The Golden City 

Where would you go if you wanted to see sand, desert and sand dunes in India?The best place is Jaisalmer – in the middle of Thar Desert in Rajasthan.JaisalmerThe small town of Jaisalmer, nicknamed “The Golden City” – because this is what the town looks like – stands on a ridge of yellow sandstone on top of the Trikuta Hill.
It is crowned by a fort, which contains the palace buildings and beautiful Jain temples. Even today, a fourth of the population live within the Fort.
Many of the houses and temples are beautifully sculpted. 

History

According to legend, Lord Krishna told Arjuna that a remote descendent of the Yadav clan would build his kingdom on top of Trikuta Hill.

In keeping with this prophesy, Rawal Jaisal, a descendant of Yadav clan, founded Jaisalmer in 1156. 

Deoraj, a famous prince of the family known as ‘Bhati’ family, is considered to be real founder of the Jaisalmer dynasty. He adopted the title of Rawal. Rawal Jaisal, the sixth in succession from Deoraj, founded the fort and city of Jaisalmer in 1156, and moved over to Jaisalmer from the former capital at Lodhruva (situated about 15 kms to the south-east of Jaisalmer).
Jaisalmer, meaning “the Hill Fort of Jaisal”, was named after him.
 The first siege of Jaisalmer took place in 1294 during the reign of Alauddin Khilji.
Alauddin Khilji was angered by Bhatis’ raid on a caravan filled with treasure.
Alauddin Khilji’s army captured and sacked the fort and the city of Jaisalmer.
For quite some time, Jaisalmer lay deserted.We do not know what happened during the next decades.
Next, we find Rawal Sahal Singh, who acknowledged the supremacy
of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.The major opponents of Jaisalmer rulers were the powerful rulers of Jodhpur and Bikaner.
They used to fight for the possession of forts, waterholes or cattle.Jaisalmer was strategically positioned as a halting point along a traditional trade route used by camel caravans commuting between Indian and Asian markets. The main source of income of Jaisalmer were the levies on the caravans.
However, the importance of Jaisalmer declined when Bombay emerged as a port, and sea trade replaced the traditional land routes.
The partition of India in 1947 led to the closing of all trade routes through the Indo-Pak border.  
But the skirmishes between India and Pakistan gave Jaisalmer a strategic importance and it became an army supply depot.
Later, the Rajasthan Canal revived the surrounding desert areas.
And the Government built roads and railways, knitting the remote Jaisalmer with the rest of Rajasthan.

What to seeJaisalmer Fort 

From its 250 feet high vantage point on the hill, the Fort stands vigil over the surrounding desert.
Its massive walls follow the contours of the hills.
The Fort has five interconnected palaces with intricate ‘jaali’ screens and beautiful ‘jharokhas’.
Steep cobblestone pathways passing through the four gates lead to the royal palace.
The sharp twists and turns make the fort invincible.

Jain Temples

Inside the fort, there are four Jain temples, dedicated to Rishabdevji Sambhavnathji and Parshvanathji. The Parshvanathji Temple is the oldest and the most beautiful of all.
Human and animal figures are carved on the walls of its sanctum.
The dome or ‘shikhar’ is  crowned by an amalak and a water pot containing a lotus flower.

Gyan Bhandar or Library 

The Jain temples have a library containing some of the oldest manuscripts of India. 

Gadsisar Lake

Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, the Gadsisar is a beautiful rainwater lake surrounded by small temples and shrines.This lake has a beautiful arched gateway.
Today, it is an ideal picnic and boating spot. 

Havelis

There are a number of beautiful Havelis in Jaisalmer.

Salim Singh-ki-Haveli – This was once the residence of the Mohta family, ministers of Jaisalmer rulers. 

Patwon-ki-Haveli – This five haveli wonder is the grandest mansion in Jaisalmer.
Its ceilings are supported by exquisitely carved pillars and the balconies are delicately chiselled.

