Beautiful Nathmal ki Haveli in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan || See this before you see Patwon ki haveli if you want to appreciate it

We made a mistake when we went out on a tour of the havelis of Jaisalmer. We saw Patwon ki Haveli before we saw Nathmal ki haveli. And after you have seen Patwon ki haveli, every other haveli appears rather modest. Which is not really fair because Nathmal ki haveli in itself is a beautiful building. This is a 19th century haveli that was built by two architect brothers. Even today a part of the haveli is occupied by the family. The family has opened a shop here that sells antiques and other knick-knacks.

We made a mistake when we went out on a tour of the havelis of Jaisalmer. We saw Patwon ki Haveli before we saw Nathmal ki haveli. And after you have seen Patwon ki haveli, every other haveli appears rather modest. Which is not really fair because Nathmal ki haveli in itself is a beautiful building. 

This is a 19th century haveli that was built by two architect brothers. Even today a part of the haveli is occupied by the family. The family has opened a shop here that sells antiques and other knick-knacks. 

The entrance to the haveli is guarded by two elephants built with yellow sandstone. These majestic elephants are stationed on either side of the entrance. The haveli too is built of yellow sandstone as is much of Jaisalmer. Unfortunately this also means that some of the historically important buildings become very difficult to find.

The entrance to the haveli is guarded by two elephants built with yellow sandstone. These majestic elephants are stationed on either side of the entrance. The haveli too is built of yellow sandstone as is much of Jaisalmer. Unfortunately this also means that some of the historically important buildings become very difficult to find.  

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Gadisar lake was initially built by the founding king of Jaisalmer, Rawal Jaisal in the 12th century. At that point in time, it was known as Jaisalsar. It was later rebuilt by Maharawal Gadsi Singh in the 14th century and then came to be known as Gadisar or Gadsisar or Gadaria Lake.

Grand Gadisar Lake in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan || A man-made lake that is like an oasis in the desert


When you search for places to visit enroute from Bikaner to Jaisalmer, the Internet would throw you many options - one of which is Akal (pronounced "aakal") Wood Fossil Park. While most of them will exalt the place, we would like to highlight that it may not be the right place for everyone.

Discovering ancient history in Akal Wood Fossil Park, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan || A most unusual place full of surprises that are not all related to the bygone eras


After Khichan Bird Sanctuary, we had decided to stop at Pokaran Fort. It was about 68 kilometers from the bird sanctuary and we would reach it within an hour. Most of us in our generation only found out about Pokaran after India conducted their second successful nuclear test in this region.

>> The Amazing Pokaran Fort near Jaisalmer, Rajasthan || A beautiful structure that effortlessly blends with the desert landscape it is built in


On our way from Bikaner to Jaisalmer, Khichan Bird Sanctuary was our second scheduled stop after Bap Village. And we were really excited about it. Both of us love watching and Photographing birds and we never miss a chance to visit a bird sanctuary. So this would be the ideal spot for us to take a break and stretch our legs.

>> A short but rewarding visit to the Khichan Bird Sanctuary || How the local population of a place has made this town a safe haven for the Demoiselle cranes


Demoiselle Cranes (grus virgo) are a species of crane that breed in central Eurosiberia, ranging from Black Sea and Mangolia to North Eastern China, plus a small breeding population in Turkey. The birds fly south to Africa and Indian subcontinent to spend the winter months.

>> Demoiselle cranes of Khichan, Jodhpur District, Rajasthan || Beautiful Birds that fly to and fro Mangolia and have found a mention in Indian mythological texts 


The locals in Bikaner refer to themselves as being "saral, sukh, and sust". One of my good friends from Bikaner shared that people in Bikaner take pride in acknowledging that they are content. So I guess it is true. The state of the traffic on the roads does reflect the pace of life.

>> Driving around the drivable parts of Bikaner, Rajasthan || Wide, clean roads with easy, laidback traffic

However, we did spot some migratory birds flying around and were sure that there is probably a water body around. We decided to explore that. After asking around a little we reached a lake of humungous proportions and there was a temple on the shore. There was a man offering prayers in the temple and while we were roaming around, he caught up to us and started asking us some questions.

>> The surprising Bap Village, Jodhpur District, Rajasthan || A place to stop and stretch your legs walk around a large waterbody

Even though we had been warned against booking a hotel in old Bikaner, because the roads are congested, we managed to find the perfect hotel - Hotel Jaswant Bhawan - which is perfectly located at the edge of old Bikaner with approach via wide roads and a spacious parking. And it was just walking distance from most of the places in old Bikaner.

>> Exploring Old Bikaner on Foot || A soulful city in Rajasthan that is comfortable in its own skin

Rampuria havelis are a group of 15th century opulent havelis that stand out in the labyrinthine roads of old Bikaner. While these havelis are symbols of wealth and luxurious lifestyles of rich merchants of Bikaner, they are surrounded by the comparatively modest homes of the middle class business people.


We had been walking around the city of old Bikaner for hours and we hadn't had anything to eat. The lengendary kachoris of Bikaner had evaded us thus far and had started appearing like myths or mirages to us. And we did not want to have momos, dosas, or punjabi thali when in Bikaner. It was right when we were about to get desperate when we took a turn and noticed a strange scene on our left.

The Junagarh Fort, despite the name, isn't located in Junagadh, Gujarat. It is a fort in Bikaner. The word Juna or जूना means "Old". The rulers who got the fort built did not name it Junagarh obviously. It was only when the Royal Family moved to the new Lallgarh Palace in the early 20th century, was this fort renamed Junagarh. The original name of the fort was Chintamani. I know, unusual name for a fort.

As it often happens with us, we found ourselves looking for a place to stay in Bikaner a couple of nights before our trip to the city. It wasn't tourist season per se, so Booking.com listed many properties that were within our budget.

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