Barmer view

BARMER (RAJASTHAN)

 HISTORY OF BARMER

BARMER CITY IN NIGHT

               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 DESERT

              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. Langas and Manganiars are the some of these communities.

BARMER VILLAGE

                     Barmer is famous for its carved wooden furniture and hand block printing industry. This area is best visited to gain an insight into the desert life and admire the decorative skills of the simple village folk. The villagers have some of the most beautiful mud huts that are decorated with delicate folk motifs.


                 Jasol, Juna Burmer, Khed, kiradu, Mallonath Fair (Cattle Fair), Meva Nagar (Nakoda,Kanana (sheetla fair) Neemari are the prime attractions of the district. Tilwara cattle fair is a popular fair visited by thousands of tourists every year.People speak mostly Rajasthani Language, while Hindi is the official language here. English language also run here as an extra language and to help the tourists.



                 There are total 4 Sub-divisions in the district and 8 Tehsils: Barmer, Baytoo, Chohtan, Gudha Malani, Pachpadra, Ramsar, Sheo and Siwana. Total 1941 villages are there in the Barmer District, comes under Eight Panchayat Samitis. Some of the villages are Hemaguda, Dhorimanna, Pachpadra, Jasol, Shiv, Chohtan, Sindari, Nakoda, Munabao, Ramsar, Bishala, Jharwa - (Rauaniyo Thoriyo Ki Dhani), Chooli, Bhadresh, Samdari, Baitu, Ranigaon, Gudamalani, Gunga, Sedwa, Kalyanpur, Gadra Road, Kavas, Mokalsar, Padru, Sanawara, Siwana, Parlu, kanana etc.

BARMER VILLAGE - 2

                  A tiny yet lively town in sun-drenched sand, Barmer is a miniature Rajasthan with all its colour, warmth and tradition, according to history, the 13th century founder of the district, Bhahada Rao (Popularly known as Bar Rao) gave the town its name - Barmer, i.e. the hill fort of Bar, once called Mallani (12th century A.D.). The Present Barmer district, formed in 1949 upon the merger of Jodhpur state in the United States of Great Rajasthan, is a cluster of ancient paraganas - Mallani Shiv, Pachpadra, Siwana and the Chohatan area. Although a barren land with harsh climate and rough terrain, Barmer is known for its rich crafts, dances and music. Once on the ancient camel trade route, the town is now centre for wood carving, pottery, carpets, intricate embroidery work, block printed fabrics and multi-hued traditional costumes. Especially famous are the geometric ajrak prints in dark shades of red and blue, ideal for protection against the sun. The most interesting part of a trip to Barmer is the journey through rural Rajasthan. The small villages with mud-walled housed decorated with delicate folk motifs and colourfully attired people on the way offer a fascinating sight. Every year in March, the desert town is at its colourful best during the exuberant Barmer Festival. The festival is the best time to plan a visit to Barmer.

 TRAVEL PLACES IN BARMER

Barmer:

                       Perched on a rocky hill, the town has ruins of an old fort. Of interest are a temple dedicated to Balark (the Sun) and the ancient ruins of Juna Barmer. The three Jain temples, an inscription of 1295 AD and a massive pillar in the hall of the largest temple of Maharaja Kula Sri Samanta Sinha Deva, a ruler of Bahadmera (Barmer) are also worth a visit.

Jasol  :


               Once a principal state of Mallani (Barmer), this age old village derived its name from the descendants of a Rathore sub-clan. Among the places to see are a Jain temple and a Hindu temple which is decorated with fine sculptures, which were brought from a Jain temple of Lord Mahavir.

Juna Barmer :

SUN TEMPLE

                This is an ancient town located on a rocky hill and houses the ruins of an old fort. Besides the fort, the other places of interest are - a temples dedicated to Balark (the Sun), the three Jain temples, an incription of 1295 AD and a huge pillar in the hall of the largest temple of Maharaja Kula Sri Samanta Sinha Deva, a ruler of Bahadmera (now, Barmer). 

Khed :
                      
               Khed was conquered by Rao Siha, the founder of the Rathore clan along with his son (Asthanji). There are various places of interest here like Vishnu temple of Ranchhriji, temples of Brahma, Bhairav, Mahadev and a Jain temple.

Kiradu :

BARMER KIRADU

It is located on the base of a hill near village Hathma in Barmer tehsil. It was once the capital of Punwars and called as Kiratkoop as per the incription dating back to 1161 AD. For the lovers of art and archaeology, there are the remains of five ancient temples-one devoted to Lord Vishnu and other four to Lord Shiva. Someshwar Temple is the biggest temple here. 


Mahaveer Park :


               Mahaveer Park adds charm to Barmer with its vivacious beauty and freshness. It is an artistically laid out park with a small museum housing ancient stone carved statues. 


Meva Nagar :


             This is 12th century village which is nestled on the slope of a hill called “Nagar Ki Bhakarian”, 9km away from Balotra and was once called Viranipur. The village has three Jain temples where the largest is dedicated to Nakoda Parsvanath.


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.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

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.


                 The fair is believed to have originated from transactions which took place among admires of Rawal Mallinath, a local hero, who used to travel to Tilwara on well-bred animals to meet him. A shrine dedicated to Mallinathji is located here and people make offerings of batashas and laddoos. When their wishes are fulfilled, they offer miniature horses at the shrine. Traders from Mathura, Agra and Aligarh bring horses made of wood, brass and bronze to sell at the fair. On the opening day of the fair, the flag of Rawal Mallinathji is hoisted to the accompaniment of songs extolling his greatness.


                 Bullock, camel and horse races are organized at the fair and thoroughbred animals compete against each other on the dry river bed. The prize-winning animals sport white badges on theirs heads and command high prices at the fair. Apart from shops selling normal utility items and agricultural implements, there is a separate market for fodder at the fair.

SHOPPING IN BARMER

                A veritable shopper's paradise, Barmer is treasure trove of vibrantly coloured embroidery with excellent mirror work. Also famous are beautifully embroidered fabrics and pouches often patterned with tiny mirrors. Traditional rugs, blankets, shawls, carpets, "Pattius" Dari in typical Barmer colours and weave are speciality of the district. The shopping spots include the tiny shops along the narrow lanes of the colourful and lively Sadar Bazar.

BORDER NEAR BARMER

BARMER situated near border of Pakistan

BARMER BORDER

          Underlain military airbase is situated in Barmer district,Uttarlai is India's first under ground airbase.India can counter any insurgency into India by Pakistan.The Battle of Longewala (December 4, 1971 - December 5, 1971) was one of the first major engagements in the Western Sector during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, fought between assaulting Pakistani forces and Indian defenders at the Indian border post of Longewala, in the Thar Desert of the Rajasthan state in India.

The Indian infantry company (reinforced) was left with the choices of either attempting to hold out until reinforced, or fleeing on foot from a mechanised infantry Pakistani force, choosing the former. The company officer commanding ensured that all his assets were correctly employed, and made the most use of his strong defensive position, and weaknesses created by errors in enemy tactics. He was also fortunate in that an Indian Air Force forward air controller was able to secure and direct aircraft in support of the post's defence until reinforcements arrived six hours later.

The Pakistani commanders made several bad decisions, including failure of strategic intelligence to foresee availability of Indian strike aircraft in the Longewala area from Uttarlai air-force base as Barmer is a border town.