle

A Bhang shop in the main courtyard
Bhang, a marijuana derivative in the form of a paste or dry powder, is mostly...

Their famous & colorful patchwork
wall hangings, extensively embroidered & appliqued. The larger ones are...

Jaisalmer Fort

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