Jaisalmer, aka the ‘Golden City’, is named after King
Rawal Jaisal, the founder of the city. The ancient city
is built with sandstone, and it glows boldly in the light
of the setting sun like pure gold. I never was a fan of
history as a student, but I have always been fascinated
by architecture and royalty. When I first caught sight of
this city from a distant hill, I could not help but imagine
what life must have been like when this kingdom was
at its peak.
The sights
Since I was in the last leg of my road trip, I had already
soaked in the grandeur of the palaces and forts of
Rajasthan; I had visited beautiful hawelis turned into
hotels and intricately designed Jain temples that were
sculptural marvels in themselves. I did not expect
anything less from Jaisalmer Fort Palace, but I was still
not prepared for the beauty of this architectural wonder.
As I walked up the busy commercial lane towards the
fort, distracted by the colours and the noise, I looked
up to see how much further I had to go and stopped
dead in my tracks—the fort was simply breath-taking.
No number of high-definition photographs can prepare
you for it. The fort foundation and wall stand out like
a handsome broad-chested mountain that slowly
transforms into rippling stonework that looks like a coral
reef that Neptune himself designed.
The Jaisalmer Fort Palace is one of the few palaces
in the world where the royal family still lives inside the
fort though it is a world heritage site. It is called a
fort palace because it is a palace situated within the
fort walls and was previously manned by the kings’
army like a fort; however, it was also used as the living
quarters for the royal family and as the court where
nobles conducted their business. Set aside the entire
day for the fort—it is not something you can rush
through, not only due to the sheer size of the place,
but also because you need several hours to really
appreciate the intricate stonework, beautiful jharokhas,
complicated chambers, and maze-like lobbies. You can
choose to hire a guide or rent an audio guide. An audio
guide will allow you to take things at your pace.A few kilometres from the city is the Jaisalmer War
Museum. It is free to enter for all citizens and houses
some impressive war memorabilia, ammunition displays,
tanks, and uniforms and gear. Several times a day, they
play a war history documentary in the AV room. If you
are an Indian history buff or want to know more about
the Indian army, this place will impress you. Look out for
army quotes painted on rocks all over the place.A nice place to spend a lazy evening is Gadisar Lake.
Tilon Ki Pol, an intricately carved archway, welcomes
visitors to the lake. There is no entry fee to the lake;
however, boating and shikara rides cost a small fee.
You can take a lazy boat ride and drift past temples,
chatris, ghats, and shrines. There is plenty to eat here,
and you can shop for knickknacks at the lake.There is an interesting story about the Tilon Ki Pol,
too. It is said that a famous prostitute wanted to
pay for its construction, but the king refused, as he
thought it would be insulting to pass under such
an arch if he were to visit the lake. She went ahead
and commissioned it while he was away and, as a