Jaisalmer - Wikipedia Jaisalmer This article is about the municipality in Rajasthan, India. For its namesake district, see Jaisalmer district. For the historical region and state, see Jaisalmer state. Jaisalmer city View of the Jaisalmer Fort in the evening. Nickname ( s ) : Golden city Jaisalmer Jaisalmer Show map of Rajasthan Show map of India Show all Location in Rajasthan, India Coordinates : 26 ° 54 ′ 47 '' N 70 ° 54 ′ 54 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 26.913 ° N 70.915 ° E ﻿ / 26.913 ; 70.915 Coordinates : 26 ° 54 ′ 47 '' N 70 ° 54 ′ 54 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 26.913 ° N 70.915 ° E ﻿ / 26.913 ; 70.915 Country India State Rajasthan District Jaisalmer Founded by Rawal Jaisal Government Jila pramukh Anjna Meghwal M.L.A. Mr. Chotu Singh Bhati Area Total 5.1 km ( 2.0 sq mi ) Elevation 225 m ( 738 ft ) Population ( 2011 ) Total 65,471 Density 13,000 / km ( 33,000 / sq mi ) Languages Official Hindi and Rajasthani Time zone IST ( UTC + 5 : 30 ) PIN 345 00x Telephone code 02992 ISO 3166 code RJ - IN Vehicle registration RJ 15 Website jaisalmer.rajasthan.gov.in Religions in Jaisalmer Religion Percent Hindus 89.93 % Muslims 08.20 % Jaisalmer UNESCO World Heritage Site Official name Hill Forts of Rajasthan Location Jaisalmer district, India Coordinates 26 ° 55 ′ N 70 ° 55 ′ E ﻿ / ﻿ 26.92 ° N 70.92 ° E ﻿ / 26.92 ; 70.92 Area 5.1 km ( 55,000,000 sq ft ) Criteria Cultural : ii, iii Reference 247 Inscription 2013 ( 36th Session ) Website jaisalmer.rajasthan.gov.in Location of Jaisalmer ( edit on Wikidata ) Jaisalmer pronunciation ( help info ), nicknamed `` The Golden city '', is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan, located 575 kilometres ( 357 mi ) west of the state capital Jaipur. Once known as Jaisalmer state it is a World Heritage Site. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples are finely sculptured. It lies in the heart of the Thar Desert ( the Great Indian Desert ) and has a population of about 78,000. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District. Contents 1 Origin of name 2 Location 3 Geography and climate 4 Economy 5 Event Destination 6 Transport 7 Visitor attractions 7.1 Jaisalmer Fort 7.2 Jain heritage of Jaisalmer 7.3 Museums 7.4 Other 7.5 In neighbourhood 7.6 Desert festival 8 See also 9 Cultural references 10 Further reading 11 References 12 External links Origin of name Jaisalmer is named after Maharawal Jaisal Singh, a Rajput king who founded the city in 1156 AD. `` Jaisalmer '' means `` the Hill Fort of Jaisal ''. Jaisalmer is sometimes called the `` Golden City of India '' because the yellow sand and the yellow sandstone used in every architecture of the city gives a yellowish - golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area. Location It is the largest district of Rajasthan and 3rd largest district by territorial region in the country, hugged on the west & south - west by the Pakistani border. The length of the international border attached to Jaisalmer District is 471 km ( 293 mi ). Geography and climate Sand dunes near Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer, being an arid desert region, is prone to extremes in terms of temperature. The temperature varies greatly from day to night in both summer and winter. The maximum summer temperature is around 49 ° C ( 120 ° F ) while the minimum is 25 ° C ( 77 ° F ). The maximum winter temperature is usually around 23.6 ° C ( 74.5 ° F ) and the minimum is 5 ° C ( 41 ° F ). The average rainfall is 209.5 millimetres ( 8.25 in ). Highest ever recorded temperature was 50.0 ° C ( 122.0 ° F ) ; the lowest ever recorded temperature being − 5.9 ° C ( 21.4 ° F ). Temperatures of up to 52.4 ° C ( 126.3 ° F ) have been recorded near the international border close to Pakistan, but standard conditions of this temperature recording remain unverified. Water is scarce, and generally brackish ; the average