And it was all yellow...Rajasthan’s oasis of calm Three questions sprung to mind when arriving at Jaisalmer, a small desert city perched on the edge of the Thar desert in north-west India. 1. Is our hotel really inside the fort? 2. Where’s the traffic? 3. Why is everything so yellow? Inspired by tales from other travellers, Jaisalmer was a whimsical last-minute addition to our tour of north west Rajasthan. Arriving in the chilly early hours after a 12-hour bus ride from Udaipur, we knew we’d made the right decision. A huge fort towered over the city, it’s honey-coloured sandstone walls cloaking the surroundings in its warm hues. We already knew we’d want to stay a while. Majestic views Scrambling up to the fort gate, we headed to our guesthouse, Rumi’s homestay. The rooms were immaculately clean and lovingly decorated with local puppets and paintings. Like most guesthouses inside the fort, it offered a rooftop view over the city. A perfect spot for watching sunrise while sipping on a cup of chai. This was the first time on our trip across Rajasthan that we had been allowed to stay inside a fort. Other Rajput forts we’d visited were not habitable and were essentially museums celebrating past “pomp and ceremony” of the royal glory days. The atmosphere here inside Jaisalmer’s fort was the opposite: beyond the entrance area (where tuk tuk drivers frantically attempt to grab customers) there is a sleepy, community vibe interrupted by the occasional faint sound of chanting and clashing cymbals from nearby Jain temples. With several days to spare, we enjoyed lounging in some of the fort’s dozens of rooftop terraces, restaurants and cafés, planning our activities at a slow pace. Our first foray outside the fort walls was to Patwon ki Haveli, the largest of five havelis (small palaces) constructed in the 1800s by the trader, Patwa. Legend has it that while he earned some of his riches via the gold and silver thread business, he also earned his riches via his opium-smuggling side hustle. The haveli has beautifully intricate designs carved into its yellow sandstone. Its roof terraces also boast great views of the fort; this is one to prioritise, particularly at sunset. Breath of fresh air The noise and pollution of Rajasthan’s larger cities had left us yearning for an escape: Jaisalmer offered us much-needed respite. Large vehicles are restricted inside the fort which immediately results in a calmer atmosphere, where dogs, cows and pedestrians dominate. The city surrounding the fort has relatively less traffic than other cities in north India and is easy to navigate on foot - so you can breathe easy. An overnight or day trip into the desert offers a great escape from the city’s hustle and bustle altogether. Camel-riding over sand dunes, sampling local food including kher sangri (a curry consisting of hardy desert-dwelling berries) under clear, blue skies is a fantastic way to dial in to Jaisalmer’s slower pace of life. A briefer option is a short tuk tuk ride to Bada Bagh. Set back from the traffic, it offers a peaceful place to spend the late afternoon or to watch the sunset. The name, which literally means “big garden”, contains dozens of centotaphs (“chattris”) for the Marwar royalty dating back to the 1700s. Although the site is far less green than it once was, the chattris’ carefully crafted rooves and pillars are stunning and worth a trip, particularly at sunset. The unexpected Although no longer completely off the beaten track, Jaisalmer, in my view is one of the most chilled cities in Rajasthan (it even has a small shop selling “Bhang Lassi”, i.e. ground cannibis leaves mixed into a drink containing milk, yoghurt, sugar and spices). Tourism is a welcome income source for many local farmers in particular. Whilst lounging on one of Jaisalmer’s many rooftops, we experienced a locust swarm of Biblical proportions - an increasing threat to local farmers whose crops are wiped out by the insects. The swarm was unexpected and a reminder of how precarious life for some in the desert can be. Visiting the area and opting for local farmer guides or trekking options can provide the community with much-needed support.