Jaisalmer Fort - It Has Been Stated As World Heritage Site By Unesco Under The Collection Hill Fort Of Rajasthan

JAISALMER FORT

AT

RAJASTHAN

Jaisalmer Fort locally known as Sonar Quila is one of the largest forts in the world located in Jaisalmer city in Rajasthan, India. It was built in 1156 AD by the Bhati Rajput ruler Rao Jaisal, from where it originates its name.

This fort, is popularly known as the'Sone Ka Quila (Golden Fort)' by the local people and is one of the most magnificent monuments in the city of Jaisalmer.

 The fort is standing proudly in the middle of the unending golden sands of Thar Desert, Jaisalmer fort is one of the most prominent tourist attractions of Jaisalmer.

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.

There are four massive gateways that lead to the gate including Akshaya Pole, Suraj Pole, Hawa Pole and Ganesh Pole. The Suraj and the Ganesh Pole have an image of Sun and Lord Ganesh respectively at the top.

The Dussehra Chowk is reached after passing below the last gate, Hawa pole. Here, a beautiful palace Raj Mahal stands as if greeting the visitors. This palace was once the residence of the royal family but today it has been converted into a museum and heritage centre. 

The seven Jain Temples hold a commanding presence in the Jaisalmer Fort and are dedicated to the revered Jain Tirthankaras like Sambhavanath, Rikhabdev, Chandrprabhu and Parasnath.

The temples are interconnected by a series of courtyards and walkways. They have walls, pillars, columns adorned with fine sculptures in sandstone and marble.

 Some of the worth noticing images in these temples include a dancing image of a woman balancing sets of balls on her raised forearms and dancing figures of musician welcoming God. 

The most visited places of this fort are the Raj Mahal, The Jain and the Laxmikanth Temples and several other temples and gateways.

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.

By Air

Jodhpur Airport is the closest domestic airport that is functional throughout the year. Major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Udaipur have regular flights to Jodhpur. The airport is approximately 5 to 6 hours’ drive from the city. You can either hire a prepaid or a private taxi from the Airport to reach Jaisalmer.

By Train

Jaisalmer is well connected with a wide network of trains covering most of the Indian cities like Delhi, Jodhpur, Jaipur and others. Some of the popular trains are Delhi Jaisalmer Express, Jodhpur Jaisalmer Express, Howrah Jaisalmer Express and Lalgarh Jaisalmer Special.

Once you reach the station, there are many auto-rickshaws and private taxis standing outside the station that will take you to the city on a nominal fare.

By Bus

There are no direct buses from Delhi to Jaisalmer as the 17-18 hour drive is too time-consuming and quite exhausting. You can however switch buses in Jaipur from where a state-run sleeper coach operates regularly. Be sure to book tickets in advance as there are limited seats. Some sleeper buses are also available from Jodhpur and Udaipur.