The Will And Whisper Of Jaisalmer

The Will And Whisper Of Jaisalmer

Having Arrived In Jaisalmer (Rajasthan Province In West India) some multiple hours ago, the approach to this famed city was intertwined with thoughts on duration of stay, the very place that is one notch better given the heritage status tray. Heritage status most opine was very much needed, coming as early as 1974 from the forecourt of the then Indira Gandhi Government, necessitated by a desire that this Province of India gets in lumpsum tourists thereby bringing sizeable innings. I having visited this centre way back in July 2014, hoping this current visit would have a flavour of its own as India can't raise a script of $ 500 billion purchase from a distant zone. Having arrived in Rajasthan Roadways AC Bus, there were two guys waiting to transport me to a hotel in Chainpura Street, not willing to accede to my request that I prefer to zero in on Oasis Haveli sister concern of SHAHI PALACE Hotel in Shiv Street where in the face of sand dunes in the '70s people did not forget the art to greet. I was made to settle for Hotel Camel Country which perhaps down the years in operation has not able to fix the riddle of parliament commentary.

Interactions Broad And Wide

The first gentleman I met next morning was Mr Hari Ballabh Purohit with his brothers in Gurgaon and Noida which are on outskirts of Delhi where traffic is neither neat nor tidy. The second gentleman to come across was Mr Ramlal who had brought a group from Bikaner (326 kms) and Bikaner from Jodhpur from where I came now is almost 250 kms. Meet sanitary worker Mr Kalu Ram Adiva from Pali. Meet Mr Hari Singh guide from Badoda Village in JSM. Meet Sanitation Head Mr Mahendra Kumar. Meet Mr Dhanraj Garg, Mr Saajan Ali. And not to forget Mr Durga Das born and brought up here. And the sum total of interactions was the season time lasts barely six months lending the inmates of the city reservoir of income that can see them through entire year with renewed gear. Water was an issue prior to '74 has been set to rest (Indira Gandhi Canal Coming Into Shape) though difference of opinion may emerge on the scale of preparedness for Jaisalmer Fort rote by rote. Jaisalmer has a population of 3 to 4 lakh including those residing in the Fort, and with sizeable restaurants and hotels in and around there are over and above 600 guides who desist to engage in sessions enlisting frown. With 300 guides armed with govt licence, the rest left out, there is a clarion call that they too be in this ORBIT.  

For Those Not Banking On Tourism

The Jaisalmer Fort is over 900 years old, having come up during King Jaisal's reign (1156), and it took roughly 350 years to raise the same. The Fort at present is tasked to handle a load of 5000 people (1200 registered voter families with each one having four members) residing inside, and with no gated colonies everything is transparent and nothing to hide. As for those not banking on tourism working around agricultural fields is the saving grace. For small and marginal farmers there is no rescue plan as to bring right quantum of water to the fields boring would seek Rs 10 lakh investment with clean hint. And here guide like Mr Chandraveer Singh chips in suggesting that govt come up with a plan which lends support to marginal farmers as well as ensures that men don't don dual role of guide and automan as it takes away the bread and butter of genuine guides who can revisit the tales of Fort to as well as followers of Tennis Icon Ivan.  All worries centre around diminishing employment numbers as restaurants like TRIO to Nachana Haveli (Saffron) can give returns on jobs too little, and they staying neutral.

As I met student Nepal studying in Kendriya Vidyalaya in Air Force Station, there are others enrolled in Mission School, all equipped with the fact that JSM in the past was known as Jharokho Ki Nagri (City Of Windows), and let the state of affairs be testament to the fact that visitors here come from as distant as Iran and Greece with trains running on tracks.

While taking a stroll there is Chhagan Dairy Farm in Gandhi Chowk offering peas, milk and cottage cheese. On the way there is Maulana Masjid. There is as well Lord Hanuman Temple in Mali Pada. There is abandoned STD ISD PCO booth. Well when it would become functional not known. And the road from here goes to Malkapur. 

YEDU KONDALWADA VENKATRAMNA GOVINDA GOVINDA