Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer

Tripoto
31st Dec 2010
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 1/21 by Smiti Maini
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 2/21 by Smiti Maini
Sam Dunes, Thar Desert, Jaisalmer
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 3/21 by Smiti Maini
Sunset at Sam Dunes, Jaisalmer
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 4/21 by Smiti Maini
Choki Dhani desert camp, Jaisalmer
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 5/21 by Smiti Maini
Fort Rajwada
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 6/21 by Smiti Maini
Gadsisar Lake, Jaisalmer
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 7/21 by Smiti Maini
Sonar Quila at night, Jaisalmer
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 8/21 by Smiti Maini
Jaisalmer fort and the golden city
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 9/21 by Smiti Maini
Cramped street, Patwon Ki Haveli
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 10/21 by Smiti Maini
Patwon Ki Haveli
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 11/21 by Smiti Maini
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Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 12/21 by Smiti Maini
Fort Rajwada
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 13/21 by Smiti Maini
Entrance to Fort Rajwada
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 14/21 by Smiti Maini
Mehrangarh Fort on the hill top, Jodhpur
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 15/21 by Smiti Maini
The blue city view from top of the fort
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 16/21 by Smiti Maini
Mandore garden, Jodhpur
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 17/21 by Smiti Maini
Mandore garden, Jodhpur
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 18/21 by Smiti Maini
Choki Dhani desert camp, Thar Desert, Jaisalm
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 19/21 by Smiti Maini
Karni Bhawan Hotel, Jodhpur
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 20/21 by Smiti Maini
Photo of Royal Rajasthan - Jodhpur and Jaisalmer 21/21 by Smiti Maini

"No more Jaipur Please !!" .. That's what me and my brother equivocally declared when my mom told us that we are going to Rajasthan. Jaipur is just 5 hours away from Delhi and was a thoroughly covered spot thanks to the numerous school trips and the family vacations in our childhood. My mum planned for Jaisalmer and Jodhpur and we had no idea of what was in store for us. My sister was in India with her daughter for a month and we thought a quiet family vacation would be the best way to spend some quality time together. So we packed our bags and left for Rajasthan. Since it was December, we packed a lot of warn clothes. It was unbelievably hot when we landed in Jodhpur but the nights in Jaisalmer at the Thar desert were insanely cold. The trip was a mix of relaxed family fun, Rajasthan royalty and cultural sight seeing. Rajasthan impressed me with its exquisite royalty mind-blowing hospitality !

We reached Jodhpur in the afternoon, met our driver at the airport and checked into our hotel. After some relaxation, we left for the market. We spent about 2 hours in shopping and in spite of our protests, my mom and sister managed to buy some beautiful Bandhni Sarees. After reaching the hotel we had a relaxed time and cut a cake at 12 and welcomed 2011 in a fun family way.

Photo of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

The next morning we started for Jaisalmer which is a 5 hour drive away from Jodhpur. As we progressed towards Jaisalmer, we could see more sand in the surroundings. This being Decmber, we packed a lot of warm clothes. But it was so hot in Rajasthan that I even argued with my mum on why we bought so many woolens. I was excited to witness a real desert for the first time. We were staying at Choki Dhani Desert Camp. We reached there late in the afternoon and immediately after checking in, proceeded towards Sam Dunes to catch a glimpse of the setting desert sun. We hired a camel and a camel cart for the 6 of us. My brother enjoyed the camel ride and we relaxed on the camel cart, while enjoying the desert panoramas. We stopped at a spot and waited for the sun to set. My sister is a photographer and spent a lot of time with her DSLR clicking beautiful pics of the sunset while we enjoyed playing in the sand. The yellow-orange-red transformation of the sun in front of our eyes and its journey towards the desert horizon was breathtaking and no words would do justice to the beauty we witnessed that evening. As the sun set, the sand became more and more cold. And suddenly the temperature dropped. My mum looked at me and I lipped a quiet sorry for the previous argument. On the camel ride back to Choki Dhani, it became too cold and I was shivering without a sweater.

