JAISALMER- THE DESERT EXPERIENCE

In my teenage, my science books were flooded with the topics like mirage, sand dunes, easterly winds, and like every other child, I just used to learn it thinking that at some point of my life I could feel the logic for real. No sooner than that, I've finished my school days, my college days, but the day did not come.Yearning a lot for that, once I thought that I could not end up my life the way it was taking me to, I decided to make my own plan. I ended up my thoughts just sitting on the desert sand dunes and childishly for me, its like a dream come true...!!

I planned for a royal heaven in Rajasthan and its a golden city "Jaisalmer" located just in the middle of desert, my wish came true or I may say that I had been grown older to grant its wings for an incredible and unforgettable experience in the dunes of Khuri desert. There are two desert sand  dunes that one can experience in Jaisalmer, one is in Sam sand Dunes(the most popular) or another in the isolated, uncrowded, untouched Khuri dunes. I chose the later one as I just wanted  an out of box experience in the desert.

Continued after my visit to Jaisalmer city:

The DESERT EXPERIENCE

It was late afternoon, but the sun was still shining high and it was really hot, I reached my camp (Gangaour Desert Resort) after enjoying views from my jeep ride for almost an hour, talking to my desert safari planner "Mr. Harmeet Singh" about the changes in weather, lakes and yes the small villages which passed on the way. Like we always used to think, Rajasthan is used to be troubled with water shortage. Indeed  it is, but the point till the government did not provide the facilities of tubewell. Each and every village in Jaisalmer is well equipped with its own well, a small lake and when these natural resources get exhausted, here comes the government provided tubewell to rescue, so no shortage but yes more resourceful savings..!! Talking about the electricity, the Indian Engineers are quite working high on that too, there's a proper usage of westerly winds to contribute to the electric power by windmills. So no fear of power and water in Rajasthan, go safe without a thought...!!

Lake in the middle of desert

The camp was just in the middle of desert, far from any life except some dunes and desert grass and yes of course, the pre fabricated swiss tents which was going to be my pleasing stay for the night. Dont worry, its not going to be the army base camp tent as of you are imagining, its a well furnished tent with a bed equipped with blanket, pillows, and yes a furnished washroom, the most important...!! So, I relaxed for a while there, welcomed with a drink. Quite after while, I was called for my Camel safari, exciting to sit on a "a 7 feet desert ship". Though thats not my first time to sit on a camel, but its quite ecstatic when it comes of doing a safari on desert. I got "Babloo", the 5 yrs old hat trick winner of camel race in well known Pushkar Mela, he dropped me to the sunset point of Khuri dunes, which is considered to be the largest dunes as Sam sand dunes are said to be exploited now(as I've told by localites on Khuri, didn't experience it myself).

wow..!! its gonna to be my first camel ride

Khuri dunes

It was placid out there, within my infinite reach my eyes reach only to dunes, the isolated desert and extremely intensified reddish orange glow of setting sun. All of these just made it so relaxing, watching the sun as an reddish orange ball dissolving or hiding itself in the dunes slowly n slowly, making the environment so serene and calm. Nothing could be more beautiful than watching the sun hiding amidst desert in front of your eyes. Its surreal..!! Clicking some pictures could not enrapture that beauty, it is engraved in my heart forever as somethings are just meant to be a part of memory.

Amazing view of sunset hiding in dunes

Suddenly, my reddish orange glow turned to dark indicating it was my time to go back to the camp, and my camels were brought again to take me back.  As I sat on its hump again, it started walking, I showed my curiosity to feel what rushing speed it can take and as soon as the thought stroked my mind, here I was offered for learning a camel race by my camel rider. Lovely it is, and quite oblivion, I took it with full gratitude. So here comes 14 yr old Pratap Singh (nephew of Harmeet), as my trainer for racing. We went again alone in the dunes, it was much more exciting than it could be before as now I was sitting on it like rider holding its lagaam in my hands, amazing it is, It raced though with a controlled speed for a dilettante rider like me that I could handle, we stayed on the dunes with a sparkling moon above my head. I came excitedly back to the camp when Harmeet approached me saying that I was quite a lucky girl. Not understanding what he meant to say, I simply ignored his words.

The atmosphere in the camp was really relishing, my fellows were gathered at a centre point to enjoy the folklore and drinks. It was quite dark there and the musicians, folk dancers all beating up high to stand on my feet and have some moves. It was awesome to listen their music on their indigenous instruments, their folk songs, performing Ghoomar (Rajasthani folk dance form) and the embellishing girls taking your heart away. Its the point where I first interacted with my fellow mates, the ones from, Gujarat, Hyderabad and Australia, all at one point. So, inspite of just an entertainment stage, its quite a cultural inheritance stage too, meet new people, share your views and enjoy with them, no one would make you feel that you were alone. How great is that...!! After enjoying folklore and drinks for almost upto two hrs, we were served with delicious Rajasthani dinner. All the time, Harmeet was  great host caring to the every attribute the tourist needs. 

After the dinner, I and Harmeet went for a chit chat interaction about the cultural attributes of Rajasthan, especially Jaisalmer. it was really exciting to share and listen views about the culture. Meanwhile, I got to know about the fact why I was considered to be lucky by him, when I straightly settled myself on the camel hump holding the saddle, with Harmeet on my back, and my camel racing like a tiger's speed. For once, I got to know that camel could rush to such a high speed, its racing high on the desert sand with my heart beating so high that it could be either do or die situation for me, with Harmeet at back to relax  and stick to camel's hump. But, it could be a high deal for the first time runners like me,  the point at which Harmeet slowed down the camel, I opened my eyes to witness the extreme beautiful view of desert, the one that I only imagined in my dreams was just in front of my eyes, the shining desert. With a full moon sparkling high above my head, the desert sand was shining like a queen, its like pearls sparkling all over and I was at the middle of this vast desert ocean. It was perfect for a romantic dream date, wish I would get there with my soulmate.....;) Though I did not that time but that is something I will strongly recommend for ideal romantic date, a scenario, I will never forget in my life forever. I was really fortunate to experience the spectacular beauty of desert with open eyes.

Coming back after Moonlight Camel Night Safari, I settled myself on the beds outside my tent, it was cold now, the chilling breeze was palpable. The open skies, the stars, the moon, It was the night I would never forget in my life. Amazing to watch the stars just above your head, walking on the cold sand, its an unending journey of worthwhile experiences. The desert is a place to sweat in noon and feel cold at night.

Perhaps, I was not able to feel the logic of mirage, but it is the experience when I felt that spectacular beauty of the desert which remained hidden for the full moon to show up. 

A special thanks to Harmeet for taking me there, yes, I can really say that now, I am a lucky child...!!

Information source Courtesy:

Mr. Harmeet Singh(Gangour Desert Resort Khuri)