Nathmalji-ki-Haveli –  This was carved by two brothers.
One worked from the right side and the other from the left.
But the entire construction is harmonious.

Places to see around Jaisalmer

Lodurva (16 kms)

The former capital of Jaisalmer rulers is an  important pilgrimage centre  for Jains.
An architectural masterpiece of Lodurava is the ‘Toran’ or ornate arch at the main entrance with its exquisite carvings.
‘Kalpatru’, or the divine tree, is another great attraction.

Sam Sand Dunes (42 kms)

The not to be missed thing to see in Jaisalmer are the sand dunes.
The shifting ripples on the sand dunes, caused by the wind, some as high as 150 feet, constantly create and recreate new designs.
They are the photographer’s delight.Various cultural programs are  organised against the backdrop of these fascinating dunes.
A lot of Hindi films are shot around the sand dunes.
If you are fond of adventure, you can go out on a camel safari – in the desert on camel back. 

Wood Fossil Park (17 kms)

This park, on the Barmer Road, takes  you back to the Jurassic period.
You can see 180 million year old fossilized trees. 

Desert National Park

This 3162 sq. kms. vast Biosphere Reserve lies to the south-west of Jaisalmer. 
This is one of the largest National Parks in India, but very different from the ones we are accustomed to. Here you can see sand dunes.
You can see the Indian Gazelle, Chinkara and a lot of birds.

You can see the rare and endangered Great Indian Bustard in relatively large numbers.
This bird migrates locally in different seasons.
There are a lot of other migratory and resident birds – eagles, harriers, falcons, buzzards, kestrel and vultures. Short-toed Eagles, Tawny Eagles, Spotted Eagles, Laggar Falcons and Kestrels.
You can see the Sand grouse near small ponds or lakes.The best time to visit the wild life is between November and January.However, the three day Desert Festival in February is unique.
You can see and hear folk dancers swing to the enchanting folk music under the full moon.
You can watch the unique turban tying contest and the Mr. Desert contest.

Reaching there

Air

The nearest airport is Jodhpur (285 kms).

Rail

Jaisalmer has a railway station and is connected with Jodhpur by night train.

Road

Jaisalmer is well connected by good roads with all the major cities of India.

Distances

Ahmedabad (626 kms)
Bikaner 325 km Pokaran (112 kms) 
Jaipur (558 kms)
Jodhpur (285 kms Via Pokaran) 
Mumbai (1177 kms)
New Delhi (864 kms)

Recommendation
 
Satyajit Ray, the famous Indian film director, wrote a detective novel based on this fort.
He later made it into the film – Sonar Kella (The Golden Fortress).
Jump to: navigation, search Every house in Jaisalmer is exquisitely carved, having filigree work all over.
Most of the houses date back to the 12th to 15th centuries.
And hence, Jaisalmer is also called ‘the Museum city’. Surrounded by desert, sand and sand dunes, Jaisalmer is truly a
different experience.

Enigmatic land of Sand and Snow

 In the first part, I gave an overview of Ladakh and took
the reader east of Leh to Changla Pass and Pangong Lake.
In the second part, I wrote about some wonderful places West of Leh.
In this part, I am writing about Khardung La, the highest motorable road in the world to the North of Leh and the unbelievably beautiful Nubra Valley beyond.
I am also writing about the beautiful Tsomoriri Lake, and Dhahanu, the Land of the purest surviving Aryans to the South of LehNubra Valley via Khardung La – The Highest Motorable road in the World (40 Kms from Leh)Nubra Valley, popularly known as Ldumra or the valley of flowers, is situated in the north of Ladakh between 

the Karakoram and Ladakh ranges of the Himalayas.
The average altitude of the valley is 10,000 feet above sea level. The Nubra Valley was opened to tourists only in 1994. It is a fascinating place.
The road to Nubra Valley passes over Khardung La pass 18,390 feet, or 5602 metres, above sea level. This is the highest motorable road in the world.

