nomadicsamuel.com Jaysalmer pronunciation (help·info) (Rajasthani: जैसलमेर), nicknamed "The Golden City", is a town in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located 575 kilometres (357 mi) west from the state capital Jaipur. It was once known as Jaisalmer state. The town stands on a ridge of yellowish sandstone, crowned by a fort, which contains the palace and several ornate Jain temples. Many of the houses and temples are finely sculptured. It lies in the heart of the Thar Desert and has a population of about 78000. It is the administrative headquarters of Jaisalmer District. Tourism is a major industry in Jaisalmer. The Government of India initiated departmental exploration for oil in 1955-56 in the Jaisalmer area.[3] Oil India Limited discovered natural gas in 1988 in the Jaisalmer basin.[4] Musicians and dancers are also a major cultural export from Jaisalmer to the rest of the world. Manganyar musicians have played the world over, and Queen Harish,[5] the dancing desert drag queen, is touring the world and has featured in international movies. Jaisalmer is also known for its leather messenger bags, made from wild camels native to the area. Jaisalmer is named after its founder Rao Jaisal a Rajput king.[1] "Jaisalmer" means "the Hill Fort of Jaisal". Jaisalmer is sometimes called the "Golden City of India" because the yellow sand gives a yellowish-golden tinge to the city and its surrounding area. [edit]Location Panorama of Jaisalmer from top of Maharaja Palace ...