Introduction: Jaisalmer is one of the oldest cities of India. It is a place of beautiful and colorful palaces. Huge walls around its boundaries once encircled this old city, which is not longer in existence to its original form now. The original walls have been ripped off few years ago for rebuilding purpose. The city gates and the massive fort rising above the city are some of the few remains, which is the pride of Jaisalmer. The main market is below the hill but the banks, shops, offices and the new palace is near the Amar Sagar Gate.

History: The history of Jaisalmer goes back to 1156 A.D. post Rawal Jaisal's establishment of his empire in the arid Thar Desert. Rawal Jaisal, a Bhatti Rajput was a descendant of Yadu Vamsi Clan. The valor and courage of the Bhatti Rajputs are remarkable. The folk songs still depicts the praise and respect of their valor and courage. According to great Indian legend, Lord Krishna once said that a Vadav Clan descendant would build his empire over the hilltop of Trikuta Hill. True to the Lord's words, Raja Rawal Jaisal established his great Jaisalmer Fort atop of the Trikuta Hillock. Jaisalmer gained its importance during the medieval phase as it flourished as a trade route to foreign countries like Egypt, Persia, Arabia, Africa and the West.

Places of interest: The Jaisalmer Fort is a beautiful golden colored fort. The fort stands vigil across the stretch of the desert. It is constituted with beautiful narrow laned cow-web, dotted lanes, and wonderful havelis, beautifully sculptured Jain Temples and five interconnected palaces. Another beautiful place is the Gadsisar Lake, which is a rainwater lake with various beautiful shrines making itself a best place for visiting. Tazia Tower is another beautiful place with pagoda structure erected from the Badal Mahal with beautiful Taazias. Gyan Bhandar of Library is an interesting place for the person who is looking for some oldest Indian manuscripts. It was established as a part of Jain Temples.

Travel information: Jaisalmer is a well-transported city. It has a good linkage with almost all of the nearby cities. Tourists can travel by flights as well as by railways. It also has good roadways connecting Jaisalmer with all over the areas of Rajasthan. A meter gauge train is in operation to connect Jaisalmer with many places of Rajasthan. It is 5.1 sq km in area and 225 meters above the sea level. Rajasthani, English and Hindi are the main languages used in Jaisalmer. The temperature here throughout the years ranges from 7.9 to 41.6 Degrees Centigrade. October to March is the best season to visit Jaisalmer. Tourists will not find any hurdle for lodging and dining as you can find many with desired facilities at reasonable price.