Photo of Sam Sand Dunes, Major District Road 53, Kanoi, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Sam Sand Dunes, Major District Road 53, Kanoi, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

We reached Choki Dhani in the evening and were welcomed gracefully. This was a tented accommodation in a make-shift village environment. It was a huge tent equipped with a heater, television and a bathroom. After getting decked up with our thick furry jackets we headed out to explore our village. Everything was very beautiful and was well thought of. There were street dancers, musicians, magicians, astrologers, puppeteers, mehndi artists, jugglers, snake charmers and what not. We enjoyed dancing with the locals. This one was similar to the Jaipur Choki Dhani which I had visited a few years back but maybe a bit more 'desert-ish' and 'village-ish'. After a stroll through the entire village, we went for dinner. Dinner is served in Thali style on the floor. We really enjoyed the yummy food as well as their prompt and wonderful service. After our Rajasthani Thali meal we went to sleep in our tents. The next morning we woke up and lazed around our tent and our village for a while. We had breakfast at the dining hall and started our day.

Photo of Chokhi Dhani, Kanoi, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

Our next destination was Fort Rajwada, a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Jaisalmer. It was no less than a palace. The entire hotel including the rooms boasted of exquisite Rajasthan royalty. The buffet style dinner and breakfast consisted of Indian and Continental spreads and was out-of-this-world yummy. Before dinner there was a local song and dance performance arranged at the pool-side. We also enjoyed an evening on the hotel terrace. The staff was very cordial and we loved the royal hospitality extended to us.

Photo of Fort Rajwada, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Fort Rajwada, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Fort Rajwada, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

This is a small rainwater lake which s surrounded by many temples and shrines and some temple-like structures submerged in the water. We spent an evening boating in this peaceful lake and enjoyed the beautiful sunset here.

Photo of Gadisar Lake, Postal Colony, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

Made of sand stone approximately 500 to 600 years ago and locally known as Sonar Quila, the Jaisalmer Fort is a dominating structure amidst sands. It is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan and one of the largest forts in the world. The massive sandstone walls of the fort stand several feet high. What amazed me most was that even today, nearly one fourth of the old city's population resides within the fort. You can find restaurants, temples, shops, etc inside the fort. It was strange to see people following their daily routine living inside the fort. We also shopped for a while and visited the various preserved palaces and rooms inside the fort. It was so massive and we got some beautiful views of the golden city from the top.

Photo of Jaisalmer Fort, Amar Sagar Pol, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Jaisalmer Fort, Amar Sagar Pol, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

This cluster of 5 Havelis was the first one to be erected in Jaisalmer and was the official residence of the ministers and landlords of the royal times. It was a small street and the at some places the Havelis on both side of the road were so close that neighbours could even pass stuff from one home to another. The architecture was so fine and intricate. The street was crowded and cluttered and was bustling with everyday life.

Photo of Patwon-Ki-Haveli, Amar Sagar Pol, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Patwon-Ki-Haveli, Amar Sagar Pol, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Patwon-Ki-Haveli, Amar Sagar Pol, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

Next we bid goodbye to Jaisalmer and proceeded to Jodhpur. Hotel Karni Bhawan was a wonderful old-style hotel and we had a comfortable 2-day stay here. The hotel lawn was beautiful and we enjoyed a cold December night bonfire there.

Photo of Karni Bhawan Hotel, Cantt Area, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

This fort is one of the oldest in India and is situated on a hill top in the middle of the blue city of Jodhpur. There are many beautiful palaces inside with well preserved clothes, furniture and artillery of the Rajput times. The palaces inside are very beautiful and the top of the fort gives beautiful panoramic views of the blue city.

Photo of Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

This palace was constructed in the 1940s and houses the royal family today. A part of the palace is a luxury hotel managed by the Taj group. Unfortunately, we had to return from the gates of the palace as it was closed for all visitors for the Maharaja's birthday weekend. But I visited Jodhpur 2 years after this trip to attend a friend's wedding and did visit Umaid Bhawan Palace with friends. It is a sprawling property and one of the largest private residences in the world. There is a museum in which the royal family's belongings are kept on display.

Photo of Umaid Bhawan Palace, Palace Road, Cantt Area, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

On our last day in Rajasthan , we had an afternoon flight so had the morning free for sight seeing. We visited Mandore gardens and I guess in the early morning we were the only people there. The Mandore gardens have a charming collection of temples and memorials mostly all of which were in ruins or empty. there were many monkeys at this place. We spent a few hours here and enjoyed icecream in the scorching heat.

Photo of Mandore Garden, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini
Photo of Mandore Garden, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India by Smiti Maini

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