Jaisalmer State

Jaisalmer State is the popular name of the kingdom established by Rawal Jaisal when he moved the capital of reminiscent of the Bhati dynasty from Ludarva to Jaisalmer because the old capital Ludarva was vulnerable. Jaisalmer continued to be ruled independently by the Bhati rajputs until 1818, when it signed treaty with the British Empire effectively making it a British Protectorate, a Princely State and enjoyed 15 gun salute.

History

Jaisalmer State was a princely state during the British Raj and was entitled to a 15 gun salute.

The Jaisalmer state had its foundations in the Deogarh state. The new capital of Jaisalmer was founded in 1156 and state took its name from the capital. It was subservient to the Mughals in the late 15th century and later the Marathas until it became a British protectorate.

Traditionally, in the middle ages the main source of income for the kingdom was levies on caravans, but the economy was heavily affected when Bombay emerged as a major port and sea trade replaced the traditional land routes. Maharawals Ranjit Singh and Bairi Sal Singh attempted to turn around the economic decline but the dramatic reduction in trade impoverished the kingdom. A severe drought and the resulting famine from 1895 to 1900, during the reign of Maharawal Salivahan Singh, only made matters worse by causing widespread loss of the livestock that the increasingly agriculturally based kingdom relied upon.

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer  pronunciation  (Rajasthani: जैसलमेर), 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.

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 one of the largest in the country. on the west & south-west by the Pakistani border,. The length of international border attached to Jaisalmer District is 471 km (293 mi).