Running across Rajasthan: Part 2 - Jaisalmer

Ram Ram Sa!

A friend and I backpacked across Rajasthan last year, planning pretty much the entire trip on our own, right from travel, bookings, hotel, itinerary, etc. And I decided to share the experiences with you. Since writing about all the cities in one post would be looonnnggg, I am writing one city at a time.

Some useful websites, our itinerary and all about our first destination - Jaipur can be found in this post: http://haemlet.blogspot.in/2013/02/running-across-rajasthan.html

I move on to our second destination.

JAISALMER

Please allow me to proclaim right at the outset that Jaisalmer was my favourite destination on this trip. So anything I say will reflect my awe of the place.

Jaisalmer is a small desert town, located in Western Rajasthan. The main attraction there is a live fort (that means, people still live inside it) called The Golden Fort. But it is not just the fort, the entire city seems to be basking in this golden glow with the houses surrounding the fort all the same colour. Jaisalmer is also a culture   haven, with a delightful local flavour. You will love just walking down the streets taking in the atmosphere. Another attraction here are the sand dunes, that are situated on the outskirts. You can visit these dunes, even stay the night there in tents, or simply take a camel ride and return.

Reaching there

Unlike Jaipur, Jaisalmer is not easily accessible from anywhere in the country. The train we took to Jaisalmer starts from Delhi, and we boarded the same at Jaipur. If you are coming in from any other city, the best way to reach here would be via Jodhpur. Jodhpur is relatively well-connected to other parts of the country, and you can find regular buses/trains from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer.

How many days

We were in Jaisalmer for two whole days and one night. It is quite comfortable, unless you plan to stay at the dunes. Then you could add a night in a tent at the dunes.

Where to stay

I loved the little hotel we stayed at in Jaisalmer. Called the Artist Hotel, it is not something that everyone may like, because it completely no-frills and quite small. A friend recommended it highly, and after staying there, we couldn't agree more. The hotel had clean, simple rooms starting Rs. 400 (you read right!) and a rooftop with a few tables where you could have your meals (and maybe a beer). I was going to direct you to their site (http://www.artisthotel.info/) and highly recommend them, but then I just read that the management has changed. Aladin, who was everyone's go-to man there, has started his own little hotel though, and his hospitality is definitely memorable.                

Artist Hotel

If you prefer luxury though, Jaisalmer also has heritage hotels that are well-known. As the locals told us, many havelis (houses of wealthy merchants) are turned into a hotel, and since all havelis have the flourish, the stone carvings et al, they are dubbed as heritage hotels.

You can also live in the hotels INSIDE the fort, but personally, I found them over-priced. Everything is within walking distance of the fort anyway, so distance is not something you need to worry about. 

Sightseeing

Let me begin with THE GOLDEN FORT. Jaisalmer is built around this fort, that stands tall forming a golden backdrop. The fort itself is one of the few remaining living forts in the world. As you walk in, you will be greeted by people selling colourful wares, from puppets to wall hangings, artifacts, idols and more.

A tightrope walker at the fort entrance

The entrance to the fort

Within the fort, there is the main palace turned museum. It shuts by 5 pm, and takes about 2-3 hours inside. The best part about this when we visited was the Audio Guide System. The Rajasthan government has started this in almost all tourist destinations, where you can avail this audio guide in various languages. They have numbered boards and arrows directing you around. Reach a board, press a number on the guide, and hear all about it, with special sound effects mind you! Since we were just two, they were nice enough to give us one guide, and two earphones.

Audio guide systems

The palace is beautiful. It has several sections, and I could not stop admiring the lattice work on the windows, the carvings and the intricate detailing. The way they kept the rooms cool with khus curtains or how they ensured water supply with brilliant engineering are astounding. 

Latticework

The palace has a lovely view from the top, where you can also spot the windmills in the distance.

View from the palace roof

After the palace, we sat outside at a local tea stall, chatting up the locals. I think that is the best way to know about a place. The locals told us about the past, the current situation, how the fort manages to survive wear and tear over the years and more. A helpful shopkeeper directed us to a cannon inside the fort, and then to a rooftop where we could watch the sun set. Usually the rooftop place is a hotel/restaurant during peak season, but we got a free tour *grins*.

A rooftop restaurant inside the fort

Inside the fort are also a few havelis and temples. We visited the LAXMI-NARAYAN TEMPLE that had some admirable stonework. It was also a cricket field for local kids.

Laxmi Narayan Temple stone-work

We strolled back to the hotel, chatting up locals on the way. That evening was spent  on the hotel roof, where they had local musicians performing. The musicians, brilliant nonetheless, refused to stop! We also met some lovely people here for dinner, from different parts of the world.

The next day, we started off with a visit to the two major havelis. There is the PATWON KI HAVELI (which is pretty big), and NATHMAL KI HAVELI.

Patwon ki Haveli

Nathmal ki Haveli

We had booked a visit to the dunes, and left by 3 pm. The most popular dunes are the SAM SAND DUNES. There are also the KHURI DUNES and some smaller ones. We were taken to the Khuri dunes, but I would suggest travellers to pick Sam Dunes instead. Khuri is hardly frequented, and as a result we were the only two people there, plus the camels.

