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THAR DESERT

July 30, 2016 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

India/Pakistan

The Thar Desert is a realm of ancient beauty, history and legend.  Spreading out along much of the border of modern day India and Pakistan, the Thar Desert has served as the frontier between the western world (Europe, the Mediterranean and the Middle East) and the eastern world (India, China and the Far East) since ancient times.  Unlike most of the world’s great deserts, the Thar has been packed with cities, roads and other constructs of civilization from ancient times to the present.  The regions on the Indian side of the border are among the most touristed places in that country.

Human migrations probably reached the Thar around fifty thousand years ago.  Some of the world’s oldest remnants of civilization can be found here.  The Thar has been invaded and conquered on a regular basis throughout history due to its importance as a trade route between India and Persia.  Much of the Thar is located in the modern Indian state of Rajasthan.  Large portions of the desert are now located in protected parks in both India and Pakistan.

The Thar Desert is for the most part a giant scrubland teaming with life.  The Saravasti River runs through its heart on its way to the Indian Ocean.  Many species of desert plants and trees flourish here, as do many species of animals.  The desert is also rich with human activity, and great medieval fortresses and walled cities spring up in many places.  Desert agriculture is prevalent in many places, and evidence is everywhere of efforts to introduce new desert treelife to the area.

The Thar Desert is a vacationer’s paradise, with something for everyone.  There are numerous wildlife sanctuaries, notably Desert National Park in India and the Nara Desert Wildlife Sanctuary in Pakistan, for animal enthusiasts.  Those fascinated by ancient history and architecture will enjoy the titanic forts at Jaisalmer, Mehranghar and Kumbhalgarh. Camel safaris are also popular in the more remote desert areas, as is sightseeing boating up and down the Saravasti River.  Web: http://tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/jaisalmer#desert-national-park (official website).

Filed Under: Desert Tagged With: Central Asia, India (NW)

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About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

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Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

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Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

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Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

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