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Who would have dreamt in such a vast
sand oasis
A castle worthy of an ancient
throne, such an art in carven work
of stone
¤ Construction of the Fort
An apt description of the Jaisalmer
fort, one of the finest in the
country but one which looks rather
incongruous given the desolation
around it. Located bang in the
middle of the Thar desert (literal
meaning abode of the dead), it rises
like a mirage from the sands, with
its huge turrets pointing skywards.
Built in 1156, Jaisalmer is the
second oldest of Rajasthan’s major
forts after Chittorgarh. Constructed
by Raja Jaisal, who was searching
for a new capital as the earlier one
Lodurva was too vulnerable to
invasions, he built the fort and the
city surrounding it, thus fulfilling
Lord Krishna's prophecy in the
Mahabharata
¤ Located on a Hilltop
Mounted atop Trikuta, the almost
triangular triple-peaked hill, the
fort rises like a sunbeam from the
desert, 250 feet tall, and is
reinforced by an imposing
crenellated sandstone wall 30 feet
high. It has as many as 99 bastions,
92 of which were built between 1633
and 1647 to be used as gun
platforms. The view of the 99
bastions of the yellow sandstone
fort, the desert citadel of Raja
Jaisal, is spectacular to behold.
The fortifications have grown
exponentially over the centuries,
and wells within the confines still
provide a regular source of water to
the fort.
¤ Palaces of the Maharawals
Also, in front of the Chauhata
Square lie the palaces of the
Maharawals. Leading up to them is a
flight of marble steps topped by the
Maharawal’s marble throne. Nearby
lies the five-storeyed Tazia (metal)
Tower, with ornate architecture and
Bengali-style roofs. The five-tiered
structure was constructed by Muslim
craftsmen who worked on the
building. The outer defences of the
citadel are fortified by another
high wall with a pathway running
parallel to the first rampart.
Beyond the entrance is the Ganesh
Pol, leading up to the Rang Pol.
There was a time when everyone lived
inside the fort itself, protected by
its massive ramparts. As the
population of Jaisalmer expanded,
people started emigrating from
within the fort’s precincts from
about the 17th century. However,
even today the fort is a hive of
activity, and you’ll witness a
cross-section of the populace living
within it as you travel through its
winding streets and alleys.
¤ Installation of a unique device
The fort also has a peculiar gadget
hoisted on top of its ramparts.
Since Met departments were in short
supply in those days, this was used
to forecast the weather. Every year
in April a flag would be placed in
its centre and, based on the
direction in which it blew, the
weather for the entire year was
forecast. If it blew northwards it
indicated famine, and if it went
westwards Ho the citizenry could
rest assured that a fine monsoon was
in the offing. May seem a bit
primitive today but the system was
probably just as accurate or
inaccurate as the Met office
nowadays.
¤ Jaisalmer Fort -- A Marvel
Built in Sandstone
Just as the Taj in Agra is worth
visiting on a full moon night,
Jaisalmer fort by nightfall is a
sight to behold, it has all the
romance and suspense of a
Hitchcockian mystery. You half
expect an invading army to march up
to the castle, over its enormous
paved flagstones, while those
defending the fort shoot missiles at
them from the ramparts. Suffice to
say the Jaisalmer fort is one of the
marvels of Rajasthani architecture,
particularly of the stone-carver’s
art. |
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