depth of the wells is said to be about 250 feet ( 76 m ). There are no perennial streams, and only one small river, the Kakni, which, after flowing a distance of 48 kilometres ( 30 mi ), spreads over a large surface of flat ground, and forms Lake Orjhil ( `` The Bhuj - Jhil '' ). The climate is dry. Throughout Jaisalmer only raincrops, such as bajra, jawar, motif, til, etc., are grown ; spring crops of wheat, barley, etc., are very rare. Economy Bada Bagh and windmill farms of Jaisalmer Tourism is a major industry in Jaisalmer. The Government of India initiated departmental exploration for oil in 1955 -- 56 in the Jaisalmer area. Oil India Limited discovered natural gas in 1988 in the Jaisalmer basin. Musicians and dancers are also a major cultural export from Jaisalmer to the rest of the world. Merasi ( formerly Manganiyar, a derogatory term meaning `` beggar '' ) musicians have played the world over, and Queen Harish, the dancing desert drag queen, is touring the world and has featured in international movies. Jaisalmer is also known for its leather messenger bags, made from wild camels native to the area. Event destination Jaisalmer is one of the most preferred event organizing destinations in Rajasthan. Roadies ( India 's T.V. show ), Balika Vadhu, Maharana Pratap, and several movies were shot in various locations and famous fort structured hotels of Jaisalmer. Transport Jaisalmer is connected to the rest of Rajasthan by buses provided by Rajasthan State Transport Corporation as well as other private bus operators. The airport is currently inactive. Jaisalmer railway station runs daily trains between Jaisalmer and Jaipur, through which it is connected to Delhi and other cities all over India. This station comes under NWR zone and JU division. Additionally, there exists a luxury tourist train known as Palace On Wheels, which covers the major tourist destinations of Rajasthan, including Jaisalmer. The main occupation of people of Jaisalmer is farming. Many people also work as drivers and cab owners who provide transportation to tourists. Visitor attractions Jaisalmer fort Main article : Jaisalmer Fort Sign in Jaisalmer Fort in Rajasthan The Jaisalmer fort in Rajasthan. Built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Jaisal, Jaisalmer Fort, situated on Meru Hill and named as Trikoot Garh has been the scene of many battles. Its massive sandstone walls are a tawny lion colour during the day, turning to a magical honey - gold as the sun sets. The famous Indian film director Satyajit Ray wrote a detective novel and later turned it into a film − Sonar Kella ( The Golden Fortress ) which was based on this fort. This is a living fort and about a quarter of city 's population still live inside the fort. The main attractions inside the fort are : Raj Mahal ( Royal palace ), Jain temples and the Laxminath temple. Jain Heritage of Jaisalmer Jaisalmer has been enriched by its Jain community, which has adorned the city with beautiful temples, notably the temples dedicated to the 16th Tirthankara, Shantinath, and 23rd Tirthankara, Parshvanath. There are seven Jain temples in total which are situated within the Jaisalmer fort built during 12th and 15th centuries. Among these temples, the biggest is the Paraswanath Temple ; the others are Chandraprabhu temple, Rishabdev temple, Shitalnath Temple, Kunthunath Temple, and Shantinath Temple. Known for their exquisite work of art and architecture that was predominant in the medieval era the temples are built out of yellow sandstone and have intricate engravings on them. Jaisalmer boasts some of the oldest libraries of India which contain rarest of the manuscripts and artefacts of Jain tradition. There are many pilgrimage centres around Jaisalmer such as Lodhruva ( Lodarva ), Amarsagar, Brahmsar and Pokharan. Lodhruva Jain Temple Chandraprabhu Jain Temple inside the Jaisalmer fort Chandraprabhu idol inside Chandraprabhu Jain