We almost reached the pass, but found the road blocked by an errant truck which like the proverbial mule had suddenly decided it was time to stop and block the entire traffic.
So we got out and played around in the ice and snow.

We met two motor cyclists who had driven all the way from Bangalore covering more than 5,000 kms.
Even they had to turn back.If you cross Khardung La pass, you can see all the way south across the Indus valley to the endless peaks and ridges of the Zanskar range; and north to the giants of the Saser massif.From the pass, you travel down to Diskit, the main village and head quarter of Nubra Valley.
The Diskit Monastery, perched on an overhanging rock next to a stream, was foundedby Lama Sherab Zangpo of Stod around 1420 A.D.It has a rich collection of Thangkas, magnificent statues and old mural paintings.Diskit has a small market consisting of a row of shops.
The Shayok and Saichen Rivers drain the Nubra Valley.
You journey will take you through pretty villages, green farms, myricaria, willow and poplar trees. After leaving Diskit, you come across sand dunes.
These are just like the sand dunes of Rajasthan.
You can even take a ride on a bacterian (double humped) camel from Deskit to Hunder village lasting about two hours.
You can visit the King’s palace and the monastery in Hunder. Thereafter, you can cross the Shayok River and travel along Saichen River to Panamik.
There are a number of hot springs on the right of the road just before you enter the village. 

Dhahanu – land of the pure Aryans (163 Kms from Leh)

Dhahanu is situated to the south west of Leh, and being on a lower altitude, Dhahanu is warmer than Leh.
There are many small villages – but only two villages –  Dha and Hanu are open to tourists. You can see the Brokpa Community considered to be the last race of pure Aryans.
Their culture and religious practices are very similar to ancient pre- Buddhist religion known as Bon. 

Tsomoriri Lake (137 Kms from Leh)

Surrounded by 20,000 feet peaks, which effectively isolate the lake from the world, Tsomoriri Lake (salty lake) and other lakes are situated south east of Ladakh in the middle of the elevated district of Rupso Valley – off the Manali – Leh Road, near the site of old sulphur mines, at altitude ranging about 16,500 feet.
The valley is inhabited by a small scattered population of “Changpas” nomadic shepherds.You can visit the monastery on the top of the village, belonging to the yellow sect.
It has about 35 resident monks.
A kilometre ahead of Tsomoriri lake is the picturesque village of Korzok consisting of about a hundred families.
The area is rich in wildlife including the wild ass, black necked cranes and geese which flock to the lake side for breeding during the summer months.  

You should stay overnight at the lake.

Trekking

Ladakh is the trekkers’ paradise.
You can ask your hotel or the local agents to organise all kinds of treks – from simple two day affairs to the most difficult treks extending over three weeks.

Tibetan Medicine

Tibetan medicine is an ancient system of medicine based on the Indian Buddhist system of medicine developed by Buddha himself some 2500 years ago.
This indigenous health care system plays an important role in the health care
of Ladakhi communities. In Ladakh, the practitioners of this system are known as ‘Amchi’.
The skills are generally passed down from father to son or daughter within the village.
There are many Amchis who are the sixth generation.
This is known as the rGYUTPA lineage.New Amchis have to take their passing out examination orally in front of the whole village.
They are examined by a panel of senior Amchis from surrounding villages.  Amchis provide free health care to the villagers.
Quite often, they are also strong community leaders or Village Heads.
They are usually quite knowledgeable even in Astronomy and Astrology.
In return, the villagers respect the Amchis and help them with their agricultural activities and offerings.   

The Oracle

The oracle (both male and female) is something like a soothsayer.
If you have any disease, they will conduct a healing.
If you have any questions, they will advise you. You can request your hotel or travel agent to arrange a session with an Oracle.
The Oracle at Thikse Monastery, a villager with supernatural powers, a miraculous healer and predictor of the future, is considered to be the most powerful oracle in Ladakh.  

