Jaisalmer does not have one claim to fame, but several. You can experience a new story at every turn. The best desert camp in Jaisalmer can be the base from which you can try your hand at all sorts of experimental exploration. Admittedly, many before you have seen and assessed these sights. However, you will not see Jaisalmer through other peoples’ lenses. You will be witnessing the spectacles in and around the best luxury camp in Jaisalmer with your own eyes. And if you bring your camera along, you will be able to store memories for all time to come.
Put your own spin on the magical tale of Jaisalmer
You would not be the first and not the last. There would be many more, just like there was the maverick director Satyajit Ray, whose movie ‘Sonar Kella‘ made Jaisalmer Fort immensely popular among Bengalis. So much so, that huge waves of Bengali tourists descend on Jaisalmer each year, wishing to put their own spin on Satyajit Ray’s Jaisalmer.
Jaisalmer as such was physically only a few minutes in the movie, but the fact that the focus of the plot was on Jaisalmer Fort made the film an ambassador for Jaisalmer. In fact, it would not be far-fetched to claim that Jaisalmer was made famous among large swathes of populations, in far-fung places, through the movie ‘Sonar Kella‘.
It is a tale of buried treasure, and of what place else should a protagonist have visions of, but Jaisalmer Fort? The adolescent child actor who plays Mukul has visions of the Fort. Crooks gets a whiff of the possibility of buried treasure deep inside Rajasthan. Jaisalmer, to be exact.
The movie was released 50 years ago and is one of the best representations of modern cinema as it is made in India. The film introduced many, many Westerners to the glory of Jaisalmer.
As for the emotionally inclined Bengalis, they come in droves to see the exact locations in Jaisalmer where the movie was shot.
So, how about trying to find buried treasure in the neighborhood of Jaisalmer Fort? But of course, this is only symbolic.
Symbols of the Thar, each a gem
Camel Safari, Jaisalmer
There are scenes in the mentioned movie where crooks are chased on camelback. Imagine the thrill of people who had never beheld camels in their whole lives, to be witnessing an elaborate camelback chase! Indeed, we are 50 years removed from 1974, but the thrill of the movie is still palpable, wherever it is shown.
But we are not silver screen stars like the late and great Soumitra Chatterjee. We doubt if we could handle camels rushing pell-mell across the desert sand dunes. However, we definitely can start a conversation with camels, and climb onto them in the gentlest fashion for a slow and steady camel safari in Jaisalmer that could last 90 minutes. At the end, it’s sunset or sunrise. You choose.
Jeep Safari Jaisalmer
There are some who would prefer mechanized transport to transportation by camelback. There are 4×4 jeep safaris in Jaisalmer for you if you would like something smoother and more direct. The jeep’s tires plow deep through the sand. No wonder, what you do to Sam sand dunes or Khuri sand dunes, as passengers on such a safari, is called dune bashing.
Gadisar Lake
Now we are moving inside the town, where doubtless more of Sonar Kella would have been shot, if the plot had allowed it. But you can create your own magic. You can be the protagonist of a travelogue that’s all positive. There are no crooks behind you, as there were after Mukul and his private detective. You can enjoy pure positive thrill, rather than the adrenaline rush that comes from facing danger.
Not far from Jaisalmer Fort is Gadaisar Lake. For a city such as Jaisalmer, whose very name evokes exotic, exquisitely crafted havelis and undulating cascades of sand, a Lake seems incongruously impossible.
However, here we are in the middle of Jaisalmer. and entering Gadisar Lake. In winter, thanks to the closeness to the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, you will find migratory birds flocking around the lake. A right bird enthusiast’s paradise!
For more mundane pleasures, we have pedal boats to regale you with. That’s oodles of fun, too, if you are with the family and the kids have to be quietened down with instant thrills.
Jaisalmer Fort
Whether we mention the Fort or not, undeniably you would be hard-pressed to enjoy all that the city offers within 5 days. Even at the most cursory pace, we can at least make the most of a visit to the Laxminath temple and the seven Jain temples that are centuries old and still going strong (traditions still kept alive here, daily). The nearby hilltop gives you panoramic views of the region. On the other hand, it is quite a treat to see the Fort change its hues throughout the day.
Conclusion
Whether you are contemplative, spiritual-minded, or a loud, adventurous type, there’s something for you, assuredly, in the best desert camp in Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer awaits. There’s the experience of a new story at every turn in the city of the Golden Fortress. The movie Sonar Kella was shot on a shoestring with minimum equipment. Yet the magic of Jaisalmer, and its Fort, is shown in the plot-line. Voila! There was a story to cherish for decades to come. And imaginative new travelers too will keep coming to Jaisalmer to etch their stories on the shifting desert sands. Assuredly, these stories will remain fresh in your minds long after the trip is over.
