Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer, also known as the Golden City, is a city in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer district and lies in the heart of the Thar Desert. The city is known for its distinctive yellow sandstone architecture, the medieval Jaisalmer Fort, and its location along historical trans-Saharan and Central Asian trade routes that connected India with Persia, Arabia, Egypt, and Central Asia.

Key facts

Geography

Jaisalmer is situated in the far west of Rajasthan, close to the international border with Pakistan. The terrain is arid, dominated by sand dunes, rocky outcrops, and sparse desert vegetation. The Sam and Khuri sand dunes lie a short distance from the city. The climate is hot desert, with very high summer temperatures, cool winters, and low annual rainfall. The town stands on a ridge of yellow sandstone, the same stone used in most of its older buildings, which gives the city its golden hue.

History

According to tradition, the city was founded in 1156 CE by Rawal Jaisal, a chief of the Bhati Rajput clan, who shifted his capital from Lodhruva to a more defensible site on the Trikuta hill. The Bhati rulers governed Jaisalmer as a princely state for several centuries.

During the medieval period, Jaisalmer prospered as a halt on the caravan routes linking India with Central Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Wealthy merchants commissioned ornately carved sandstone havelis, several of which still survive. The state faced sieges and political pressures from the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughals, and later regional powers, with episodes of jauhar recorded in local tradition.

In 1818, the rulers of Jaisalmer entered into a treaty of subsidiary alliance with the British East India Company, and the state became a princely state under British paramountcy. The decline of overland caravan trade, particularly after the development of seaborne commerce through Bombay and the partition of British India in 1947, reduced the city's commercial importance. Jaisalmer State acceded to the Dominion of India after independence and was integrated into the state of Rajasthan in 1949.

Jaisalmer Fort

Jaisalmer Fort, locally called Sonar Quila ("Golden Fort"), is one of the few "living forts" in the world, with a substantial portion of the old town's population still residing within its walls. Built largely of yellow sandstone, the fort encloses palaces, Jain temples dating from the 12th–15th centuries, and residential quarters. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013 as part of the serial property "Hill Forts of Rajasthan".

Economy

The economy of modern Jaisalmer rests on tourism, defence-related establishments, animal husbandry, limestone and sandstone quarrying, and renewable energy. The Jaisalmer Wind Park, developed by Suzlon Energy in the surrounding desert, is among the largest wind power installations in India. The region also hosts solar power projects taking advantage of high insolation. The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force maintain significant presences in the area due to its proximity to the international border.

Culture and tourism

Notable monuments and attractions include:

• Jaisalmer Fort with its Raj Mahal and Jain temple complex.
• Patwon ki Haveli, a cluster of five havelis built by the Patwa merchant family in the 19th century.
• Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli, both noted for elaborate stone carving.
• Gadisar Lake, a reservoir built in the 14th century to supply water to the town.
• Bada Bagh, a complex of royal cenotaphs of the Bhati rulers.
• Sam and Khuri sand dunes, popular for camel safaris and desert