Importance of Leh

Leh was on the middle of the best trade route between Punjab and Central Asia.
During its hey days, caravans carried textiles, spices, silk, carpets, dyestuffs and narcotics.
The goods were transported through relays of pony transporters who took about two months to transport the goods from Amritsar to the Central Asian towns of Yarkand and Khotan, or vice versa
.
Leh was a bustling entrepot, with bazaars thronged with merchants from far countries.

A Legend and Folklore

Chovang Namgyal, one of the richest and powerful kings of Ladakh died in 1600 without a male heir.
His younger brother, Jamya Namgyal, succeeded him and ascended the throne.  
Alimir, the Mir of Skardo, attacked Leh and captured it.
He took Jamya Namgyal as prisoner. But the Mir’s daughter fell in love with the king and became pregnant.
The Mir married his daughter to Jamya Namgyal.
The oracles prophesied that the daughter would give birth to a
very strong and powerful king.
So Jamya Namgyal became king once again.
And his son became a great ruler.

Permits

Both Indians and foreigners  need permits to visit the distant places of Ladakh.
These are easily obtained in one day.
Your hotel will get them for you.

Dandeli

a little known unique destination in South India

Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary

Bordering the hamlet is the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary sprawling over 834.16 sq. kms. of dense forests and harbouring a large number of animals and numerous species of birds and reptiles.Animals in the Sanctuary

The most impressive animal in the Sanctuary is the Gaur or Indian Bison Bos gaurus gaurus. It is the largest and most powerful wild bovine – even larger than the Asiatic Water Buffalo.

Bisons are beautiful, majestic creatures. The males have a well developed muscular body, with a distinctive dorsal ridge and a large dewlap, giving it a very powerful appearance. The males are short and stocky, but sturdy.
Female bisons are substantially smaller, and their dorsal ridge and dewlaps less developed. Though the females are only slightly shorter, they are much lighter.
On an average, the males are more than 2.5 metres long, stand about 2 metres at the shoulder, and weigh between 1000 – 1500 kg.
The females are about 20 cm. less in height and weigh between 700 – 1000 kg.
Both male and female bisons have beautiful, near-perfect, well rounded horns.
The bottoms of their legs are white giving the impression that the animals are wearing socks.

Earlier, there were plenty of bisons in the Sanctuary.
They moved about in large herds.
The Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary was known as the ‘Bison Sanctuary’. But now their numbers have dwindled.
The bisons have become wary of humans and can be seen only in small groups.

Amongst the other animals are elephants, tigers, black panthers, wild pigs, sloth bears, wild dogs, jackal, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer, mouse deer, common langur, bonnet macaque, slender loris, Malabar giant squirrels, giant flying squirrels, civets, porcupines, pangolin, mongoose and several species of snakes, including the graceful green vine snake and the dreaded King Cobra.

Jungle Safari

The jungle safari will take you deep inside the forests in jeeps which would be open or covered depending upon the weather. However, animal sighting in the wild depends on luck.
You could see a number of different animals in a single day, or none for days.

During and immediately after the rains, the undergrowth becomes dense and animal sighting extremely difficult.
A tiger, panther or some other animal could be lurking just a few feet away, but the thick growth and the animal’s camouflage could make it practically invisible.

The best time for animal sighting is dawn. Though, you could see some animals at dusk too.
A night safari is interesting. It is surprising how your guide will shine his torch on the animals and suddenly you see pairs of eyes glowing like small lamps.

Birds and Reptiles

There are over 200 species of birds in the Sanctuary.
Dandeli is a bird watcher’s paradise.
You will hear the vibrant horn like call of the Hornbills; see flashes of dazzling colour as kingfishers dive into the water; observe darters and egrets dart into the water and come out with a wriggling fish in its beak and watch the herons standing still near the banks for their unfortunate prey.
You will also see serpent eagles, falcons, magpie robins, bulbuls, orioles, woodpeckers, weaver birds and many more birds.