The experience itself was pretty nice, with a two hour jeep ride to the Khuri Dunes first, that was dotted with windmills along the way.

From the main area where the tents are pitched is an hour long camel ride to the dunes (ouch!), where you can watch the sun set. While we waited for the sun to set, we also decided to roll down the dunes, which was a lot of fun, and a lot of sand inside all your clothes! 

After sunset, we returned to the main area for dinner and performances. The dancer and a little boy who was singing were spectacular!

The performers for the night

Besides these, there is also GADSISER LAKE, which is picturesque and should not take a lot of your time. You can time your visit around the Camel Festival (we went just before it started), but if you do so, plan months ahead, book months ahead, and prepare for a large amount of crowd.

We took the night train to Jodhpur. Jaisalmer, even though it has very little in terms of sightseeing, was a town that I absolutely loved.

Shopping and food

As you walk down the narrow lanes to the fort, the shopkeepers here have found the most innovative way to attract tourists - hilarious signs like these.

Jaisalmer does not have much to offer for shopaholics. You can find all of it and more at cheaper rates in Jaipur and Udaipur. Tip: The silver and stone jewellery at shops here, though stunning, is very overpriced. If you really like something, be sure to bargain your best.

The food is ordinary fare. You will not find a variety of cuisines, and even if you do, I am not sure how much you can trust them to make an 'Au gratin'. I would say stick to the normal dal-rice-chapati-vegetable fare unless the hotel you are staying at offers something more.

My learning

• Chat up the locals, but politely refuse if they try to sell you anything. They do not take offense and are still eager to help tourists as long as you are polite.
• Ask the locals about the history and background of the town.
• Do not experiment with meals. Stick to normal fare.
• You can book tours from your hotel guide, but be sure to check around for prices first.
• Don't fall for the 'it is less touristy' speech. Less touristy can also mean no one except you, which is, quite frankly very boring. In a small place like Jaisalmer, rest assured that even touristy will not mean crowded.
• Take the audio tours!

The next post shall be about Jodhpur and Udaipur. See you around!

P.S.: A reminder that these pictures are my copyright. No stealing. No copy pasting. Give credit, link back to my blog, respect my rights. Capiche?

Running across Rajasthan: Part 1 - Jaipur

So, I have finally kicked myself and got around to finishing a post about my trip to Rajasthan! Read on.
(warning: this is a pretty long blog post, so I will break it into several city-wise posts).

P.S.: I will also include a section called 'My learning' at the end of each city, for tips, suggestions based on my experience.

Rajasthan has always been one of the top destinations on my wishlist, for a reason. India is stunning, and Rajasthan is one of the foremost places in the country to visit, housing a treasure trove of culture, astounding structures, colour and warmth!

THE PLANNING:

Now, one thing one must keep in mind while planning a Rajasthan trip is that the railways in that state are very disconnected. The cities you might want to visit are probably not entirely connected, and access can be tough. Road is an option if you have the money to hire a car throughout, or are with a big group and willing to sleep in that uncomfortable position. But otherwise, all you need to do is sit down with a large map and plan out a route. Which is precisely what we did. And knowing what are the challenges, questions we faced, I thought it would be a good idea to share them for future travellers.

There are so many places - the big cities like Jaipur, Udaipur, temple towns like Ajmer, Pushkar and Nathdwara, historical places like Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, also Bikaner... but we had limited time. We chalked out a route with the help of a map, and the Indian railways. www.Indianrailinfo.com is very useful to check the list of trains between cities.

WHEN TO VISIT- Weather:

Rajasthan is partly a desert state, and the climate reflects the same. We visited in mid-Jan, which is peak winters, with temperatures dropping to 3 degrees in certain regions. Despite that, Rajasthan is wonderful at this time of the year, as you escape the sweltering heat, or 'loo ki garmi' as they locally call it. Personally, I loved the chilly air, that was pleasant during the day, but needed 3-4 layers of clothes as night approached. Avoid March to June as far as possible unless you are someone who can bear being roasted in the sun. September November is pleasant too, but extremely crowded, being festive season.

You can also time your trip around the myriad of local fairs and festivals in the state if you want a taste of the festivities. But if you are doing that, be sure to have your stay and travel in place well in advance since everything will be booked otherwise.

USEFUL WEBSITES:

• http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in - The Rajasthan government website is very useful, especially if you are not familiar with destinations.
• http://www.rtdc.in/ - The government website for bookings and practical needs. You can book hotels, journeys and more here.
• http://indiarailinfo.com/ and https://www.irctc.co.in/ - Look up trains and routes with the former, book from the latter (warning: irctc website is reaaallllyyy slow)
• The fairs and festivals, though crowded, are a memorable experience. If you want to time your trip around them, here is the calendar: http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/Attractions/Fairs-Festivals.aspx

For everything else, the state is quite friendly and you will be able to get around quite easily.

