Jaisalmer Fort

Location: In the very heart of Jaisalmer
How to reach: Better to take an auto-rickshaw or a rickshaw
Attraction: Architecture, miniatures and Bazaars
Timings: Early morning till 5 P.M.

Jaisalmer fort is a monument worth visiting and worth retaining in your conscious mind. It is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO. It is situated in the city of Jaisalmer,Rajasthan(India). It is the second oldest of Rajasthan's major forts after Chittorgarh. It was built in 1156 AD by the Rajput ruler Rawal Jaiswal. The fort stands amidst the sandy expanse of the great Thar desert on Trikuta hill, and has been the scene of many battles. Its massive yellow sand stone walls are a tawny lion color during the day, fading to honey gold as the sun sets, thereby camouflaging the fort in the yellow desert. For this reason it is also known as Sonar Quila (Golden Fort). The fort is 1500 ft long and 750 ft wide and is built on a hill that raises above a height of 250 ft above the surrounding country side and about 5000 people still resides in its imposing walls.

The fort is on a site that legend says Maharaja chose on the advice of a wise hermit. The mystic tells the Jaiswal that the Hindu deity Lord Krishna had praised the spot and therefore, a fort built there would be almost invisible to the king's enemies. Indeed, from 30 miles away, visitors see only a sheer golden cliff. He built this fort as his capital, as the earlier fort Lodurva was too vulnerable to invasions.

The soft yellow Jurassic sandstone makes up every part of the Jaisalmer fort, from its outer walls to the palace, temples and houses within. The fort is 250 ft tall and from it, one can see almost every part of the town. It has as many as 99 bastions, 92 of which were built between 1633 and 1647 to be used as gun platforms. There are 4 huge getaways named as Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, Bhoot Pol and Hawa Pol. There was death well, where traitors and criminals were thrown into by the second gate. The road to the main chowk is by the fourth gateway where many acts of Johar (self-immolation) have taken place.

While the city was built, there exists many beautiful Havelis and group of Jain temples. There are thousands of carved deities and dancing figures housed here. Inside the temple there is a Gyan bhandar (library). It contains more than 1000 old manuscripts. It has also a collection of Jain, pre-mogul and Rajput paintings. The fort also has a peculiar gadget hoisted on top of its ramparts, this was used to forecast the weather. Every year in April a flag would be placed in its center, and based on the direction in which it blew, the weather for the entire year was forecast. If it blew northwards it indicated famine and if it went westwards, it indicated fine monsoon. It may seem a bit primitive today but the system was probably just as accurate or inaccurate as the meteorological department office nowadays.

Jaisalmer Fort History
Jaisalmer Fort is a World Heritage Site declared UNESCO under the group Hill Forts of Rajasthan situated in the city of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, India. Fort was built by the Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD, from whom it derives its name. (Rawal Jaisal’s son was Shalivahan II; Manj and Bhati Rajputs are descended from him.) Jaisalmer fort stands amidst the sandy expanse of the great Thar Desert, on Trikuta Hill, and has been the scene of many battles. Its massive yellow sandstone walls are a tawny lion color during the day, fading to honey-gold as the sun sets, thereby camouflaging the fort in the yellow desert. For this reason, it is also known as the Sonar Quila or Golden Fort.

Jaisalmer Fort Architecture & Interesting Facts
Jaisalmer fort is 1,500 ft (460 m) long and 750 ft (230 m) wide and is built on a hill that rises above a height of 250 ft (76 m) above the surrounding countryside. The basement of the fort has a 15 ft (4.6 m) tall wall forming a double line of defense. The bastions of the fort form a chain about 30 ft (9.1 m). The fort has four entrances to the downside, one of which used to be guarded by cannon. There is an individual device hoisted on the crest of the fort’s walls and was used to assume the weather. The delicate blend of Islamic and Rajput architectural style will definitely catch the fancy of the eyeballs which looks stunning during the night. The Fort of Jaisalmer survived several attacks by the Muslim rulers like Ala-Uddin-Khilji and Mughal Emperor Humayun. Inside the fort, complex tourists can find several architectural buildings which include palaces, houses, and temples made up of soft yellow sandstone which looks as the Fort is made up of Gold and its beauty rises with the sunset when it gleams like melting gold. Jaisalmer fort has narrow winding pathways which interlock several parts of the fort. The complex of Jaisalmer Fort is so expansive that almost one-quarter of the town’s population located in this fort itself.

The most famous splendid structures such as the Maharawals located in front of the Chauhata Square. The foremost attraction of this place is Maharawal’s marble throne which is placed over a flight of marble steps. An added famous tourist attraction of this place is a five-storied Tazia tower located head-to-head to the Maharawals palace. This tower was constructed by Muslim craftsmen and is made with decorative Bengali styled roofs. The one more beauty section in the palace is the Jawahar Palace is among the other tourist attractions of Jaisalmer fort which was the residence of a royal family. This place is famous for its beautiful construction and ornate design which captivate tourist’s attention during their visit to this palace. Ganesh Pol, Rang Pol, Bhoota Pol and Hava Pol are the entrance gates of this fort which is known for sculptured beauty and beautiful design. Some Havelis are many hundreds of years old. In Jaisalmer, there are many elaborate Havelis carved from yellow sandstone. Some of these have many floors and countless rooms, with decorated windows, archways, doors, and balconies. The most visited places of this fort are the Raj Mahal, The Jain and the Laxmikanth Temples and several other temples and gateways.

How to Reach Jaisalmer Fort
Jaisalmer is well connected with major cities of India through Rail, Road, and Air. Local transportation is in Jaisalmer quite good. Auto rickshaw is a cheap mode of transportation in Jaisalmer City.
It’s walking distance from the main Jaisalmer City. Best to hire a rickshaw from your hotel.