From Bikaner we left for Jaisalmer, one of the most fascinating cities in the region, deeply hidden in the Thar desert. At sunset its buildings, ramparts, and walls built in yellow sandstone reflect a golden light that gave it the name of “golden city”.
Here you can visit the fort called “Sonar Kila”, the golden fort rising from the sea of sand that surrounds it, the Jainist temple of Parswanath and the Mank Chowk bazaar. We recommend taking a walk through its narrow streets with shops and nice buildings. Once out of the citadel, you can visit the Haveli, a complex of richly decorated yellow sandstone buildings built by wealthy merchants and nobles: Salim Sing ki Haveli, Patwon ki Haveli, Nathmanlji haveli and Tazia Tower.
15 km outside Jaisalmer there’s Lodurva, an important pilgrimage site for Jains. There’s a hole in the temple from which, an old story says, a snake would come out at night to drink the milk that is left as an offer, but of course it can only be seen by those who are blessed.
Approximately 40 km from Jaisalmer you can reach the dunes of the Thar desert. We decided to stay overnight in a small village, Khuri, where mud and straw houses are decorated with motifs similar to Persian carpets. It is undoubtedly a very touristy excursion with a lot of folklore, but it can also be an incredible experience. Just be careful, it requires huge adaptability. Let’s just say you might have some local “insects” as your companions. After all, you’re in the middle of the desert.
Jodhpur, the blue city in the depths of the Thar desert, is called after the majestic Mehrangarh Fort from which you can have an amazing view of the city with its blue colored buildings. Other interesting attractions are the Umaid Bhawan, the palace of the last Maharaja, the Clock Tower and Sadar Bazar.
Pushkar is a small village located at the edge of a lake and surrounded by hills. It is the only Indian pilgrim center dedicated to the god Brahma. During the camel fair, at the full moon of the month of Kartika, the village is incredibly crowded with cattle traders, worshippers and tourists. During the rest of the year it is a very pleasant and peaceful place. You can visit the temple dedicated to the god Brahma, take a walk along the ghats by the lake where Brahmins usually try to ask for money in exchange for prayers.
As a brahmin told us: “Money come and go, luck always remains.“
Bundi is a cozy town that still preserves its medieval atmosphere, thanks to the absence of hordes of tourists who prefer to visit the most popular destinations. A huge fort of the Rajput era overlooks the valley where the city stands while, at the foot of it, a majestic palace holds the famous paintings of Bundi. Several light blue houses, similar to those found in Jodhpur, can be seen in the old part of the town.
Udaipur (“the white city”) is defined as “the only one in India that stimulates the imagination of poets, artists and writers”. Known as the city of lakes where the grassy hills of the Aravalli Mountains are reflected on the water, it overlooks the shores of the sparkling Lake Pichola.
Some must-sees: the City Palace, which bears witness to the wealth and independent spirit of the Maharaja of Udaipur, and the Jadgdish Temple that we recommend to visit in the evening (around 6 pm) to attend a “aarti” ceremony (purification of fire).A few kilometers away from Udaipur, with a tuk-tuk, you can take a pleasant 15-minutes walk on the sides of a hill up to its top where the Monsoon Palace is located: at sunset, when the sky is rose-colored, it offers a spectacular view.
