Khuri lies in the heart of the Great Indian Desert, 40 km (25 miles) south-west of Jaisalmer. It is the central village of about 100 smaller settlements ruled by the Rajpu Sodhas, a ‘fire’ caste who hail their origin from ...

Food is very cheap (you’ll rarely pay more than Rs25 for a meal) but rather dull. jaisalmeris are intractably vegetarian, the staple diet being boiled vegetables, fried moti, and green milos or wheat balls. And there’s a dearth of good ...

Gadisar Tank-Fort-Jain Temples-Salim Singh Haveli-Patwon k i Haven- Nathmal ki Haveli This tour is best done on foot, and in the cool of the morning. Set out around 7 am, taking a 15-minute stroll down Ashni Rd (from the fort ...

Jaisalmer, the ‘Oasis of Jessal’, was founded in 3356 by the Bhati prince, Jaisal, to (‘place the old capital of Lodawa, 37 km (33 miles) away, which had proved too ulnerable to attacks from neighbouring tribes. Perched on a high ...

This is a good day excursion, the ideal escape from the hot, dusty inner city. Kailana is a delightful picnic spot, with a small artificial lake and gardens. Situated 11 km (7 miles) west of Jodhpur (an hour by cycle), ...

Mandore-Mahamandir Temple for next day, take a 20-minute minibus ride (regular buses from the top of High Court R d, opposite the Hospital) to Mandore (10 km: 6 miles north), the old capital of macrw ar. Probably founded in the ...

Situated close to the edge of the Thar Desert, Jodhpur is the second city of Rajasthan. II was founded by Rao Jodha in 1459, following the capture of the nearby old capital of Mandate, home of the Rathore Rajputs since ...

Rambagh Palace’s dining hall, the Suvarna Mahal, is magnificent but the food unfortunately is the hotel’s weakest link. There’s a good-value fixed menu at both lunch and dinner (Rs150). In the evening, get your seat by 7.30 pm—that’s when the ...

Luxury/Expensive (US$50-150 plus per room night) Jaipur has a good range of clean, civilised places to stay at all levels. Far and away the best hotel is the Taj Group’s Rambagh Palace (tel 521241, tlx 0365-2254 and 2147, fax 0141-521098) ...

Jaipur is a shopper’s paradise, even for Indian people. They come here from all over the country, to buy tie-and-dye bandhini bed linen, handwoven blankets, dhurrie, mirror-inlaid bangles, enamelled and blue pottery, gold and silver jewellery. Most of these things ...