By Parth Yadav
...continued from Part 1
The Jaisalmer Fort has rooms which depict the lifestyle of the kings and queens, the clothes that
they used to wear, the kind of food they ate, the festivals they celebrated,
etc. One does feel teleported to a different India, altogether!
You even get to have a very close look at the entire Yadav/ Yaduvanshi clan, which originated from Lord Krishna himself. The rulers of Jaisalmer are also Yaduvanshis and there are portraits of each and every ruler including the present day King, Maha Rawal Brijraj Singh, adorning the walls of the fort. Unlike any other dynasty, the Yadav or Yaduvanshi Kings are always referred as Maha Rawal instead of Maharaj. This feature sets apart a Yaduvanshi king from any other Rajput king.
Authors
Advice: Do hire a guide! They have fixed rates so basically no use bargaining.
But going without a guide will either lead you to getting lost in the fort and
even if you don’t you won’t be able to understand and appreciate the fort and
the history related.
It
was already noon by the time we finished with the Fort, and hence we stopped at
one “Jaisal Italy”, an Italian Restaurant in Jaisalmer. Bang on the main
entrance for the Fort, it serves some really good Italian food and most
importantly gives you break free- crystal clear- panorama view of the Jaisalmer
Fort. Oh! Watte beauty!
Next
on the list of places to visit, was the very famous PATWON KI HAVELI, Amar Sagar Pol,
Jaisalmer, Rajasthan-345001. Yeah! Yeah! I know, what your next question is?
Address with Pincode! Yes! and if this comes across as a symptom of someone who
suffers from OCD, then lemme clear the air by stating that yes, the author of
this travelogue does suffer from one! Anyways, moving on, the Patwon Ki Haveli, is not only the first Haveli to be erected in Jaisalmer but it is also one
of the most important and the largest haveli, ever to be constructed in Indian
history. It is not a single haveli but a cluster of 5 small havelis. The first
in the row is the most popular, and is also known as Kothari's Patwa Haveli. It
was constructed in the year 1805 by Guman Chand Patwa, then a rich trader of
jewellery and fine brocades, and is the biggest and the most flamboyant. Patwa
was a rich man and a renowned trader of his time and he could afford and thus
order the construction of separate stories for each of his 5 sons. He was
apparently so rich, that he used to lend money to even the Kings of those times
during war or during a financial crunch! The Haveli(s) were constructed in the
first 60 years of the 19th century and were
completed in a span of 50 years. The entire construction is made of yellow
sandstone and immediately draws your attention to the intricacy of its
architecture. It is most famous for its fine wall paintings, beautiful jharokhas (balconies), archways and gateways.
The grandeur and the architecture of the monument add immense value to the
cultural heritage of the city.
Authors Advice: Again! Do hire a guide. This time hire one
guide, who takes around 100 bucks per monument and basically gives you a city
tour completing the 3 major Havelis and the City Palace, too!
We got one such guide, and once done with Patwon Ki Haveli, our next destination was NATHMAL JI KI HAVELI. This late-19th-century haveli, used as the residence of the Prime Minister of Jaisalmer, Diwan Mohata Nathmal, is still partly inhabited. There is a very interesting story regarding its construction. It is said that the architects of this Haveli were two brothers, Hathi and Lulu, who started building different facets of Haveli simultaneously. The competitive spirits of the brothers apparently produced this masterpiece – the two sides are similar, but not identical. There are two Elephants made of yellow stone, at the entrance, which are stunning in themselves. These life-size replicas at main entrance look as if they are guarding the Haveli and welcoming the guests. Other than these, there are pictures of Horses, Cattle, and depiction of Flora engraved on pillars and walls.
Post Nathmal Ji Ki Haveli, our next stop was the MANDIR PALACE or the CITY PALACE. Mandir Palace is a
prominent landmark in the city of Jaisalmer and as well, has been the residence
of the rulers of Jaisalmer for more than two centuries. Even the present day King of Jaisalmer,
Maha Rawal Brijraj Singh, resides here. Mandir Palace is a dainty carved
architectural marvel of ornate balconies, canopies and delicately carved
screens. The most prominent feature of the Mandir Palace is the BADAL VILAS, a tower which stands out
as the tallest structure below the hill-top city Fort. The Mandir Palace has
now been converted partially into a luxury hotel and partially into a Museum.
