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| BARMER
SIGHT SEEING |
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| Juna
Jain Tempe |
|  The
chief claim to fame of Juna is a Jain temple which
was built around the 12th or the 13th century.
This is ascertained from an inscription carved
on a stone pillar situated right adjacent to the
temple. On the hilltop nearby is an old fort which
encompasses an area of about 15 sq km. The fort
is surrounded by a series of hills, adjacent to
which lies a small lake.
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| The
Temple |
 it
dedicated to Lord Vishnu (the Preserver in the
holy trinity of Hindu gods), the temple houses
a mouldering image of a deity which looks as if
it might collapse any minute. At the gate is an
image of Garuda (an eagle which is Lord Vishnu’s
carrier). Other smaller temples in Khed are dedicated
to the other two gods making up the Hindu holy
trinity, Shiva the Destroyer and Brahma the Creator.
Also while in Khed,
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| Rani
Bhatiani Temple |
 Situated
on the Nakoda-Balotara road, Jasol was once ruled
by the Mallani clan of Rajputs, who held sway
over Barmer for a long time. Jasol was their capital,
and from the 12th century onwards to the 16th
century a number of exquisite Jain temples were
built in Jasol, most of which are in a state of
disrepair now. |
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| Khed
Ranchorrai Mandir |
|  A
few hundred years ago Khed was the capital of
the Rathores of western Rajasthan, whose influence
extended over the entire region. It was at the
beginning of the 13th century that the Rathore
king Rao Sihaji and his son Ashthanji conquered
Khed and the adjoining area of Meva.
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| Devka-Sun
Temple |
 About
12 km north of Shiv is a tiny hamlet by the name
of Devka. Established in the 12th or the 13th
century the major tourist spot in this little
village is the Vishnu Temple. Nearby lie two more
temples in a very dilapidated state. However,
still existing in these temples are beautifully
carved images of Lord Ganesh (the elephant god
and Shiva’s son) on stone. The Devka Sun
Temple is also worth paying a visit to. |
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| Siwana
Fort |
 The
fort was built by a famous Panwar ruler Raja Bhoj’s
son Veernarayan, who at one stage controlled much
of Barmer and had close ties with the Solanki
dynasty of Gujarat. If you turn the pages of history
you come across the time when Alauddin Khilji,
the Sultan of Delhi, besieged the fort in the
early 14th century and the people of Nakoda mounted
a heroic defence. To commemorate this ancient
event an annual fair called the Kalyan Singh Ka
Mela is still held within the precincts of the
fort in the month of Shravan (July-Aug).
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| Kiradu
Someshvara Temple |
 The
Kiradu temples are a group of five temples and
are considered very important from the archaeological
point of view. The largest and the most impressive
amongst them is the Someshvara Temple. Built in
the 11th century, the Someshvara temple is said
to be the best example of its kind today. Constructed
in honour of Lord Shiva (the Destroyer in the
holy trinity of Hindu gods), it has a rather stumpy
multi-turreted tower and beautiful sculptures
dedicated to the god.
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BARMER
FAIRS & FESTIVALS |
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| Kiradu
Someshvara Temple |
Tilwara Cattle Fair(March-April)
A major cattel fair lasting a fortnight held in
villages Tilwara. |
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| Nakoda
Parasvanath (Dec-jan) |
The festival held in Mevangar
village commemorating the birth anniversary of
Parasvanath. |
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| Veeratara
Mela |
Held at Veerattara (12km from
village Chouhatan) the fair venerates goddess
Vakaldevi and id thrice a year in the month of
Chaitra. Bhadrapada and Magha. |
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OTHER
USEFUL LINKS |
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Hotels in Barmer |
Tour Packages for Barmer |
