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DAY 4
JAISALMER - BIKANER - Shri Dungargadh
Today was the day to discover the beautiful Jaisalmer havelis and enjoy the ancient architectural brilliance. Different patterns carved and pierced incredibly into sandstone,
I enquired with the locals about the Haveli's and everyone turned up with the same answer "Only Patwon ki Haveli is worth visiting..Other Haveli's have been converted to private hotels or they are not properly maintained".
So I started for Patwon ki Haveli...after little bit of enquiry and struggle I found myself running in narrow street lanes...and then stone pathways and there I was at the Patwon ki Haveli.
These Havelis belongs to the Wealthy Jain merchants of that time. There was a nominal entry fee of 10 rs for PATWON ki haveli
Patwon ki Haveli - Patwon ki Haveli is the largest haveli in Jaisalmer. This is five-storied building and it was built by Guman Chand Patwa and his five sons whose gold and silver embroiding business was stretch between Afghanistan and China. Wow man !!...they must have been super rich
View of the city and fort from the top of the Haveli
The carvings on stone are just too beautiful...out of the world.
Nathmal Ki Haveli - Didn't went inside to check out the Haveli.Just had an look from outside.
After the Haveli tour..I went back to the hotel packed my stuff and started for Bikaner.Route till phalodi I already knew. Traffic was very low for the entire route. On my way to Bikaner found some interesting village names like 'MAA'..'CHACHA'..'BAAP'..lol..I stopped at 'BAAP' to know the story..that how this village got named as 'BAAP'.I asked few locals and the chai tapri wala.But no story
So disappointed me moved ahead, and yeah I was also running low on fuel. for 100 kms there was no fuel bunk in that area.Damn !!..Just when fuel was about to end,,i found one fuel station.Sounds filmy...but true
Tanked up and started for Bikaner,Reached Bikaner around 3-4 Pm.Visted Junagarh Fort,Lalgarh Fort and Deshnok Temple which is situated 30Km south from Bikaner along the Jodhpur road.
After reaching Bikaner,i directly went to the Junagarh fort.Nominal entry fee of 25-30 rs,One good thing about this fort was the guide fee was included in the entry ticket.So the lot to move ahead with a guide,there should be atleast 20-25 peoples.
This fort was build by Raja Rai singh...One of the Akbar's most trusted generals.
This fort is unconquered till date.Though Kamaran[Second son of the Mughal Emperor Babur] captured this fort once,but then he was unable to retain his victory for more than 24 Hours..
Fort is constructed from Red sandstone Marvels,main attraction of this fort are its 37 palaces ,temples and pavilions.Many palaces are adorned with glasses and mirror,some palaces has carved marble panels - beautiful paintings. All in all, different-different kind of artwork can be seen in these palaces.
Main Courtyard
Anup Mahal
Museum
Lalgarh Palace
Another architectural masterwork constructed of red sandstone. This palace was built by Maharaja Ganaga Singh, there is a saying about maharaja Ganga singh in Bikaner.
Janma Varsha Utsaah Ko....Kaiso Shubh Din Aaj.
Jugg Jugg Jiyo Jagat Me...Ganga Singh Maharaj.
Well said
Lalgarh palace is a private hotel now, so enjoyed the outer beauty and headed for Deshnok temple.
Reached the temple around 5:30 pm
Deshnok temple - Karni Mata
After visiting the fascinating Karni mata temple,i took an interior route to reach the Bikaner - Jaipur highway. As I did not wanted to go back on the same road to Bikaner and then take the Jaipur highway. So I explored the interiors trusting on the Eicher Map. And yes, I found pretty good roads and soon I was at the Bikaner - Jaipur highway.
Today was a long day, soon it became dark. I was very tired so stopped at a place named Shri Dungargadh for the night stay. Luckily got a hotel on the highway for 300 rs per night.
Had my dinner and crashed to bed.
Cheers
Biru
JAISALMER - BIKANER - Shri Dungargadh
Today was the day to discover the beautiful Jaisalmer havelis and enjoy the ancient architectural brilliance. Different patterns carved and pierced incredibly into sandstone,
I enquired with the locals about the Haveli's and everyone turned up with the same answer "Only Patwon ki Haveli is worth visiting..Other Haveli's have been converted to private hotels or they are not properly maintained".
So I started for Patwon ki Haveli...after little bit of enquiry and struggle I found myself running in narrow street lanes...and then stone pathways and there I was at the Patwon ki Haveli.
These Havelis belongs to the Wealthy Jain merchants of that time. There was a nominal entry fee of 10 rs for PATWON ki haveli
Patwon ki Haveli - Patwon ki Haveli is the largest haveli in Jaisalmer. This is five-storied building and it was built by Guman Chand Patwa and his five sons whose gold and silver embroiding business was stretch between Afghanistan and China. Wow man !!...they must have been super rich
View of the city and fort from the top of the Haveli
The carvings on stone are just too beautiful...out of the world.
Nathmal Ki Haveli - Didn't went inside to check out the Haveli.Just had an look from outside.