The rest is used by the Maha Rawals as their residence.
Next on the list, was the SALAM SINGH KI HAVELI. But crap! It was closed for maintenance.
Thankfully, by the time we reached here we were friends with our guide, and
hence, through his contacts, he made us climb at the roof of this one small
shopping complex from where the top/terrace (and also the most magnificent
part) of the Salam Singh Ki Haveli, was clearly visible. The haveli has a
distinct architecture. The beautifully arched roof has very intricate carved
brackets which take the form of peacocks. Frankly speaking, for me, it was like
seeing the Kohinoor, you got to see the best part, why care about what kind of
cloth is used for making the rest of the Crown! Authors Advice: Be nice and friendly to your guide!
Post Salam Singh Ki Haveli, we paid off our guide and bid him
adieu! We too were way too tired (Yeah! the two too’s. Just to show how tired
we were) of so much walking, that all we wished for is some peaceful time minus
the chaos of the city and also sans any kind of walking. You ask this question
from any Jaisalmer-ite, and the only answer you’re bound to get is…. Yes!
Ladies and Gentlemen, presenting before you, our next place-to-be…. THE GADISAR LAKE, Postal Colony,
Jaislamer, Rajasthan- 345001 (OCD! Told ya.) A perfect 10 on 10 answer to all
our queries! This is exactly what we wanted after such a tiresome day. As
generally believed, Gadisar Lake is not an oasis but a water conservation tank
made around 1400 A.D. by Maharawal Gadsi Singh. Although it no longer serves
its historic purpose of supplying water to the Jaisalmer City, the lake still
retains most of its rainwater. One gets to find myriad temples and shrines
surrounding the lake. The beautiful gateway that arches across the road down to
the Lake was built by a royal courtsman named Tillon in the end of 19th century
and is known as Tillon Ki Prol (Gate of Tillon). Authors Advice: Enter from the main gateway and go around
the lake. You’ll find these stairs leading to a temple. Climb these and sit in
the balcony of this temple facing the Lake. All your tensions, worries and
other life-issues will come to standstill. Peace and calmness will be your
‘take-away’ from Gadisar!
High on the Gadisar air, we left the place and went back to
our hotel to freshen up. Once done with that we left on foot in search of some
good restaurant. And we were delightfully surprised to land at one, ‘Kebab
Corner’. Now, coming from the City of Kebabs (Lucknow) itself, I was very much
apprehensive. But then, that’s where I got ‘delightfully surprised’. Some
actually-really good Seekh and other assorted Kebabs were served and we coupled
it with a bottle of chilled beer! What else can one ask for?
On our way back to the hotel, it started raining. Rains in Jaisalmer are a sight to watch for. The petrichor, when water falls on dry sand, is just too good to be explained or written about. Guess, we were lucky enough to enjoy the same and that too in Jaisalmer!
On our way back to the hotel, it started raining. Rains in Jaisalmer are a sight to watch for. The petrichor, when water falls on dry sand, is just too good to be explained or written about. Guess, we were lucky enough to enjoy the same and that too in Jaisalmer!
Next morning, we got up early because today we had to hit the
road! Like literally, hit the road! Enough of walking around the Havelis and
the Palaces (not that it wasn’t interesting!) but guys being guys, a trip won’t
ever be complete without some adventure in it. And NOW! Was the time for
adventure!! <wicked smirk>
To be continued...
About Parth:
Currently pursuing his bachelors from National Law University, Lucknow is a bibliophile and an avid fiction lover. Travelling is not just his hobby but his passion. He likes to explore the unexplored and does things which aren't mainstream. Mountains, "supposedly" haunted destinations and bike trips are what attracts him the most. A certified trekker by the Youth Hostel Association of India, he dreams to cover the Himalayas on his bike someday!
