History of Kuldhara Village
Kuldhara village was originally inhabited by Brahmins who had migrated from the Pali region to Jaisalmer and settled down in the Kuldhara Village. The books and literary accounts on this village state that a Brahmin from Pali called Kadhan had first made his home in this place and also dug up a pond and named it Udhansar. The Pali Brahmins were called Paliwal and from there comes the name of the clan.
There are inscriptions and carvings that were later found and studied, many of which mentioned Kuldhara as the caste of the Vrahman residents of the village which led the historians and other scholars to believe that Kuldhara was a caste group among the Paliwal Brahmins and the village got its name from the case of its residents. The inscriptions also mention that the residents followed the trend of inter-caste marriage but only among the Brahmins.
Legend of Kuldhara Abandoned Village
The legend of the Kuldhara Village is its most significant asset as a tourist attraction. The story has been passed down for ages and has become a local folklore which the residents of the surrounding villages will narrate to you with much enthusiasm in exchange for a few bucks, maybe.
According to the popular myth, way back in the 1800s, the village was a jagir or state under Minister Salim Singh, who was treacherous in his ways of tax collection. The taxes levied on the villagers were already too high. Over and above this, Salim Singh took a liking for the beautiful daughter of the village chief and threatened the villagers that if they try to oppose or stand in his way or don't turn over the maiden to him without any protest, he would levy even higher taxes on them. To save the life of his villagers as well as the honour of his daughter, the chief along with the entire village escaped overnight, leaving the village deserted and migrated to some faraway place. The folklore says that the villagers while leaving, cursed the village that no one ever will be able to live here in all the days to come.
Even though many historians claim that the reason was nothing but exceptionally high taxes and some others say it was a natural disaster like earthquake or famine, the first one remains the most popular and frequently told one, thanks to its thrill and romanticism that is quintessential in such myths or legends.
Things To Do at Kuldhara Village
Kuldhara Village is a historical site now maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India, so tourists can visit the place and look around to have a glimpse of how the ancient village used to be during its time. The entire Kuldhara region stretches for a vast area, including about 85 smaller hamlets. All the huts and cottages of the villages are broken and in ruins, leaving just the bare brick structures in the middle of the desert. Some of them are so decayed that they have almost been gobbled up by the desert sand. Those which still stand have rickety stair cases spiralling up their bodies, which are of course dangerous to try and climb.
There is also the ruin of an old temple of some goddess, presumably Mother Nature, which now stands empty and vacant. Inside the temple, there are inscriptions which have helped archaeologists to gather information about the village and its ancient residents. Little remains of a city wall can be witnessed in the north and the southern side, whereas the western side has man-made smaller walls and the eastern side faces the dried-up river bed of tiny river Kakni.
The village of Kuldhara is a treasure trove for those who are always on the lookout for an out-of-the-box experience while travelling. Adventure seekers and explorers will have a great time simply looking around the village and taking in the mysterious remains of the past. Those who are interested in photography, or even videography and are looking for themes or topics to make a short film or documentary of sorts on something different and unique this is one of the ideal places.
Kuldhara Village Timing and Entry Fees
They village gates remain open every day of the week from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Because the place is known to be haunted, the locals close the gates after sunset.
The entry fee for Kuldhara Village is INR 10 per person and INR 50 if you are going in by car.
Best time to visit Kuldhara Village
Rajasthan, for obvious reasons, remains extremely hot during one half of the year. So the ideal time to visit Kuldhara would be from October to March when the heat is a little bit less, and you can enjoy walking around in the desert without getting tortured by the sun.
How to Reach Kuldhara Village
The village of Kuldhara is around 18-20 kilometres from the main city of Jaisalmer. So while travelling in Rajasthan, when you reach Jaisalmer, you can take a cab from the city or hire rental care which will take you to the entrance gates of the haunted village. This site falls on the way to yet another famous attraction in Jaisalmer - theSam Sand Dunes.
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