Life in the Golden City

The vibrant Desert Festival takes place in the picturesque Sam Sand Dunes of the Thar Desert, about 42 km from Jaisalmer city.

Local camel owners offer visitors camel rides in the extensive rolling sands of the Sam Sand Dunes.

Getting ready for the camel race - one of the attractions of Desert Festival.

Winner of the race - Ismail with his 15 year-old camel, Hritik. A fourth time race winner, Hritik is named after a popular Hindi film star.

Stunt bike riding at the Desert Festival.

Mohan Singh, twelve-time winner of the longest moustache competition. In Rajasthan, the moustache is considered a symbol of manliness and family honour.

Local yellow sandstone is the predominant material used in Jaisalmer’s architecture.

The first rays of the sun give the town’s narrow streets a golden gleam.

Life in a residential area of Jaisalmer: townfolk and their animals relaxing in the stone street.

An elderly man enjoys the afternoon sun outside his house of yellow sandstone.

Women of the locality gathered for a community meeting.

While other folks may have gilt-edged wedding cards, residents of Jaisalmer have the unique practise of painting wedding announcements on their golden stone walls.

An essential element is the Hindu Lord Ganesha, whose blessings are considered auspicious, along with details such as the names of the bride and groom and the date of the ceremony.

The announcement is not removed but replaced by the next marriage announcement which occurs in the family.

A local mosque with an elaborately carved entrance. Jaisalmer’s architectural heritage is a common thread shared by its various communities.

Intricate fretwork adorns the Laxmi Nath Temple inside the Fort.

Tilon ka Pol, the gateway of Gadisar Lake.

In the foreground are traditional Rajasthani clothes with embroidery and mirror work. These are for the benefit of visitors who want to be photographed in local attire.

A living fort - the winding streets within contain habitations occupied for generations by local families.

It is a common scene to see people in traditional costume going about their daily business.

Roadside shops in the fort sell a variety of souvenirs for visitors: leather goods, wooden handicrafts, gems, decorative stone pieces and textiles.

Vendors with carts cater to the locals, selling anything from vegetables to plastic toys and earthenware pots.

The people of Jaisalmer live comfortably with their architectural heritage. Old, ornate carvings are a part of their lives and dwellings.

Here, women sit outside their family home. The detailed carving on the first floor is an example of fine workmanship from earlier times.

Much of the new construction carries forward the architectural tradition.

Carved verandas and doorways are a common element in many modern buildings such as this hotel in the centre of town.

Read more about Jaisalmer's stonecraft tradition here:

- Architectural Heritage of Jaisalmer
- Jaisalmer Stone: From Natural Rock to Handcrafted Homes and Products