VISIT TO BARMER

THE FAMOUS BARMAR

Barmer is located in the western part of thee forming a


 part of the Thar Desert. The district is surrounded byJaisalmer district in the north, Jalore district in the south, Pali district and Jodhpur district in the east and Pakistan in the west.

The total area of the district is 28387 km². The district is located between 24,58’ to 26, 32’N Latitudes and 70, 05’ to 72, 52’ E Longitudes.

Geography

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Road

Distances From Barmer To Important Cities By Road

Jodhpur :224 km (via Balotara)


Jodhpur: 198 km (via Pachpdra)


Jaiselmer:157 km


Jalore: 204 km


Udaipur: 462 km

Jhunjhunun: 625 km

Jaipur: 588 km

Train 


Barmer is on the disused railway line from Jodhpur to Hyderabad in Pakistan. Daily trains travel from Barmer to Jodhpur for Rs 60/120 in 2nd/1st class.
Important train connections are : 4808 Barmer Express( Barmer – Jodhpur)
4898 Barmer Express( Barmer – Jodhpur)

Festivals In Barmer

 There are several major festivals held in Barmer, the most famous of which is a cattle fair held every year at Tilwara village situated on the banks of the Luni river. The fair goes on for a fortnight in the months of March April. The other major festival is the Barmer Thar Festival of Rajastan

Tilwara Cattle Fair (March – April):  A major cattle fair lasting a fortnight, held in village Tilwara

Nakoda Parasvanath (December – January):  The festival held in Mevanagar village commemorating the birth anniversary of Parasvanath.

Veeratara Mela:  Held at Veertara (12 km from village Chohatan), the fair venerated goddess Vakaldevi and is held thrice a year in the month of Chaitra, Bhadrapada & Magha

Khed Fair (August – September):  A big religious fair held on Purnima (full moon) in village Khed

Mallinath Fair, Tilwara:


Mallinath Fair is one of the biggest cattle fairs of Rajasthan held annually near Tilwara, a village in Barmer District from Chaitra Budi Ekadashi to Chaitra Sudi Ekadashi (March – April). It lasts for a fortnight wherein the highly popular breeds of cows, camels, sheep, goats and horses attract people not only form Rajasthan but also Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. People of all castes and creeds participate freely in the fair

Meva Nagar:  Once called Viranipur, this 12th century village lies on the slope of a hill called Nagar-ki-Bhakarian, 9 km away from Balotra. The village has three Jain temples. The biggest of these is one dedicated to Nakoda Parsvanath. A Vishnu temple is also worth visiting.

Balotra & Kanana:  Close to Kanana, the venue for the Sheetal Saptmi Mela, lies the small town of Balotra. It is an important centre of printing and dying

Places of Interest

Mahaveer Park:  The beautifully manicured park houses a tiny museum that exhibit ancient stone carved statues

Safed Akhara: Safed Akhara is a sprawling garden located in Sidheswara Mahadev temple complex, near Barmer. Temporary accommodation and cooking facilities are also available here

Neemari:  This charming garden is located 23km from Barmer on Chohatan route. An old swimming pool is the prime attraction of this garden

