Rajasthan Border Tourism: Tourism in Jaisalmer Set to Get a New Lease of Life

Located 575 Km west of Rajasthan’s capital Jaipur, the city of Jaisalmer lies in the heart of the Thar desert. Once the capital of Jaisalmer state, the city has many historic tourist attractions. Besides, the city is just 123.7 Km away from Longewala, where the famous battle of Longewala took place.

Despite being a part of both medieval and modern Indian history, the tourism sector in Jaisalmer is relatively underdeveloped. The city is well connected through road, rail, and flight routes. But, the extreme weather conditions and lesser tourists’ awareness of border areas are major obstacles to tourism development.

 However, in collaboration with the central government, the Rajasthan Tourism department has now decided to focus on developing Rajasthan Border tourism in Jaisalmer.

Rajasthan Border Tourism 

The central government has approved the Rajasthan Tourist department's proposal to develop Shri Tanot Complex in Jaisalmer as a tourist attraction. Moreover, the centre has sanctioned ₹17.67 crores to develop tourism and related infrastructure in the area. The ultimate goal is to raise awareness and interest among tourists about these secluded border areas, their cultural heritage, and their significant role during the Indo-Pak wars. 

Future plans include building an amphitheatre, cafeteria, interpretation centre, and a range of tourist-friendly infrastructure in Tanot village. The BSF will maintain and operate the tourist attractions.

Places of Interest in Jaisalmer

While there are many interesting places to visit in Jaisalmer, below are some important tourist destinations you can’t miss.

●     Jaisalmer Fort 

The grand Jaisalmer fort is built in classic Rajputana style. The yellow limestone used in building the fort gives it a golden appearance against the backdrop of a setting sun.

The fort is an important plot point in Sonar Killa (Golden fort), a famous Bengali detective story, later an equally famous Bengali movie, written and directed by Late Satyajit Ray, the legendary filmmaker.

●     Gadisar Lake

Also called Gadaria lake, it is an artificial lake originally built in 1156 AD by King Rawal Jaisal, the founder of Jaisalmer. Gadsi Singh later rebuilt the lake in 1367 AD. Today, the lake is connected to the Indira Gandhi canal so that water never dries up.

●     Jaisalmer Government Museum

A must-visit place while touring Jaisalmer, the museum houses jewellery and statues from the 7th and 9th centuries AD. The trophy of Rajasthan’s state bird Godawan is a prized possession of the museum.

●     Longewala War Memorial 

On the night of 4th December, 1971, 2,000 -3,000 Pakistani soldiers, accompanied by 30-40 tanks, attacked India's Longewala post. 120 soldiers from the Indian Army's 23rd Batallion, Punjab Regiment, successfully engaged them till dawn when four Hunter jets from Indian Air Force came to their reinforcement, and India won the battle. The Hindi movie "Border" is based on the battle of Longewala. 

The Longewala War Memorial is a homage to the bravery of those gallant Indian soldiers. Visiting this memorial will instil a sense of pride and patriotism among Indians.

Where to Stay

Club Mahindra Jaisalmer is one of the best resorts in Jaisalmer to enjoy a memorable vacation. From going on a desert safari on Mahindra Thar to camel rides and sightseeing, there are numerous things to do in Jaisalmer while staying at this resort. 

With the government looking forward to developing Rajasthan border tourism, Jaisalmer and its adjoining area may finally witness a significant growth in tourism that was long due. This can be the right time to visit Jaisalmer.