Our itinerary was:
Mumbai -> Jaipur (1N) -> Jaisalmer (1N) -> Jodhpur -> Nathdwara (1N) -> Udaipur (2N) -> Mumbai

Let me warn you, except for the time in Udaipur, our trip was very hectic. But I must add, I loved how the Rajasthan government has made the state tourist-friendly. Right from audio guides (They are amazing!) to English signs, information desks and so much more.

JAIPUR

We took the night train from Mumbai to Jaipur, which is pretty convenient, and got us there by around noon.

Where to stay

I would recommend staying in Central Jaipur. The area close to Indra Bazaar would be convenient as you can walk down to the market/palace area, and are still a little away from chaos. You can take a leisurely walk down the streets, flanked by the pink shops on both ends, with the burst of colours, or take a cycle rickshaw.

Sightseeing

You can get a combined ticket for about 6 tourist spots. I say - BUY! You don't have to bother about lines and tickets everywhere and it is cheaper too.

Albert Hall Museum, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, City Palace are all within walking distance of each other. Amber Palace and Nahargarh are about 20 minutes away, but there are regular shuttle bus services from the market centre.

Most places shut by 5 pm, so you plan your day accordingly. We strolled the markets on the first day as it was already 3 pm by the time we left the hotel. We started early the next day and visited the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar, with a lunch break in between. And it was already 5 by then.

Hawa Mahal

The HAWA MAHAL is a beautiful structure, with a magnificent fountain greeting you as soon as you enter.

View from the top

Stained glass

The rooms are adorned with stained glass that makes the light dance in hues of red, blue, green and yellow. The palace has an open terrrace that gives you a breathtaking view of the entire city with the backdrop of the Nahargarh Fort on a mountain.

The City Palace is humongous, with the artifacts in numerous rooms testimony to the glorious history of Jaipur. 

Darbans (palace guards) dressed in traditional attire spell royalty as you wade past the large embellished doors and the stone jaaliwork (net-like carving).

Jantar Mantar is fascinating with the sun-dials and astronomy instruments, but you can skip this if you have   seen the one in Delhi. If not, do pay it a visit.

The sun-dial at Jantar Mantar

We did not get a chance to visit Nahargarh Fort or Amber Palace, but they are definitely worth a trip. You can head there in the morning, and lunch at the government-led restaurant (Durg Cafe - http://www.rtdc.in/durgcafe.htm), with a view you will not forget. I insist you make time for this in your itinerary.

Another must-visit in Jaipur is Chokhi Dhani. Now I agree there are many versions of this spread across the country, but this is the real deal. We planned the visit in the evening, leaving the hotel at around 5 pm. Our hotel booked us the rickshaw (at a reasonable cost - Rs. 500 both ways) that would take us to and fro since it is out of the city. But we were not prepared for the freezing winds that attacked us due to the open vehicle. At Chokhi Dhani (Rs. 400 for entry and dinner), we loved every bit, from the performances, the ambience, just strolling about the 'village-style' property, magic and puppet shows, fireplaces and cots strewn about, and finger-licking food.

Shopping and Food

Let me start with 'Carry a large empty bag', because Jaipur is quite a shopping haven. The best part is that the shopping area is one big central location, a few kilometers long. Starting from Indra Bazaar to Babu Bazaar and a few others, walk down the roads with pink shops on both sides. I would suggest take a walk, check out everything, compare prices, then go back to buy.

Among the things you can look for are - colourful tie and dye dupattas (for about a 100 rupees each), tie and dye sarees in all kinds of materials (I bought a lovely thin silk one with embroidered peacocks for only Rs. 500), mojris in camel leather starting from Rs. 150, jewellery (pretty and cheap on the streets), bedsheets (these are awesome and not expensive either), wall hangings, and ethnic home decor items... I can go on. There is an intricate shopping area (like Crawford Market in Mumbai) called Purohit ji ka Katla, where you can find items at wholesale prices.



But remember one rule - BARGAIN BARGAIN BARGAIN.

For food, we would just stop by and taste the street food whenever hunger struck. You can walk into the small restaurants and order a 'thali' too. If you don't have the stomach for all that, there are restaurants with a variety of cuisines outside the main market area. In the evening on our second day, a friend took us to a rooftop restaurant - The Terrace Grill, which had nice ambience and interesting heater lamps if you are in the mood for it.

My learning

• One and a half day is not enough is Jaipur.
• Carry empty bags for all the shopping, and if Jaipur is first on your itinerary, be prepared to lug it around (read: backache)
• Local buses are pretty convenient and cheap too, and definitely worth a try.
• The local cops are extremely helpful, especially if they know you are two girls travelling alone.
• Don't fall for the 'we are selling at cost price' plea while bargaining.
• If you like something, pick it up. You will not remember the shop when you try looking for it again.
• Carry warm clothes, especially something to cover your ears (Three layers were not enough).

We took the night train directly to Jaisalmer, reaching there by about 11 am.
(Read about Jaisalmer in the next post)

P.S. All pictures are my copyright ok! Takes a lot of effort to lug around a DSLR, so don't take away my credit please. :)