Vegetation

The sanctuary is covered with deciduous and semi-evergreen forests.
It is famous for its high quality Teak (Tectona grandis), Silver Oaks (Grevillea robusta), Eucalyptus, Acacia and Bambusa.
The area is also rich in bamboos; and herbs and climbers – many of which have medicinal value.
Coracle ride

The Kali River at the edge of the hamlet winds its way through the forests.

Your visit to Dandeli would be incomplete without a coracle ride in the river.
The original coracle is an indigenous, saucer-shaped boat made of bamboos and covered with thick buffalo hide. It looks flimsy, but is surprisingly sturdy and flows along with the current.

Modern versions of the coracle do not use buffalo hide, but synthetic material.
The latest coracles (which look so unnatural) are made of iron and wood.

As your coracle passes the many islands in the river, you will see numerous birds.
If the weather is sunny, you will see crocodiles lazing on the banks because crocodiles love sun bathing.
Don’t be afraid of the crocodiles. They are harmless. Actually, they are far more afraid of us! At the slightest sound, they slither away into the depths of the river.
You will find people washing clothes, bathing, or swimming nearby.
They will tell you that there never has been a single attack by a crocodile so far.
This is a wonderful example of man and animal living together in complete harmony.

White Water Rafting

Dandeli is one of the two places in India where you can do white water rafting. The other place is Rishikesh in North India.
White water rafting season starts after the monsoons and lasts from November to June. You will be taken several miles up the river in a jeep and asked to get into an inflatable boat. You will be given some introductory lessons. After that the fun begins. Your boat will go hurtling down the river, tumbling and jostling over the numerous rocks and rapids.
Depending upon the duration, at the end of the rafting, you will either be picked up by a jeep or walk back to your camp.

Places to see

The Karnataka Forest Department runs the Kulgi Nature Education Camp, spread over 10 acres of forest land near Kulgi village in Dandeli.
Here, you can rent well furnished tents and dormitories at nominal rates.
There is also a herbarium, well stocked library, video film screening arrangements, etc.
The staff here will make arrangements for jungle safaris, coracle ride, etc. for the tourists.

Sykes Point (21 km from Dandeli)

Sykes Point is one of the most beautiful spots in Karnataka. From here, you get a panoramic view of Kali River flowing through the valleys deep below. You will see miles and miles of lush green forests all around. During the rainy and winter seasons, you will see fluffy clouds sweeping down from the skies to the valleys below.

Nagajhari Point (14 km from Dandeli)

This is another ideal location for observing the hills, valleys, dense forests and the running streams.

Kavala Caves (25 km from Dandeli)

These ancient limestone caves bear signs of human habitation during prehistoric times.
You have to walk down a thousand steps to reach the entrance. There is a gigantic naturally formed Shiva Linga inside. You have to crawl into the caves to see it. Colonies of bats roost inside the caves.
The caves remain largely unexplored. You can explore the caves, but don’t go alone. Hire some one who knows about the caves.

Syntheri Rock (32 km from Dandeli)

The Syntheri Rock is a beautiful 300-metre monolithic granite rock formation located deep inside the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary. The Kaneri River flows at the bottom.
Thousands of pigeons nest in the innumerable nooks and crannies of the rock. You can also see large hives of rock bees literally clinging to the rocks.
You can bathe in the river below.

Bats of Barapede Caves

Barapede Caves are located north of Dandeli between Krishnapur and Talewadi. Here you can see the highly endangered Wroughton’s free tailed bats (Otomops wroughtoni). Barapede Caves are the only roosting site of these bats in the world.
Krishnapur caves are one of the three places in the country where the little known Theobalds tomb bat Taphozous theobaldi are found.
The rare Megaderma spasma bats are found in the Talevadi caves.

Siddhi Tribals

On your way to Dandeli, you could meet odd looking tribals – black skinned with curly hair. They look like negroes.
They are the Siddhi tribals, whose ancestors were brought by the Portuguese from Africa as slaves over four centuries ago. You can visit their settlements and study their simple life style.

