This thikana, or fiefdom, paid allegiance to the kingdom of Marwar, though tales are told of how it tried to establish itself separately. There is also a rumor that Aurangzeb once visited this village as a guest of the thakur, but there seems to be little validity in the claim, even though a part of the fortified castle is named after him.
Sightseeing Places in Khimsar, Rajasthan
Khimsar Fort
Khimsar fort remains the most noticeable magnet in this minor but beautiful location and leaves the guests spellbound with its rugged splendor. It was first constructed by Prince Karamasi in 1523 to offer adequate defense to the little community from the attackers. With time, the status of this fort augmented considerably and new annexes were added to it. The large regal household gradually moved to this fort in the 18th century by building a women’s wing.
Osian
64 km northwest of Jodhpur, is the site of 16 outstanding Jain and Hindu temples. Built by wealthy traders between the 8th and 12th centuries, when Osian was an important stop on the caravan trade route to Central Asia, they represent the earliest phase of temple architecture in Rajasthan.
Famous for the rich variety and exuberance of their sculptural decoration are the 11 temples at the southern and western edge of Osian village.
Nagaur
The little desert town, midway between Jodhpur and Bikaner, is dominated by Ahichhatragarh Fort, dating to the 12th century. In the mid-18th century, the ruler of Jodhpur received the fort as a gift from the Mughals and embellished it with a charming pleasure palace. Several of its chambers have exquisite frescoes, now being carefully restored. The palace also has lovely water channels decorated with fish-scale patterns and ornamental spouts, as well as an ingenious system of air ducts that used to supply the inner rooms with cool air.
The Nagaur Cattle Fair rivals the Pushkar Fair and is a dazzling kaleidoscope of animals, crafts and people, including Nagaur’s famous puppeteers whose dramatic shows bring alive popular Rajasthani legends and folklore.
How to reach Khimsar
By Air
Nearest Airport, Jodhpur is connected by daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Udaipur.
By Rail
Nearest station, Nagaur is well-connected to Jaipur by the Jaipur-Bikaner Intercity Express and to Kolkata by the Howrah-Jaipur Express.
By Road
There are three ways to get here – from Jaipur via Sikar or via Ajmer, or from Jodhpur, as the town is within easy reach of the three Golden Triangle desert cities.
