Rajasthan holds deep history and cultural roots to itself and it is always exciting to visit such a location. With palaces, forts, temples you will find so much to explore in Rajasthan. Furthermore all these locations also reflect the culture and the heritage of the land. But mostly the palaces and forts depict the stories of one section of the society, the Royals. Royal life is always different from regular lives of the people of the same land. And in that case you need to visit the villages of Rajasthan to know more about the regular people. But today we will not talk about a regular village but an abandoned village in Rajasthan. The Kuldhara Village is an abandoned village where no one lives currently. A lot of myths as well as haunted stories are related to this village.
Moreover these spooky stories make the location even more intriguing. And therefore a good number of people also visit Kuldhara Rajasthan as a sightseeing spot. It is one of the popular ghost villages in Rajasthan and a popular spot for tourists as well. After all, who doesn’t like to explore adventures, right? So keep on reading this article as here I will mention everything about Kuldhara Jaisalmer. This will be a helpful read for you if you are planning to travel there any time soon.
Kuldhara Village
Location: Kuldhara, on the road to Thar Desert and Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Timings: The timings are from 8 am to 6 pm
Entry fee: The entry fee to the Kuldhara Village is Rs. 10 for Indians and Rs. 100 per person for foreigners. And if you are travelling in a car then you will have to pay Rs. 50 per person.
How to reach
By air
While travelling by air the nearest domestic airport is the Jaisalmer Airport. From Jaisalmer Airport the distance of Kuldhara village is 22.7 km. It would take you around 38 minutes to reach the village from there. However the major nearest airport is the Jodhpur airport. You can get flights from major cities and towns to reach here. The distance of the Jodhpur airport to the village is about 291 km and it would take you around 5 hours to reach there from the airport.
The Jaipur airport is actually the nearest international airport, so if you are travelling from abroad or from major cities then you will get flights to reach Jaipur. From the Jaipur airport the village is 626 km away. It would take around 10 to 11 hours to reach the village from Jaipur. From the airports it would be most convenient to hire a taxi or take a car to reach there. You can also take buses from Jodhpur as well to reach Jaisalmer. And from there auto rickshaws are available to reach the village.
By train
The nearest railway station to reach the village is the Jaisalmer railway station. You can get trains from major cities and towns to reach there. From the railway station Kuldhara Jaisalmer is 25.5 km away. It would take you around 42 minutes to reach there from the railway station. And from the railway station you can further take a car or else take a local transport like auto rickshaw to reach the village
By road
Buses are available from major locations to reach Jaisalmer so you can reach there first. And from there then you can take local transport to reach this village. You can also take a car or hire a taxi as well from any location to reach the village conveniently.
Best time to visit
The ideal time to visit the village are the colder months from October to March. This is the time when the weather in Rajasthan remains a little on check. So it would be comfortable to explore the village well without the scorching sun. Avoid visiting here during the summer though because the temperature would be unbearable during that time. You can try to visit here during the monsoons though. It would be a different sort of adventurous experience then, so you can try that.
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Overview of Kuldhara Village
The Kuldhara Village is an abandoned village located at the heart of Thar Desert in Rajasthan. The fact that this is a village with no trace of life living here makes it a fascinating location for a visit. At one point of time however this was a bustling village. Furthermore it was a thriving centre for trade as well. But due to some reasons all the villagers of this village fled away leaving the village in an abandoned position.
A lot of stories and legends are however associated with the village and why it is empty. Those speculations further give rise to spooky eerie thoughts. And the visitors find it extremely intriguing to visit a location like this. The Kuldhara Village is located about 17 km west of Jaisalmer and was a lively village about 300 years back. So if you are also interested enough to observe this deserted village located amidst the Thar Desert then you must visit here.
The ruins of the houses and other structures here does give a stroke to your imagination. It would be captivating to look into the ruins of the village which was once a bustling area. Also a lot of imagination and a certain sadness is also related to this village as people still wonder what made the villagers abandon their own homes. Overall the village makes up for an interesting visit, so do not miss out on visiting this village if you are anywhere near Jaisalmer.
Kuldhara Village History
While talking about the history of the village a lot of people ask why Kuldhara village is abandoned. However not one specific answer is available to that question. In fact there are many legends as well as stories attached to this including Kuldhara Village haunted story. The village is presently popular as a ghost village as no one lives here and the area remained in an abandoned state for more than 300 years now. The ruins of the village anyway make it look eerie and spooky at the same time. The village furthermore has a very mysterious charm attached to it.
According to legends, about 300 years ago this village belonged to the Paliwal Brahmin. However one day a powerful Prime Minister Salim Singh visited here. His eyes fell on the daughter of the village head of this village. He was adamant to marry her and said that he would do so even if it was by force. He also threatened the villagers that if things don’t go according to his will then they will have to face grave consequences. But the villagers were not ready to surrender to his demands and threats. Instead they held a council and people of 85 villages in total decided to leave their ancestral home. All of them left the village overnight leaving the whole area deserted. However, while leaving they also put a curse that nobody ever would be able to settle in their village.
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What’s more?
From then onwards nobody has ever stayed at this village. Also there had been some reports that whenever somebody tried to stay here at night some paranormal phenomenon had happened with them. However this is not the only story attached to this village. There are other stories that suggest that Salim Singh had increased the taxes of this area to a great extent. It was so high that it was practically impossible for the villagers to pay for it. So the villagers left this area to settle in greener areas to lead a better life.
At one point of time however this was one of the important villages in Rajasthan as well as in Jaisalmer. The Paliwal Brahmins were scholars and they contributed heavily to the cultural and intellectual growth of this region. The village was also one of the important centers for trade and commerce. The villagers here were involved in various skillful activities and used to earn their livelihood through agriculture, metal working, weaving etc. But what led the village into such a poor condition still remains a mystery. The ruins, beautiful landscapes and the multiple stories attached to the area makes it a must visit spot. So for some adventure you must plan a visit to the Kuldhara Village in Jaisalmer.
Also there are some more stories that suggest that the village faced a severe drought that drove away the villagers here. While other stories say that a group of wandering Sufi mystics had once cursed this village. But till date no specific answer is found. And this further adds a touch of mystery surrounding the disappearance of the inhabitants of the village.
Architecture of Kuldhara Village
The Kuldhara Village is actually a hauntingly beautiful village. Even after so many years of abandonment the village reflects a certain charm. It has been abandoned for over centuries but even today the buildings here look beautiful. The buildings here have been stabilized so that there is no case of collapsing. The fine craftsmanship of the Paliwal Brahmins are also very much visible in the architecture here. Thar Desert has an abundance of sandstone and the buildings here comprise that only. The structures have thick walls and small windows which are perfect to face the harsh heat of the deserts. You will also get to see some intricate carvings and frescos here that further elevate the beauty of these structures.
Another major feature of the architecture in this village are the narrow alleys and streets here. The narrow lanes provide shade and help in ventilation. But at the same time it also makes it difficult for an outsider to navigate their ways. This was done to maintain the privacy as well as the security of the villagers.
Wrapping Up!
So that was all about the Kuldhara Rajasthan and you certainly need to visit there soon. There is a certain sense of mystery attached to this location. And it would be truly fascinating to visit the village too. After all it is definitely mysterious to see how the villagers left, leaving back such a well planned village. So are you planning a visit to the Kuldhara Village soon? Let me know if this article on Kuldhara Village is helpful for you in planning a trip to this location.
