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Jaisalmer has many many hotels for its small area and population, but heck, the city survives on heritage tourism. There are hotels right in the fort, inside the market, on the outskirts, towards deserts, on highway and one right inside a temple complex!

Mandir Palace / Mandir Mahal / Badal Mahal / Taajiya Mahal : ITC-Welcome Heritage property and one of the better addresses of Jaisalmer since it also happens to be the residence of the Royal Heir-apparent (Maharawal Brij Raj Singh).

We got this info after spending a day and a night there. Mandirpalace is also open to Day Visitors (Rs 20, I guess) to look around and see the temples and very elaborate, expansive and magnificent jaali work. The place is marketed and branded by ITC but is essentially run by King’s staff - polite, not necessarily sophisticated - pretty pleasant.

It is located at Hanuman Chauraha and you can’t miss the Taajiya Towers (also known by this name) or Mandir Palace. The story is that before migrating to Pakistan, some of the Muslim artisans built the tower like the structure for Taajiya processions, some sort of last offering, towards the royal lineage. There is a temple complex inside, and hence the name. It’s a heritage property so all rooms are different.
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The Pink City of Rajasthan has two kinds of keen visitors – a) foreign tourists and b) Indian women. That has been my judgement so far, when all the women I know love the city and want to go again and again, and their men have that look on their faces – you know, that says - what-is-there-in-jaipur-?-? and how-many-times-do-we-go-there-?-?-? !

Well, my dear men folk, for only women would have the answer to this : Jaipur is close-by, so no traveling-for-11-hours. Site-seeing is great and kinda mushy. Food is simply wonderful. And… ahem… there are too many shopping opportunities. And yes, Chokhi Dhani, ofcourse.

So we dumped all men around us (except for one – the driver!) and decided to go to Jaipur with only 2 agendas – shop till you drop and an evening at Chokhi Dhani. Though both had to be squeezed to a small capsule, because the youngest female of 2 years suddenly decided to not enjoy it. (more…)