Bada Bagh Jaisalmer, which literally means ‘Big Garden’, is located on the Ramgarh road. It was commissioned by Maharawal Jait Singh in the early 16th century and completed by his son Lunakaran after his death.
The site has three different things to watch, a garden, a tank and a dam. In the vicinity itself you will find Govardhan Stambh (pillar). This pillar was constructed to commemorate the construction of the Dam and the tank. In the local dialect the Dam and the tank are known as Jait Bandh and the Jait Sar respectively. It is believed that these are based on the name of the man who constructed them. The Jait Bandh is a dominating structure. It is about 1,200 feet in length and 350 feet in width. If you observe it closely you will notice that this has been built out of solid blocks of stone. The same material has been used for the construction of well as well as the tank, Bada Bagh Jaisalmer.
History of Bada Bagh
The credit for the construction of this piece of land goes to the Maharaja Maharawal Jai Singh. He started his work by constructing a dam in the desert region so that it could serve the purpose of a water tank for the nearby villages. Soon, the water from this dam brought unparalleled glory to the entire periphery, and the region witnessed a surprising bloom in both its flora and fauna. This delighted every boon of efforts that Maharaja Maharawal Jai Singh invested into the construction of his venture.
With his death on 21st September 1743, it was his son to commemorate him with the construction of a Bada Bagh Jaisalmer here. The creation of this commemorable structure in the immediate neighbor of the lake laid the foundation of a new tradition for all the Bhatti dynasty rulers. After that, to recognize and valor the contribution of each of its Bhatti dynasty rulers, a new cenotaph came to be constructed.
It was in the year 1947 when this tradition of cenotaph construction was discontinued on account of the sad demise of one of the princes who passed away after suffering from a mysterious disease. This death was considered to be a reflection of lousy omen amongst the Royals. Hence, they inanimate on the discontinuation of the tradition.
Best Time to Visit Bada Bagh
The period between October to March is the best time to plan your visit to the Bada Bagh Jaisalmer. Although, the afternoon may still be hot throughout this period but not as much as the sweltering extremities faced during other months.
Evenings are the most preferred time to plan your visit to Bada Bagh Jaisalmer as the weather remains pleasant to a reasonable extent. The mixture of daylight transitions and a cold breeze blowing will keep you encouraged to explore the beautiful aura of the Bada Bagh’s cenotaphs.
How to Reach Bada Bagh
Bada Bagh is located at a 6 km from the railway station of Jaisalmer as well as the city center. To reach Bada Bagh, you need to pass through an entrance located at the bottom of the hilltop, which displays the Bada Bagh Jaisalmer on its top summit. As this is a very famous tourist attraction of Jaisalmer, you will easily find a cab or a rental vehicle to drop you to the foothills. Besides, there are regular bus services to transfer you between Ramgarh bus station and Bada Bagh Jaisalmer.
Places to visit near Bada Bagh
The other tourist attractions close to Bada Bagh Jaisalmer are also worth visiting. So, if you have got some extra time to spare on your Bada Bagh Jaisalmer visit, make sure to explore the nearby tourist attractions –
- Desert National Park: A wildlife enthusiast will genuinely fall in love with this place as he’s got a lot of things to prioritize here. Stretched across a land cover of 3000 square feet, the Desert National Park in Jaisalmer shelters a wide array of exotic animal and bird species.
- Khuri Sand Dunes: Situated at the outskirts of Jaisalmer, Khuri Sand Dunes gives you a fair opportunity to explore the lifestyle of native Rajasthan. Find a camel here to ride on it for some breath-taking views of narrow streets and straw roof in the surrounding vicinity. For shopaholics, there’s a small local colorful bazaar to dig in your favorite souvenir to carry back with you.
- Lodurva Jain Temple: The Lodurva Jain Temple at Jaisalmer clearly reflects its influence from the Chinese architectural style. The temple has been constructed in such a way that it has got eight corners. The slanting walls of this massive structure give a reflection of the pagoda architectural style.
- Jaisalmer Fort: If you want to explore the beauty of the forts from your favorite Arabian Nights tale, you should never miss on this opportunity of exploring the Jaisalmer Fort. The height of this fort of Jaisalmer is approx. 200-foot-tall and is all over surrounded by long walls measuring a height of 30 feet. This fort of Jaisalmer shelters to around 99 ancient bastions.
- Patwon ki Haveli: This is genuinely a brilliance of the architectural mindset of the engineers who sweat in their hard to give rise to this mansion of brocade merchants. The walls of this haveli portray ample of beautiful paintings and mirror-works of ancient origin. Besides, the gateways and plethora of arch here form the chief attractions of this royal haveli.