After the Haveli tour..I went back to the hotel packed my stuff and started for Bikaner.Route till phalodi I already knew. Traffic was very low for the entire route. On my way to Bikaner found some interesting village names like 'MAA'..'CHACHA'..'BAAP'..lol..I stopped at 'BAAP' to know the story..that how this village got named as 'BAAP'.I asked few locals and the chai tapri wala.But no story
So disappointed me moved ahead, and yeah I was also running low on fuel. for 100 kms there was no fuel bunk in that area.Damn !!..Just when fuel was about to end,,i found one fuel station.Sounds filmy...but true
Tanked up and started for Bikaner,Reached Bikaner around 3-4 Pm.Visted Junagarh Fort,Lalgarh Fort and Deshnok Temple which is situated 30Km south from Bikaner along the Jodhpur road.
After reaching Bikaner,i directly went to the Junagarh fort.Nominal entry fee of 25-30 rs,One good thing about this fort was the guide fee was included in the entry ticket.So the lot to move ahead with a guide,there should be atleast 20-25 peoples.
This fort was build by Raja Rai singh...One of the Akbar's most trusted generals.
This fort is unconquered till date.Though Kamaran[Second son of the Mughal Emperor Babur] captured this fort once,but then he was unable to retain his victory for more than 24 Hours..
Fort is constructed from Red sandstone Marvels,main attraction of this fort are its 37 palaces ,temples and pavilions.Many palaces are adorned with glasses and mirror,some palaces has carved marble panels - beautiful paintings. All in all, different-different kind of artwork can be seen in these palaces.
Main Courtyard
Anup Mahal
Museum
Lalgarh Palace
Another architectural masterwork constructed of red sandstone. This palace was built by Maharaja Ganaga Singh, there is a saying about maharaja Ganga singh in Bikaner.
Janma Varsha Utsaah Ko....Kaiso Shubh Din Aaj.
Jugg Jugg Jiyo Jagat Me...Ganga Singh Maharaj.
Well said
Lalgarh palace is a private hotel now, so enjoyed the outer beauty and headed for Deshnok temple.
Reached the temple around 5:30 pm
Deshnok temple - Karni Mata
Some info from wiki -
In this temple holy rodents are considered to be incarnations of the storytellers, and run riot over the temple complex.
Karni Mata lived in the 14th century and performed many miracles during her life-time. When her youngest son, Lakhan, drowned, Karni Mata ordered Yama, the god of Death, to bring him back to life. Yama replied that he was unable to do this, but that Karni Mata, is an incarnation of Durga, could restore Lakhan's life. This she did, and decreed that members of her family would no longer die, but would be incarnated as kabas (rats), and these kabas would returns as members of her family. There are around 600 families in Deshnok who claim both decent from Karni Mata and that they will be reincarnated as kabas.
The temple is an important place of pilgrimage, with pilgrims being disgorged every few minutes from buses. Before the temple, is a beautiful marble facade with solid silver doors donated by Maharaja Gaj Singh. Across the doorway to the inner sanctum are the repousse (raised relief) silver doors - one panel shows the goddess with her holy charges at her feet. An image of goddess is enshrined in the sanctum. There are special holes around the temple courtyard to fascinate the rats' movements, and a wire grille has been placed over the courtyard to prevent the birds of prey and other predators consuming the holy rodents.
It is considered quite auspicious to have a kaba run across your feet. White kabas are quite rare, albeit there are one or two at the temple and sightseeing one augurs well for your spiritual progress.
In this temple holy rodents are considered to be incarnations of the storytellers, and run riot over the temple complex.
Karni Mata lived in the 14th century and performed many miracles during her life-time. When her youngest son, Lakhan, drowned, Karni Mata ordered Yama, the god of Death, to bring him back to life. Yama replied that he was unable to do this, but that Karni Mata, is an incarnation of Durga, could restore Lakhan's life. This she did, and decreed that members of her family would no longer die, but would be incarnated as kabas (rats), and these kabas would returns as members of her family. There are around 600 families in Deshnok who claim both decent from Karni Mata and that they will be reincarnated as kabas.
The temple is an important place of pilgrimage, with pilgrims being disgorged every few minutes from buses. Before the temple, is a beautiful marble facade with solid silver doors donated by Maharaja Gaj Singh. Across the doorway to the inner sanctum are the repousse (raised relief) silver doors - one panel shows the goddess with her holy charges at her feet. An image of goddess is enshrined in the sanctum. There are special holes around the temple courtyard to fascinate the rats' movements, and a wire grille has been placed over the courtyard to prevent the birds of prey and other predators consuming the holy rodents.
It is considered quite auspicious to have a kaba run across your feet. White kabas are quite rare, albeit there are one or two at the temple and sightseeing one augurs well for your spiritual progress.
After visiting the fascinating Karni mata temple,i took an interior route to reach the Bikaner - Jaipur highway. As I did not wanted to go back on the same road to Bikaner and then take the Jaipur highway. So I explored the interiors trusting on the Eicher Map. And yes, I found pretty good roads and soon I was at the Bikaner - Jaipur highway.
Today was a long day, soon it became dark. I was very tired so stopped at a place named Shri Dungargadh for the night stay. Luckily got a hotel on the highway for 300 rs per night.
Had my dinner and crashed to bed.
Cheers
Biru
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