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By Root 2073 0

which are peppered around the periphery or head straight for the pretty Jain temples, which lie west (just ask for directions) The best among these (Rishabnath and Sambhavnath) are open only to non-Jains after 11am. Entry is Rs 30 and you’ll pay Rs 50 to take a camera in, double that for video. No leather is allowed within the temple, and menstruating women are restricted from entering. Constructed between the 14th and 16th centuries, these temples are typical of Jain craftsmanship, with every wall and pillar as well as the ceiling covered with the most intricate relief carvings, and large statues representing the Jain tirthankaras, or “Enlightened Ones”—note that you cannot enter the caged sanctuaries in which these sculptures sit, or touch or photograph them. A small library has a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and miniature paintings. Take a breather at Toap Khana (Place of Cannon) for the views, then head north, turning right at some stage to find Laxminath Temple (again, just ask). Although the Jain temples are worth a visit to see the intricacy of the carvings, it is the Hindu temple that pulsates with energy, particularly if you get here when worshipers chant their bhajans, devotional songs (about 10:30am and at several other times during the day; check with your hotel). From here it’s a short walk back to the main courtyard.

(Note that cars are not allowed to drive up or down the fort, so you’ll need to use an auto-rickshaw or simply take the pleasant walk up its winding cobblestone streets.)

The Jaisalmer Havelis

Haveli refers to a traditional, ornate Rajasthani “mansion,” with one or more internal courtyards. Steps lead up to an ornate door through which you enter a central courtyard, around which the family apartments are arranged. The facades of the Jaisalmer havelis, built as elsewhere by the town’s wealthy merchants, are unsurpassed for the delicacy of their relief carvings, filigreed windows, and lacelike screens and jarokhas (small projecting balconies). A testament to the softness of the sandstone but even more to the skill of the silavats, Jaisalmer’s community of stonemasons, these beautiful facades, some of which date back more than 300 years, have been perfectly preserved, thanks largely to the hot, dry climate. You will find them dotted all over town, but the most impressive are Patwon ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli, and Nathmalji ki Haveli. Patwon ki Haveli (Rs 50) actually comprises five ornate houses built by the wealthy Patwon for his five sons between 1800 and 1860. The houses are connected from within (though some are privately owned and not open to the public) and have flat-topped roofs. Inside one of the houses is the Basant Art Emporium, where you can pick up truly exquisite handicrafts—but certainly not at bargain prices—collected by the owner from the desert tribes. Patwon ki Haveli is open daily between 10am and 5pm (8:30am–7pm in summer); admission is Rs 50 (cameras extra). South of this, near the fort entrance, is Salim Singh ki Haveli, built by a particularly mean-spirited and greedy prime minister who extorted the hell out of the Rajput’s kings’ subjects, and even squeezed the royal family by providing huge loans and then charging exorbitant interest rates. It was apparently once two stories higher, but legend has it that the Rajput king blew away the top floors in a fit of pique, and Salim Singh was later stabbed to death. It’s not necessary that you enter, and it’s not always open (though times advertised are 8am–6pm, up to 7pm in summer). You can’t enter Nathmalji ki Haveli, but it’s still worth swinging by to play “spot the difference” with the beautiful facade. The right and left wings look identical at first glance, but they were separately carved by two brothers—the numerous tiny differences can take hours to discover (this is where a guide comes in handy!). It’s on the road to Malka Pol (just ask for directions). Note that many of the havelis now house overpriced handicraft shops; you will have to bargain hard to get the prices down.

Buying a Sense of Place

The