February 20, 2018. Jaisalmer Fort is a fortified city built on top of a desert outcrop in the middle of the vast Thar in northern India. Established in 1156 by the Rajput ruler Jaisal (hence, the name ‘Jaisalmer’), it continues to be inhabited by residents, which makes it one of the world’s remaining “living forts”.
Walking along the alleys in Jaisalmer Fort, I notice the color of almost all buildings is almost the same as the sands and stones of the desert. So when you look at the town from afar it literally looks like the town rose from the ground up. Jaisalmer is sometimes referred to as the golden city. Not difficult to see why, seen from the fort.
Inside Jaisalmer Fort is a living community of artisans and desert city residents. Its maze of winding alleys lined with almost-uniform rows of yellow sandstone-built shops, homes and havelis make you feel like you have been transported back to a medieval desert town. Or frankly, it just felt like Agrabah (of Aladdin fame) to me.
