After a short
visit to the Thar desert in Rajasthan,
we are taken to the archetypal pre-industrial
desert village and its mud dwellings
in order to introduce the context in
which the golden city of Jaisalmer came
up. The legend behind Jaisalmer's foundation;
its past economic importance as a trading
post, and the forces that led to its
decline are all evoked while we slowly
enter into the city which has many lessons
to give to contemporary architecture.
While exploring the city, we look at
the amazing architectural monuments
and landmarks of the city, its highly
sophisticated urban organization, but
also the impact of tourism and industrialisation
on it and on the traditional lifestyle
of its inhabitants. The golden fort
of Jaisalmer, the Royal palace and the
Patwon ki Haveli, the villa of a family
of rich merchants are some of the masterpieces
of the architecture of Jaisalmer that
are studied in detail during this exploration
of the city.
A
voice over narration is cut to live
images and sounds of Jaisalmer and the
desert, accompanied by Rajasthani Folk
music. |
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