What is Bada Bagh Jaisalmer?

Bada Bagh Jaisalmer is a beautiful garden 6 km away from Jaisalmer. There are several cenotaphs of Jaisalmer rulers near Bada Bagh. These cenotaphs are called chhatris.

Jaisalmer has cool weather during winters and early spring. The best time to visit Jaisalmer and Bada Bagh is between October and March.

Bada Bagh Jaisalmer: Best time, nearby places, timings, ticket fee, location

Bada Bagh Jaisalmer: Best time, Nearby places, Timings, Ticket fee and Location

Bada Bagh or Big Garden is a garden located six kilometersfrom Jaisalmer. This tourist destination lies close to a cenotaph complex housing several memorials of Jaisalmer Maharajas.

What is special about Bada Bagh is that this garden has several fruit-laden trees. Remember, Jaisalmer is right in the middle of the Indian desert! What's more, there is a dam some distance away from Bada Bagh! Keep reading this tourist guide to know more about Jaisalmer's Bada Bagh.

Bada Bagh is a fruitful oasis in the charming backdrop of a pretty rain fed lake and a dam in the middle of the plateau. Built by Maharaja Jai Singh II, much of the city's fruit and vegetables are grown here and above it are royal cenotaphs with elegantly carved ceiling and equestrian statues of former rulers.

The royal cremation grounds are set between the desert and a rain fed lake, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II. A wheat crop is planted as the lake dries up each year. Each of the memorial 'chattris' has a central column with a bas relief of its owner. Many are followed by figures- one for each wife or consort who committed 'sati' on his funeral pyre.

One can see a definite progression of style from the angular shapes of the early Hindu monuments at the back that are over 300 years old, to the round arches of later Moghal influence on architecture. Bada Bagh is an oasis at the bank of a man-made dam. It has greenery all around to provide respite, to the local people, from the unrelenting sun.

History of Bada Bagh

The garden complex that we know as Bada Bagh didn't come up all of a sudden. According to historians, a raja of Jaisalmer built a dam at this site to provide water to his citizens. This dam was 1200 feet long and hundreds of feet in height. Irrigation channels were dug up to supply water to the people in Jaisalmer.

Thanks to this dam, soon, the surrounding area turned green. This inspired the kings and others to plant fruit-bearing trees in this region and that is how Bada Bagh Jaisalmer came about.

This beautiful garden has another attractiin too. You will find scores of chhatris or cenotaphs of the royals of Jaisalmer. These cenotaphs were built in the memory of the rajas and queens of Jaisalmer and are made of limestone. Every cenotaph (of a male) bears images of a man and his horse.

Bada Bagh nearby places

There are several interesting locations around Bada Bagh. Some of these are:

Khuri Sand Dunes - Jaisalmer is incomplete without its sand dunes. Hire a jeep or a car and explore these mesmerizing landscapes.
Jaisalmer Fort - Perhaps one of the very few living forts in India, Jaisalmer Fort is full of beautiful buildings and a rich history.
Salimsingh Haveli - Haveli means palace. Salimsingh Haveli in Jaisalmer town has breathtaking architecture which takes you back several centuries.
Desert National Park - You will be astonished to know that Jaisalmer Desert is home to several wild animals and creatures. Hop on to a jeep and explore the wiold nature around Jaisalmer.
Kuldhara Village - Do you know there is a haunted village a fewkilometers away from Jaisalmer? Do visit Kuldhara Village as part of the Jaisalmer trip.
Patwon ki Haveli - This is a complex of 5 havelis (mansions) built more than 200 years ago. The entry fee for Patwon ki Haveli is INR 100 per person.

Best time to visit Bada Bagh

The best time to visit Bada Bagh is between October and March. The weather is cool and you can travel all over Jaisalmer easily. Avoid traveling to Bada Bagh during summers.

Bada Bagh timings

Bada Bagh is open everyday from Monday to Sunday. The timings are 8 AM to 6 PM.

Bada Bagh entry fee

According to Jaisalmer Tourism, Bada Bagh entry fee is INR 100. Camera charges apply.

Foreign tourists need to pay more.