Temple of Jaisalmer fort Jain Temple inside the Jaisalmer fort Parshvantha, Lodhruva Jain Temple Shantinatha, Lodhruva Jain Temple Ceiling of Jain temple inside the Jaisalmer fort Carving on wall of Jain Temple, Jaisalmer Fort Museums Jaisalmer War Museum Desert Culture Centre & Museum Jaisalmer Folklore Museum. Government Museum Jaisalmer Fort Palace Museum Jaisalmer War Museum Akal Fossil Park Museums Cactus Park Museum, Kuldhara Other Gadsisar Lake Ramdevra a village in Jaisalmer is named after Baba Ramdevji, a Tanwar Rajput and a saint who took Samādhi in 1384 CE, at the age of 33 years. He is worshiped today by many social groups of India as Ishta - deva. Gadsisar lake, Jaisalmer Gadsisar Lake -- Excavated in 1367 by Rawal Gadsi Singh, it is a scenic rainwater lake surrounded by the small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar. Earlier, this lake was used to be the main water source of Jaisalmer. Due to an increased water demand for agriculture, the lake is increasingly threatened to dry out. In neighbourhood Ganga Sagar Bada Bagh, a complex with chhatris of Jai Singh II ( d. 1743 ) and subsequent Maharajas of Jaisalmer Lodhruva Desert National Park Bhaniyana Lanela Remains of houses in Kuldhara -- The deserted village of Rajasthan Desert festival Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is the most awaited and famous cultural and colorful events that dominates the sand of Rajasthan and Camel races, turban tying competitions are organized. It is held in the month of February every year in Rajasthan. The desert festival in Jaisalmer is showcase Rajasthani folk songs and dance so it is very attracted festival for foreign tourists. The rich culture of the region is on display during this three day long festival. This is the best time to visit Jaisalmer to witness performing arts like Kalbelia dances and folk songs and music. A person will never forget the famous Gair and Fire dancers which are the major attraction of the Jaisalmer desert festival celebrations. Interesting contests including a Mr. Desert contest and a turban tying competition enhance the fun of the occasion. See also Paramara Dalvi - Deshmukh of Nasik originating from Jaisalmer Indira Gandhi Canal Pokhran Baba Ramdevji Tanot Mata Cultural references Sonar Kella ( 1974 ) ( Golden Fortress ) Satyajit Ray 's Bengali film, based on his eponymous novel featuring his creation, the detective Feluda, was based in Jaisalmer and surrounding areas. Soul of jaisalmer ( Hindi non feature film 2016 ) ( Universal certificate ) Directed by Abenezer Inder. This film is based on traditional water step well of Jaisalmer and was filmed in Gadsisar, Amar Sagar, Bada Bagh and many more far location of Jaisalmer. full shot of documentary film soul of jaisalmer ( 2016 ) shot of documentary film soul of jaisalmer ( 2016 ) Further reading Bhati, Hari Singh. 2002. ANNALS OF JAISALMER : A Pre-Mediaeval History. Kavi Prakashan, Bikaner. Gahlot, Sukhvirsingh. 1992. RAJASTHAN : Historical & Cultural. J.S. Gahlot Research Institute, Jodhpur. Somani, Ram Vallabh. 1993. History of Rajasthan. Jain Pustak Mandir, Jaipur. Tod, James & Crooke, William. 1829. Annals & Antiquities of Rajasthan or the Central and Western Rajput States of India. 3 Vols. Reprint : Low Price Publications, Delhi. 1990. ISBN 81 - 85395 - 68 - 3 ( set of 3 vols. ) References Jump up ^ Balfour, Edward ( 1885 ). The encyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia :. Original from Oxford University : B. Quaritch. p. 406. Jump up ^ `` India Meteorological Department -- Weather Information for Jaisalmer ''. Retrieved 12 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Border areas in Jaisalmer boil at 50 ° C, no respite in city ''. Times of India. 2010 - 05 - 27. Jump up ^ http://www.imd.gov.in/section/climate/jaisalmer2.htm Jump up ^ Singh, Anuradha ( 2016 - 05 - 02 ). `` Blistering Heat Wave Continues Across India ; Jaisalmer Swelters At 52.4 Degrees ''. Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 05. Jump up ^ http://planningcommission.nic.in/plans/planrel/fiveyr/2nd/2planch18.html Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Archived 30 June 2006 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ http://www.caravanmagazine.in/reportage/desert-drummers, Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, `` Desert Drummers '', Caravanmagazine.in, 1 August 2013 Jump up ^ Sandip Roy, Special to The Chronicle ( 2008 - 07 - 05 ). `` Queen HARIS H ''. Queen-harish.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2012 - 08 - 19. Jump up ^ goldencastleevents.com Jump up ^ Jaisalmer, Rajasthan by Do n't Complain Travel Jump up ^ `` Sonar Qila ''. Financial Express. 9 January 2004. Jump up ^ Jaisalmer Photos Jump up ^ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACensor_certificate_of_film_soul_of_jaisalmer_(2016).jpg External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer travel guide from Wikivoyage Cities and towns in Jaisalmer district Jaisalmer Jaisalmer Pokhran Cities and towns in other districts Ajmer Alwar Banswara Baran Barmer Bharatpur Bhilwara Bikaner Bundi Chittorgarh Churu Dausa Dholpur Dungarpur Hanumangarh Jaipur Jalore Jhalawar Jhunjhunu Jodhpur Karauli Kota Nagaur Pali Pratapgarh Rajsamand Sawai Madhopur Sikar Sirohi Sri Ganganagar Tonk Udaipur State of Rajasthan Capital : Jaipur Outline Geography Climate Economy History Politics Government Tourism Language Rivers Highest point Films Institutions of Higher Education Municipalities Chief Secretaries Chief Justices of Rajasthan High Court Governance Governors Chief Ministers Speaker Legislative Assembly Political parties Constituencies of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly Raj Bhavan High Court Police Divisions and Districts Ajmer Division Ajmer district Bhilwara district Nagaur district Tonk district Bharatpur Division Bharatpur district Dholpur district Karauli district Sawai Madhopur district Bikaner Division Bikaner district Churu district Sri Ganganagar district Hanumangarh district Jaipur Division Alwar district Dausa district Jaipur district Jhunjhunu district Sikar district Jodhpur Division Barmer district Jaisalmer district Jalor district Jodhpur district Pali district Sirohi district Kota Division Baran district Bundi district Jhalawar district Kota district Udaipur Division Banswara district Chittorgarh district Dungarpur district Pratapgarh district Rajsamand district Udaipur district Major cities Jaipur ( capital ) Alwar Ajmer Bikaner Jodhpur Kota Udaipur Related templates Forts in Rajasthan Hydrography of Rajathan Power stations and power organisations Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jaisalmer&oldid=804811185 '' Categories : Jaisalmer Former capital cities in India Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use Indian English from October 2013 All Wikipedia articles written in Indian English Use dmy dates from October 2013 Coordinates on Wikidata Articles using Infobox World Heritage Site using locally defined parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Languages বাংলা Беларуская Català Cebuano Čeština Dansk Deutsch Ελληνικά Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français ગુજરાતી 한국어 हिन्दी বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী Italiano Kapampangan Magyar Malagasy മലയാളം मराठी მარგალური Bahasa Melayu Nederlands नेपाली नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Norsk ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ پنجابی Polski Português Română Русский संस्कृतम् Simple English Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Svenska தமிழ் اردو Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 11 October 2017, at 08 : 56. 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Question: which district of rajasthan has been nicknamed the golden city
Answer: Jaisalmer