A Travel Blog
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Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer | November 2015

Nestled deep in the heart of Rajasthan's Thar desert lies Jaisalmer, India's Gold City. The town is a tight collection of intricate buildings that are dominated by the 12th-century battlements of Jaisalmer Fort, whose amber colored walls rise from the earth like a giant sandcastle. It is a place where one loses their sense of time and sense of place, but gains a sense of wonder. No place conjures thoughts of Silk Route caravans and snake charmers more than this dusty, honey-colored oasis. The road to Jaisalmer is one less traveled, with the nearest commercial airport lying four hours away by car - but that is just a small part of what makes it so beautiful. Jaisalmer represents everything that I love about India's desert cities - remote, culturally unique and enticing beyond my wildest dreams.

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The front facade of Patwon Ki-Haveli, Jaisalmer. The building was constructed in the mid-19th century as the mansion for one of the city's cultural elites.

The front facade of Patwon Ki-Haveli, Jaisalmer. The building was constructed in the mid-19th century as the mansion for one of the city's cultural elites.

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On the roof of Jalim Singh Haveli which was designed after Rajasthan's cultural symbol - the peacock.

On the roof of Jalim Singh Haveli which was designed after Rajasthan's cultural symbol - the peacock.

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Looking out over Gadsisar Lake towards the outskirts of Jaisalmer.  

Looking out over Gadsisar Lake towards the outskirts of Jaisalmer.  

Looking up at one of the 99 bastions that compose Jaisalmer Fort. The vendor below is selling marionette puppets used in performances called Kathputli, a form of puppetry native to Rajasthan.

Looking up at one of the 99 bastions that compose Jaisalmer Fort. The vendor below is selling marionette puppets used in performances called Kathputli, a form of puppetry native to Rajasthan.

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Entering through the "Elephant Gate" - Jaisalmer Fort.

Entering through the "Elephant Gate" - Jaisalmer Fort.

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For our final night in Jaisalmer we headed out of the city and stayed amongst the dunes at the dreamy Damodra Desert Camp. Our stay included a whole host of activities including a Jeep tour of the local countryside, camel safari and catered dinner with traditional song and dance - easily adding up to the best day of my life. The adventure began when a driver came and got us from the city center and we made our way out into the coarse environment beyond.

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Crammed in the back of a Jeep with our bags at our feet, we ventured further and further into the desert. After stopping to take in some local wildlife and meet some adorable village children we arrived at a "ghost village" - an abandoned town whose ruins now reveal a mere suggestion of what used to be. The most striking part about being here was not the beautiful views, but the deafening silence that exists when so far removed from the rest of India. I had been in Bangalore for five months at this point, enduring the incessant noise and bustle of the booming tech capital. This was the first time that I was able to truly pause. Take a deep breath. And let my surroundings wash over me.

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After the village we headed to Sam Sand Dunes where we mounted up and began a camel safari, complete with sand boarding. We stayed in the dunes for a while after the camel ride, watching dung beetles and local birds as the sun began to set.

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When the sun went down we loaded back into the Jeep and made our way to the desert camp. Upon our arrival we were greeted by sari-clad women throwing flower petals over our heads to the beat of a traditional drum. A delicious meal followed, which ended with us doing folk dances around a fire. The night concluded with us staying up late, drinking wine and playing cards under one of the most undisturbed night skies I have ever seen.