Jaisalmer Fort

The amazing world of the Arabian Nights can be recreated only in the golden city of Jaisalmer. The city and its attractions are too charming to be expressed in words. And the Jaisalmer Fort is one of the attractions that will leave you bewitched. The fort seems to have taken birth from the womb of the desert. Surrounded by the golden sand on all sides, the fort always looks stunning. It is also known as 'SonarKila' (golden fortress). At one point of time the fort was a home to the entire population of Jaisalmer but with time as the population started to increase, the people moved out of it to find a new home for themselves.

It was built on Trikuta Hill in the year 1156 by Rawal Jaisal, a Bhati Rajput ruler. The establishments, temples, handicraft shops, beauty parlors and corridors of the fort beckon you to explore their beauty and uniqueness. The golden fort has a lot to tell about the golden era. The fort has magnificent entrances which lead to its 99 bastions that bring alive the glorious past of the fort. At the main entrance you will be received by a sturdy man with bright eyes attired in colorful clothes. You can enter the fort from any of the four gates namely Akhaiya Pol, Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol and Hava Pol.  The Sun plays with fort by imparting different hues to it during dusk and dawn—honey yellow at the dusk and camel yellow during the dawn.

One of the largest desert fort on the Earth, Jaisalmer Fort has three layers of walls. These layers were built for the defense of the city. The Warriors would conceal behind the innermost layer of wall and throw boiling oil and water on the attackers.

The fort depicts austere beauty in its Rajput and Mughal architectural style. It rises to a height of 50 feet offering a bird's eye view of the city. When Ala-ud-Din Khilji attacked the fort and won it, the royal ladies of the fort committed 'Jauhar'(self immolation) before the attackers could molest them. Such was the self-respect of the ladies. His rule lasted for nine years.