The beautiful rustic feel of the yellow sandstone, the far and widespread Thar Desert, the live and enticing live music, the nights that looks different under the sky and the people so gentle and humble. Jaisalmer, the beautiful city situated in the heart of Thar Desert is covered with a rich history and depicts the bygone era so beautifully that you are surely going to get engrossed in it. A popular destination for tourist, Jaisalmer is a beauty with many artistic structures and monuments.
The museums are the best way to explore the beauty of the past.
Desert Cultural Centre:
Jaisalmer is called as “the golden city” and is also a world heritage site. With its beautifully structured houses, royal palaces and the sand that is the fate of the city, you can’t miss to get into the royal history, the culture and the custom of this place which will take you down to the royal era when kings and queens dominated this place.
Address: Gadisar Rd, Amar Sagar Pol, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 345001
Hours: 6:30 – 7:00 pm, 7:30 – 8:00 pm
One such place to know the history of Jaisalmer without getting bored is the Desert Cultural Centre. It is an initiative by Mr.N.K.Sharma who has undertaken the job of preserving the rich culture and tradition of Rajasthan in the form of a museum, a very well learned man who is always enthusiastic to talk about the museum. The museum has objects from rural areas of Rajasthan and it tells you the history of the state and the rich culture that you can still find alive here. Get a glimpse of the textiles, sculptures, artefacts, utensils, weapons, jewellery, handicrafts, musical instruments and fossils. A special mention to the thing called “karal” – a traditional opium mixing box that is never a miss by any foreign tourist. The puppet show in the evening is an attraction among the visitors and shouldn’t be missed at any cost.
Jaisalmer Folklore Museum:
This museum is included in the desert cultural museum. It is a small museum where you can see camel decoration, printing blocks, artefacts, paintings, textiles, utensils and photographs. The place is rather not very well maintained and the paintings rather faded but still fascinating. Also, there is a small museum inside the Jaisalmer fort, which is a heritage centre also. Earlier it was the royal residence of the erstwhile kingdom where you can see the artwork, painting and the objects related to the royal family.
Address: Postal Colony, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 345001
The Thar Heritage Museum:
This museum is run by the local folklorist Mr.L.N.Khatri who is a history buff in himself. Here you can find so many interesting things- artefacts, turbans, photographs, coins, manuscripts, musical instruments, fossils and kitchen equipment to displays on birth, marriage, death and opium customs. He has collected the objects over the time that provides a brief look on the real life of Jaisalmer. The museum is small and simple with a huge collection that throws light on the bygone era. He is always available for a deep conversation on the exhibited things in the museum. The snake and ladder game will take you on the spiritual journey on the Hinduism. You can also go and buy some great stuff from Desert Handicraft Emporium owned by Mr. Khatri nearby.
Address: Near Bhatia News Agency | Gandhi Chowk, Jaisalmer 345001, India
Phone Number: 919414150762
Government Museum:
The museum was established in 1984. It is a small but has an intriguing display of the artefacts and rich heritage of the Thar Desert. The museum has been quite meticulously done with informative exhibits. Check out the collection of fossils (180 million years ago), ancient script, coins, religious sculptures, stone inscriptions, paintings, royal dresses, handicrafts, puppets and textiles. A must visit place for the history buffs.
Address: Police Line, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan 345001