Some More About Barmer

Every year in March, the town is at its colorful best during the exuberant Barmer festival. The festival is the best time to plan a visit to Barmer. The Most Interesting Part of a trip to Barmer is the journey through rural Rajasthan. The Small Village with mud-walled house decorated with delicate folk motifs and colorfully attired people on the way offer a fascinating sight, especially famous are the geometric ajrak prints in dark shades of red and blue , ideal Protection against the Sun. Barmer district is part of the Great Indian Desert or Thar Desert. Like all other districts in the desert region, Barmer is known for its folk music and dance. The Bhopas (priest singers) are found in Barmer, who compose music in honour of the deities of the region and its war heroes. The other folk musicians come from a community called the Muslim Dholis (drummers) for most of whom this is the only means of livelihood. History of Barmer in Rajasthan, India Barmer was a beehive of activity till a few centuries ago, and a number of important kingdoms flourished at various times in the district during the medieval age. The chief principalities of Barmer at the time were Khed, Kiradu, Pachpadra, Jasol, Tilwara, Sheo, Balotara and Mallani. It was the Panwara clan which had strong links with the Solanki dynasty of Gujarat, whose sphere of influence extended right across the Barmer region at the time. Later they wrested Mandore, which was the former capital of Jodhpur and held it for a while. Meanwhile, Khed and Mallani districts were captured by the Guhil Rajputs who were ruling over Mewar at the time. In 1212AD Rao Siha, founder of the Rathore clan, conquered Khed in Barmer district and planted the Rathore flag in the area. The region was regained by the Guhil Rajput Pratap Singh, but was later reclaimed by the Rathore Rao Asthan. Not much is known about the history of Barmer for a while after that until a ruler Tribhuvansi ascended the throne, which led to fratricidal feud with his cousin Mallinath. The ambitious Mallinath (after whom the town of Mallani was later named) sought the assistance of the Sultanate ruling at Delhi at the time and defeated Tribhuvansi’s army in 1374. Barmer Ruled by Mallinath- A Possessor of Divine Power After his triumph, Mallinath went from strength to strength, and by the time he died in 1399 the entire region of Barmer was under his sway and was even called Mallani at the time. He was the first ruler of Barmer who was called Rawal, and legend has it that he possessed divine powers and a goddess once appeared before him. How much the people revered him as a demi-god can be ascertained from the fact that there is a temple built in his memory on the shores of the river Luni, near Balotara. After his death, his son Jagmal succeeded him and his descendants came to be known as the Mahechas. But the empire split up into many constituents and they were as many as 18 chiefs at one point of time. Inevitably, with no strong central authority, it was soon conquered by the state of Jodhpur. Integration of Barmer with Rajasthan State in India This was the state of affairs, when the British came to Barmer in 1836, and the town was thenrefore governed by a superintendent. Ultimately Barmer was integrated with the state of Jodhpur on 1st of August 1891. Ultimately with Indian independence in 1947, both Barmer and adjoining Jodhpur became part of the state of Rajasthan. Arts and Crafts of Barmer in Rajasthan, India Barmer in Rajasthan is well known for its handicrafts. All over Rajasthan and around the country, Barmer’s exceptional woodcarvings, carpets, hand printed fabrics, embroidered textiles, and undeniably its simple and friendly people transform the Thar into what's popularly known as the most colourful desert in the world. It is also recognized for its hand painted fabrics locally called ajrakh, block printing, embroidered textiles, carpets and and of late for its intricately carved wooden furniture

Wood Carving traditions of Barmer in Rajasthan, India

The woodcarving traditions of Barmer in Rajisthan share their similarities with those of Jaisalmer in Rajisthan and Saurashtra in Gujarat. This carpentry and carving community locally known as Mistris converted simple motifs of camels, elephants, flowers, parrots, horses and other geometrical patterns into a vivid and imaginative mix. These skills, though earlier used extensively in architecture for carved pillars, jharokhas (bay windows with a little balcony) and archways have now shifted focus to intricately carved ethnic and European style furniture. This switchover, caused due to the demands of the market and the need for survival, has now flourished into another art form.

Hand Cloth Painting of Barmer in Rajasthan, India

Barmer is also famous for its hand painted cloth. It specializes in the exquisitely rich red and blue ajrakh cloth (ajrakh comes from the Arabic word 'azrak' for the colour blue.) This cloth has a long and complex printing process of vigorous beating, successive dipping and polishing sessions. The finest ajrakh is a variety which is printed on both sides. It is worn on special occasions by both Muslim and Hindu leather workers of the Meghwal caste. A garment most women wear in Barmer and all over Rajasthan is the odhani (long scarf), which is locally also called the chundri which literally means a fabric of dotted pattern. Another speciality of Barmer is its exquisitely crafted carpets.

Dance & Music of Barmer in Rajasthan, India

The Thar desert of Rajastan is nothing if not known for its soulful melodies and dance. Like virtually all other districts in the region, Barmer is known for its folk music and dance. Like in Bikaner, the Bhopas (priest singers) are found in Barmer, who compose music in honour of the deities of the region and its war heroes. The other folk musicians come from a community called the Muslim Dholis (drummers) for most of whom this is the only means of livelihood. They sing mainly at festivals and other social occasions to the accompaniment of the Kamayacha (a stringed instrument played with a bow). The other musical instrument popular in Barmer is the algoza (two flutes played together).