Around Barmer

Surrounding the borders of the folk and tribal township of Barmer, lie numerous medieval temples showcasing impressive sculptures and decorative paintings that reflect the skills, traditions and faiths of the inhabitants of deserts.

Going away from Barmer around 38 km, in the village of Hathma, you will get to see the Kiradu Temples, that were built in the 10th-11th century. The place once served as a capital of the Punwars and was known as Kiratakupa. These temples are built in the North Indian style of temple architecture known as Gurjara Pratihara.

There are five temples here, one of them is devoted to Lord Vishnu and the other four are devoted to Lord Shiva. The most famous one is the Someshwara Temple of Lord Shiva, which has excellent paintings on the walls and Mandapas, depicting scenes from Ramayana and from the routine palace life. The Vishnu Temple stands on a decorated plinth and has a multi turreted spire. A huge open mandapa covers the central area of its sanctum. However, due to its closeness to the Pakistan Border, you will need prior permission from the district magistrate, fill a form and submit the required documents.

At a distance of 67 km to the south of Barmer, you will come across a collage of local village traditions and lifestyles by visiting the dusty market town of Dhorimmana. Although no particular tourist sites are located here, but still sharing a moment with the lively people of the village, visiting their mud huts and observing their cultural uniqueness is a special experience in itself.

158 km from Barmer is the Rani Bhatiani Temple, in Jasol. Jasol is a 12th century temple town which was ruled by the Mallani clan of Rajputs. You will find here a multitude of temple remnants, a special one is the Rani Bhatiani Temple devoted to the 24th Jain Tirthankar, Lord Mahaveer.