Bada Bagh / Bara Bagh

The Bada Bagh is situated right in between the city of Jaisalmer and the Village of Lodurva. Also locally known as ‘Barabagh’ , Bada Bagh literally translates to “grand garden” and is located almost six kilometres north of Jaisalmer city. Bada Bagh is one of the most serene places to visit in Jaisalmer, and would definitely make you leave with a sense of peace. Many JAISALMER TOURISM PACKAGES offer a mandatory tour of the Bada Bagh and its legendary cenotaphs on their lists.

Bada Bagh Jaisalmer History:

The Bada Bagh is famous for its cenotaphs. Cenotaphs are empty tombs which are built for people who died elsewhere and their remains cannot be procured. These cenotaphs are also often called ‘Chhatris’ owing to their umbrella-like shape on the top that shades the area. The word ‘Chhatri’ means a canopy or an Umbrella. According to history, the first cenotaph in Bada Bagh was made for Maharaja Jai Singh in the 18th century. His son Lankaran made a cenotaph to commemorate him, and henceforth it became a tradition to build cenotaphs in Bada Bagh after the death of a king. The last cenotaph was that of Maharaja Jahawar Singh in the 20th century. This cenotaph was incomplete, following which his son died shortly after a very short ruling period, due to which the cenotaph came to be considered a bad omen. The area contains many cenotaphs of various different sizes, the largest ones being dedicated to the kings, followed by slightly smaller ones for Queens. Then comes the size for princes and princesses and lastly the smallest ones for other members of the royal family.

Bada Bagh Timings:

The Bada Bagh premises lists no specific timings for people to visit, it is a relatively open area which can be visited any time of the day even during sunrises and sunsets. The Bada Bagh does look exceptionally beautiful during the sunrises and sunsets alike as the cenotaphs are covered in a golden hue.