Fort Pokaran
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Fort Pokaran; the 14th century citadel also known as “Balagarh” stands as a paragon amidst the Thar Desert. This monument is the premier fort of The Chief of Mighty Champawats (the clan of Rathores) has to its erstwhile aristocratic title attached the prestigious honour ‘Pradhan’ ( The Premier Noble ) to recognize every Thakur of Pokaran as of the first honour in The Darbar (the court) of the state Marwar- Jodhpur.
Surrounded with rocky, sandy and five salt ranges, POKARAN means “the place of five mirages”. Fort Pokaran stands on ancient trade route that carried salt, silk and spices to Persia and beyond. Instead of winding caravans of the past, it now has trains, buses and cars. The fort now attracts travellers to stay betwixt the glorious history where each stone speaks out volumes of the past.
The Fort Pokaran, mighty Rajput nobles of Marwar, stands sentinet at the western frontier of the erstwhile state of Jodhpur (Marwar), in the heart of the great rocky and sandy plains of the Thar Desert, on an ancient trade route that carried salt, silks and species to Persia and beyond.
Today instead of the winding caravans of yore, trains, buses and cards bring tired travelers eager to soak in the glories of 'Rajputana' to Pokaran, from all corners of world. Enroute to Jaisalmer from both Bikaner and Jodhpur the Fort of Pokaran makes an ideal break and now offers the same hospitality and shelter that history records was once offered to the fugitive Humayun (16th century).
It is en route both from Jodhpur to Jaislamer and Bikaner to Jaislamer. It indeed makes an ideal break and offers extended traditional hospitality, which was once offered to Humayun; the Mughal Emperor in the 16th century and later to his great grandson Akbar `II; son of the last Mughal Emperor; Aurangzeb.
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