Unravelling the Beauty of Jodhpur & Jaisalmer
Monotonous routine and mundane schedule calls for a quick getaway — bearing this thought in our minds we decided to explore the city of Jodhpur and Jaisalmer this Christmas. Soon our Google search history read, “Places to visit in Jodhpur & Jaisalmer”, “Distance between Jodhpur & Jaisalmer”, “Shopping places in Jodhpur & Jaisalmer”.
After much research we planned for a 3 day-4 night trip. After 4–5 long years we were travelling in a train. Tight schedules and busy lives had bound us to travel in flights. Travelling in a train is a different experience altogether. It was an early morning train and was supposed to reach Jodhpur junction at 5:55 in the evening. Loud chants of “Chai-chai”, “Chips, Juice, Cold drink”, “Khaana garam khaana” greeted our ears. I had missed this in flight journeys. Gazing at the changing landscape, reading a mystery novel, having tea, taking a nap, eating the snacks that my Mother had filled her bag with — the journey was filled with joy. After reaching we set out to reach the Home stay we had booked. From a very young age we are taught that Jodhpur is known as the Blue city of India. The blue coloured buildings around give justice to the name.
After reaching the Home stay and having our mandatory evening tea we set out to explore the city. It was a short drive to the Clock tower. We had the pleasure of meeting the person who runs the Clock. He was generous enough to explain the technicalities that are present to run it and we got to know that there are only two people in the present generation who know how to run the clock. It was a fascinating experience. The tower gives a panaromic view of the entire city and the area around it is bustling with local markets and shops.
The following morning we began our journey toward the Golden city of Jaisalmer. We had booked our stay in a desert camp. The entire journey we were surrounded by golden sand dunes and wind mills. We got to visit the Army museum showcasing the history of the Battle of Longewala. The museum has stored some precious artifacts that depict the power and long history of the Indian Army. We also witnessed a short audio-visual show that was dedicated to the contribution and sacrifice of the Indian Army. After 6 long hours we checked in our desert cottage and refreshed ourselves with tea obviously! We decided to start our Desert outing with a Jeep Safari. The jeep going over the sand dunes of the Thar desert with a view of the Sun setting, the cool breeze with the refreshing aroma of warmth embracing us was exhilarating. The Sun setting amidst the sand dunes was a sight to behold. The jeep safari was followed by Camel and bike ride. The adrenaline rush while riding the bike can’t be described in words.
Later in the evening, we got to experience a taste of folk culture of Rajasthan. Singers in traditional attire, carrying traditional instruments singing Folk music made us feel so welcome. The tribal Kalbeliya dance along with some dangerous tricks done by women who adorned heavy Ghagra and Choli was the highlight of the event. For dinner we had authentic Rajasthani delicacies — Sangri ka Saag, Daal Baati Churma along with many other dishes.
For Day 2 we had planned to visit the country border first. It is the very site where the Longewala battle took place. The legacy left behind by those who sacrificed their lives for the country stands tall and is an inspiration for generations to come. Later on we departed towards the fort of Jaisalmer. We got a glimpse of the old days when the fort was the residence of the Rajas and Maharajas. Satyajit Ray’s film Sonar Kella which came out in 1974 was inspired from this fort. Sonar meaning gold and Kella meaning castle, it is said that when the Sun shines on the fort it gives the impression as if the fort is made of gold, hence the name. It is true indeed. After visiting the fort we treated ourselves with the sumptuous Laal Maas — Mutton curry which is prepared in a sauce of Yoghurt and hot spices like red Mathania chillies. After a heartfelt lunch we set our foot to enjoy boating in the Gadisar lake. We took a family boat for 6 people and the guide gave us a round of the whole lake for 30 minutes. Gadisar lake is an artificial lake which was built as a source of water since Jaisalmer is a dry state. We got to experience the history of Jaisalmer from the perspective of someone who has spent their entire life in the Golden city. I would say if you are visiting Gadisar Lake then do take a ride with him. He will apprise you with so many tales of Jaisalmer that can never be found over the Internet. This marked the end of Jaisalmer journey and we departed to return to our destination Jodhpur.
Time flies, soon we were on the last day of our trip and the plan was to explore Jodhpur. We started our day by visiting Mandore Garden which known to be Mandodari’s home. Mandodari was the queen of Lanka and wife of Ravana according to the Hindu epic Ramayana. A vast lush green garden surrounded by a number of temples is what makes Mandore garden a peaceful and serene place to visit. After a quick walk in the Mandore Garden we visited the Mehrangarh fort. The fort consists of an elevator which is a modern touch to the historic structure. The elevator took us right at the top and we were blessed with a majestic view of the entire Jodhpur city. The fort has a museum which displays weapon, paintings and elaborate sedan chairs. The fort museum gives you a sneek peek of the lives of the royalty who once inhabited the fort. Our next stop was the Umaid Bhawan Palace which is just a few kilometers away from the Mehnrangarh fort. It is the residence of the former Jodhpur royal family and part of it has been converted into a museum. The palace was built at a slow pace as its initial objective was to provide employment to the famine-stricken farmers in the area.
Later in the evening we set off for an exciting Jungle Safari in the Bishnoi Village. Bishnoi village is a scenic beauty marked with Khejri trees, Black buck and deer. The Bishnoi community inhabits the village. The villagers are staunch worshippers of nature in all its forms, specially the sanctity of plant and animal life. Khejri tree is the state tree of Rajasthan. In the old days when the King set out to cut the Khejri trees the people of the village surrounded the trees and lost their lives while saving the precious Khejri trees. This is where the Chipko Movement gained its inspiration from. The Jungle safari was marked with the sight of Black buck, Deers and many migratory birds. It is said that this is one of the few places in the world where the Black buck can be found roaming freely in plain sight and in huge number. We were greeted with the residents of the Bishnoi village showcasing their art work, pottery and traditional hand printing techniques. We ended our day with Mirchi Vadas and Pyaaz Kachoris. A trip is incomplete without some shopping, we bought some souvenirs from a National Handloom shop and also not forgetting Jodhpur’s famous Gathiya.
Soon after we ended our trip with load and loads of memories to cherish along with a small part of the rich heritage, fascinating history and diverse culture of Rajasthan — the land of Rajas.