Industries and Manganese Mines

There were two wood based industries in Dandeli. The Indian Plywood Company Ltd. which closed down long ago and the West Coast Paper Mills Ltd. which is now largely dependent on imported wood.
There is manganese in the earth below the forests. There were several open quarry manganese mines inside the forest area. These were damaging the entire environment. The pollution had driven away all living creatures and killed all vegetation. Fortunately, all the mines have been closed down.
You can see the remains of the old mines. Vegetation has started reclaiming the abandoned mines. Birds, insects and other living creatures are returning to the area. The place is a living laboratory and vividly shows how much damage man can do; and given sufficient time, how nature has the tenacity and versatility to rebound back.

The endangered Kali River

As many as six dams have been constructed on the 184 kms. long Kali River for hydroelectric power stations, submerging most of the river course and huge areas of the surrounding forests. Four of these are at Supa, Bomman-ahalli, Kodsalli and Kadra. The other two are on its tributaries at Upper Kaneri and Tatihalla.
The Murdeshwar Power Corporation Limited (MPCL) is doggedly trying to construct the seventh dam. The Central Government has time and again refused the requisite permission. If the project is approved, and the dam ultimately built, the only remaining free-flowing stretch of the Kali River upstream of Dandeli would be destroyed. And white water rafting would have to be abandoned.

Activities


You can spend a few days simply idling, resting and recouping. If you are fond of nature and adventure, you can explore the hills and valleys, forest and rivers. Dandeli is an animal and bird watchers paradise. You can enjoy natural jakuzzi in the gurgling waters of the Kali River. You can do boating in the unique coracle. You can take your first lessons in white water rafting and kayaking. You can learn rock climbing and grappelling. You can do a little bit of cave exploration and a lot more.

Fact file

Road
Dandeli is well connected to Bangalore, Belgaum, Dharwad/Hubli, Goa, Karwar & Mumbai by good roads and all kinds of public transport.
You can get down at Dharwad/Hubli and take a taxi/bus to Dandeli.

Distances from Dandeli:
Bangalore – 480 kms.
Belgaum – 95 kms.
Dharwad – 57 kms.
Goa – 145 kms. &
Hubli – 72 kms.

Railway stations
The nearest railway stations are:
Belgaum – 95 kms.
Dharwad – 57 kms.
Hubli – 75 kms. &
Londa – 35 kms.

Airport
The nearest airports are:
Belgaum – 95 kms.
Goa – 145 kms. &
Hubli – 75 kms.
Air Deccan has daily flights from Mumbai and Bangalore to Belgaum, Goa and Hubli. Kingfisher Airlines has daily flights from Mumbai and Bangalore to Goa and Hubli.
There are several flights by other airlines to Bangalore and Goa.

Where to stay

1. Kali Wilderness Camp, owned by Jungle Lodges and Resorts Ltd (a Government of Karnataka undertaking): Ph: 080-5597021/24/25.
Web site:  http://www.junglelodges.com./
E-mail:  junglelodges@vsnl.com

2. Bison River Resort, owned by Indian Adventures Wildlife Resorts of Bombay:
Ph: 022-26433622 or 26408742.
Web site:  http://www.indianadventures.com./
E-mail:  idad@bom3.vsnl.net.in

3. Hornbill River Resort. Ambeli, Ganeshgudi – 581 365, Karnataka
Ph: 094481 36539.
E-mail:  mailto:hornbill%20riverresort@yahoo.com

All the three offer daily packages, for about Rs 1,000 – 2,000 per person, per day.
This includes meals, jeep ride into the forest, a coracle ride and sightseeing,
You will have to pay extra for boating, canoeing and white-water rafting (rafting is suspended during the monsoons).

Best time to visit

You can visit Dandeli any time of the year. During and immediately after the monsoons, you may see less animals and miss white-water rafting, but the forest becomes a mass of luxuriant vibrant green and you can feel freshness all around.
The place acquires a unique fairy tale ambience.