Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer, The Golden City Is Known For Its Forts, Havelis, Desert Festival, Desert National Park, And It's Sand Dunes! Jaisalmer Is A Favorite Of Haunt Of Celebrities, Including The Hollywood Royalty.
 Famous for the Yellow Sandstone, Jaisalmer is called the Golden City, after the 12th Century Fort and numerous Havelis constructed with this stone.
Founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD, Jaisalmer in the medieval times was an important part of a trade route connecting India to Egypt, Arabia, Persia, Africa and the West. The Havelis were constructed by the prosperous merchants of those times. The magnificent fort, a poem in yellow sandstone, seems to rise out of the sand haze and is aptly called the Sonar Kila (the Golden Fort) by the locals. This fort is special because it is a living, bustling place, with most of the town housed within its ramparts. The fort was attacked by Ala-ud-din Khilji, the Emperor of Delhi in the 13th century and besieged for nine years, in his effort to take back the treasure. When the fall of the fort was imminent, the women of the fort committed Jauhar, an act of mass self-immolation, while men donned saffron robes and rode to the battle to face certain death. It is this history that attracts tourists to Jaisalmer, apart from the Arabian Nights like beauty of its architecture, noticeable for intricately carved Jharokas, the sea of sand dunes, thrilling camel safaris, Jeep night safari and its Desert Festival when the sands come alive with a riot of colours, performing arts, folk music and Rajasthani folk culture. Jaisalmer was untouched by external influences for a long time, due to its remoteness. It escaped direct conquest by the Mughals and was the last to sign the Instrument of Agreement with the British. Having been largely unaffected by outside influences, the princely culture of Jaisalmer charms the travelers. | 
