Cuisines At Jaisalmer

The colourful land of Rajasthan also offers lots when it comes to cuisines and traditional food. As a vivid traveller you must try out various traditional Rajasthani dishes and food that are easily available in this beautiful desert city as well. The city of Jaisalmer has a rich cultural heritage, which is very well reflected in its rich cuisine. The western part of India has a distinct food culture of its own, which is so very different from the North Indian cuisines.
The murgh-e-subz succulent, boneless strips of chicken stir-fried with shredded vegetables, is one not to miss. Alternatively, you can try the ker sangri (desert beans and capers), which is unique to a region that is traditionally vegetarian in its outlook. If you have a hearty appetite, the tandoor thali tops: two chicken preparations (including the ubiquitous but delicious tikka), vegetable kebab, mint sauce, and naan. Sensitive stomachs can opt for the kadi pakora, flour dumplings cooked in yogurt sauce, or bhanon aloo, potatoes stuffed with mint paste and simmered in gravy. All of it washed down with the coldest beers and beverages available in the state.
Where to Eat in Jaisalmer:
'Trio' is one of the most famous restaurants serving authentic Rajasthani cusienes. This unassuming eatery, with its open walls and thin cotton flaps providing a welcome through-breeze (not to mention views of the town and the maharaja's palace) is Jaisalmer top restaurant and one of the best in Rajasthan. Witness the traditional Rajasthani reception. It's not just that the food is delicious, but the chef brings a few interesting variations to signature Rajasthani dishes- a welcome relief to someone who has exhausted the almost standardized North Indian menu. 'Chokhi Dhani' is another famous restaurant, which can be trusted. Though it is not as good as 'Trio' but you will get a long list of cuisines to select from, under one roof. Besides, all major High-end Hotels have their own inhouse Restaurants.
As far as fast food joints are concerned, Jaisalmer has lots of them. Famous Indian fast-food chain such as Nirula's has already made its presence felt in the city. Other major fast foods joints such as Pizza Hut, Pizza Corner and Mc. Donald's etc have also opened their outlets in the city.

Entertainment In Jaisalmer

Kalbeliya Dance

Ghoomar Dance

Puppet Show

Entertainment In Jaisalmer

Gair Dance

Puppetry Show

Jaisalmer has a lot of options for entertainment. Because of its rich composite culture it boasts of various songs and dances. If you are not a culture vulture then you can opt for modern centers of entertainment such as Cinema theatre and discotheques.
Music:

Rajasthani folk music has a long history. It is very soothing and earthy. Traditionally rulers had bards in their courts that sang tales of the heroic deeds of kings. Though the tradition is long dead nevertheless these ballads called "Rasos" can be heard even today. The legend of King Prithviraj Chauhan and his bard Chand Bardai who composed the Prithviraj Raso, a ballad, which details the brave deeds of Prithviiraj though exaggerated at times, is well known.
Dance:

Rajasthani folk dances are an eye-catching sight. People of Rajasthan must be given the credit to save their heritage for this long. Lissome women wearing colorful clothes decorated with mirrors and embroidery, balancing a column of brass pots on their heads, sway in time to the music of a traditional melody. During your stay, you will notice that, Rajasthan is a place where every thing is very earthy and close to the masses. That is why folk culture here is very flourishing. Some of the popular folk dances in Rajasthan, which are a great source of entertainment are Bhavai, Chari, Ghair, Ghoomar, Kacchi Ghodi where a dancer wears a costume resembling a horse, Kalbeliya, performed by the women of the snake charmer community and Teerahtali, where women perform with 13 cymbals tied to their limbs.
Puppetry:

Want to try something different, go for the Puppetry show one of the evenings. Puppetry is a traditional art form and source of entertainment in Rajasthan. Tales from the epics, folk tales and social commentary are conveyed through the medium of colorful puppets. The most famous among these is the depiction of Mahabharata, the grand epic.These little puppets are also popular souvenirs for tourists who visit Rajasthan on an Indian Holiday.
Cinema Theatres:

There are quite a few cinema theatres in Jaisalmer but none of them are up to the international standard. The acoustic are not up to the mark and projections, too are hazy. Stick to the inhouse facilities in the hotels.

Shopping In Jaisalmer

Your Jaisalmer trip would be incomplete if you don't buy some typical Jaisalmer goods as souvenirs for your near and dear ones. A number of traditional Rajasthani handicrafts are available in Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer is famous for embroidery, Rajasthani mirror work, rugs, blankets, antiques and old stonework. There are lots of shops but try to venture in government owned and operated ones. This will save you extra dollars that would have gone in the pockets of guides in the form of commission. If you want to buy fabrics such as Tie-dye and other fabrics, try the government operated Khadi Gramuddyog Bhavan.
Shop for exquisitely carved wooden boxes in tiny curio shops. Traditional rugs, hand woven blankets and shawls in typical Rajasthani color and weave are also available. Don't miss to buy souvenirs for your dear ones. In that case, Mirror work, embroiders article silver jewelry, Trickles and Curios are must buys of Jaisalmer. The shopping spots are within the fort and include Sadar Bazar, Sonaron ka Bass, Manak Chowk, Pansari bazar, Gandhi Darshan, Seema gram, Rajsthani Govt. shop and Khadi Gramuddyog Emporium.

Nightlife In Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer has little nightlife, but plenty to keep you occupied in the form of traditional dances, a desert light show and the like. Most hotels have some form of evening entertainment for their guests too, so you are unlikely to get bored. Nearly all of them organise cultural programs in the evening. All the major high-end hotels have their private discotheques and are opened till late hours of night.
Pubs and Bars in Jaisalmer:

All the major hotels have their private pub and offer a variety of liquor to choose from. You can find some of the finest French wines, both red and white, in the premiere ones. Most of the pubs are opened till the late hours.

Communication In Jaisalmer

General transportations in Jaisalmer are Auto rickshaw and bicycles as these are a good way to get around. Auto rickshaw is a cheap mode of transportation but drivers might not be friendly all the times. You need to take rickshaw when you take congested roads in order to avoid bottlenecks.
Cabs are also available both government and private operated. If you have some extra dollars left you can opt for Cabs that are costly to hire and a lot of dickering takes place with the cab drivers. If you are low on cash then opt for City tour and site seeing buses, which are downright cheap.
Telephones:

Jaisalmer is well connected to the places in India and the world through its network of STD and ISD calling services. The charges are as per the government norms and networks are generally congestion free. Cellular services too are available in Jaisalmer with at least 4 to 5 players in the market including the government owned and operated BSNL service.
Internet:

Jaisalmer has good Internet facility with private cyber cafés all around the city. Nearly all high-end hotels provide Internet facilities in the room itself. It has both dial up as well as broadband Internet facility with the fastest one going as high as 10 mbps.
Newspapers and Magazines:

All the major newspapers and magazines published in India are available in Jaisalmer. Most of these are vernacular but a number of them are in English too. Newspapers in other language such as Hebrew, Spanish as well as French can be made available on request, in high-end hotels.