Thar DesertAttractions

The Great Indian Desert Thar Desert, the huge unending expanse of burning hot sand is spread over four states in India, namely Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, area of about 446,000 square kilometres. Deriving its name from ‘thul’ denoting the sand ridges of the region, Thar stands divided between Sindh region in Pakistan and Rajasthan in India. This is the 7th largest Dessert in the world. The safari crew takes you to the nearby village of Deshnok, famous worldwide for its rat temple. After the “Darshan”, that is offering prayers at the temple, the crew heads towards the “Dhani” (a cluster of huts) - Charan. The trip to Deshnok is covered by Jeep. The camels are prepared at dhani for your voyage in deep desert. And you can enjoy typical lifestyles, culture, forts, castles, cuisine, desert safaris, customs, mysteries and stories.

The Legend - Thar Desert : It is believed that aeons ago, Lord Rama drew an arrow in his bow, targetting Lanka, the island capital where his wife was held captive by the demon king, Ravana. However, such were its destructive powers that the gods pleaded with the Lord to desist from his intended purpose. But the arrow once drawn could not be pulled back and thus Rama pointed the arrow to a far-flung sea. The heat generated by the arrow dried the sea and in its place arose a dry, arid and hot desert.

The Wild in the Arid Land : Stretches of sand in the desert are interspersed by hillocks and sandy and gravel plains. About 23 species of lizards and 25 species of snakes are found here and several of them are endemic to the region. The thinly populated grasslands support the endangered Great Indian Bustard, the Black Buck, the Chikara (gazelle), and some feathered game, notably the Francolin and Quail. Among the migratory birds, Sand Grouse, Ducks and Geese are common.