JAISALMIR FORT , RAJASTHAN

The fort was built by Rawal Jaisal in 1156.

After eight years of invasion and siege, the Sultan's army finally breached and destroyed the castle.
Bhatis took control of the fort, but had no means to repair it. In 1306, Dodoo was elected the Rawal for
his bravery for ejecting the Rathors. He subsequently took up the work of repairing and strengthening
the fort.
 The fort contains 3 layers of walls. The outer or the lower layer is made out of solid stone blocks and it rein
The defences of the fort include 99 bastions, of which 92 were built between the period of 1633-47.

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Why Conservation of Fort ?
The 850 year old Jaisalmer
Fort was in a state of decay with many
of its beautiful palaces on the verge of
collapse. The arrival of tourists put a
spotlight on these heritage buildings
leading to a major conservation initiative
by INTACH.

Today, Jaisalmer Fort remains a labyrinth of residences, shops, temples, and a palace complex.
Its walls surround a thriving city; its 2,000 residents make this the last living fort in India.
Conservation and preservation is integral to the longevity of this medieval architectural marvel
and to the lives of people who call Jaisalmer Fort home
Due to severe changes in climate and life style, there is irreversible damage to the structures.
Adding to it, repair patterns with modern materials caused further damage. The traditional
building practices involved use of stone and lime mortar or local material for construction as well
as repair. This helped the structures. Efforts are now being made to bring these practices back
with the education of locals.
The new construction done in Jaisalmer city is a mix of traditional and modern building
practices. The stone used is not the same but still similar in qualities. However, the construction
techniques of stone masonry are still alive.
Conservation of the fort wall

From 1979 the wall started to collapse.

Many of these repairs were carried out with cement mortar and new stone, before .
There were very few instances where regional circle salvaged original stone.
Jaisalmer sandstone, which was originally used in the wall, is no longer available.
The quarry has been exhausted and new stone is brought in from other nearby locations.
Recent work is more sensitive in this respect and now the priority is to salvage as much original
material as possible.
RESTORATION
The Jaisalmer Fort today faces manifold threats that are a result of the increasing population pressure on
it.
Water seepage, inadequate civic amenities, derelict houses and seismic activity around the Trikuta Hill
are some of the major concerns impacting the Fort.
Unlike most other forts, the Jaisalmer Fort has been built over a weak sedimentary rock foothill which
makes its foundations especially vulnerable to seepage.
Over the years this has led to the collapse of significant portions of the Fort such as the Queens Palace
or Rani Ka Mahal and parts of the outer boundary wall and the lower pitching walls.

The Mori is a circuitous passage

running between the living area
sand the outer bastions of the
fort. Originally used by guards to
protect the Fort, this had become
an open garbage dump.
INTACH has completely cleaned
the Mori, which enables tourists
and residents to walk around the
fort and enjoy beautiful views of
the city. The first task was to clear
the entire passage of
accumulated debris