Khimsar: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Khimsar is a village with a fort, and the nearest real town is Nagaur, 40 km away: an old caravan stop in the Thar whose fort is one of the largest in Rajasthan. It was held in turn by the Chauhans, the sultans of Nagaur, the Mughals and the Rathores of Jodhpur, and its most famous lord, Amar Singh Rathore, became a hero of ballads across Marwar. This half-day route goes in through the town gate, round the fort and down to the tank where Amar Singh is remembered. About three hours in Nagaur plus the drive; the fort is shadeless, so go in the morning.
A short history of Khimsar
Khimsar is a small village in the Thar Desert, between Jodhpur and Bikaner. At its centre stands a fort built in 1523 by Rao Karamsji, one of the sons of Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur. For centuries his descendants lived there. Like many forts in Rajasthan, after Indian independence the family turned it into a hotel.
The ten best sights in Khimsar
1Khimsar FortThe fort is a hotel; non-guests can usually come for a meal or tea if they call ahead
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2Shri Jasnath Asan
A seat of the Jasnathi sect 13 km west of Khimsar; a place of worship, not a sight — dress modestly
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3Baba Ramdev temple, Bhawanda
A village shrine with white flags on the road south-east; busiest at the fair in late summer
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4Nagaur Fort
Ahhichatragarh, a huge restored fort in the middle of Nagaur; allow two hours, it is mostly open courtyards
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5Amar Singh Rathore cenotaphs
Domed chhatris by the Jada tank, south of the fort
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6Amar Singh Rathore Panorama
A small hall telling the hero’s story in paintings and figures, next to the cenotaphs
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7Banshiwala Temple
A Krishna temple in the old town; look at the painted walls inside
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8Delhi Darwaja
The eastern gate of Nagaur’s old wall, on the way in from the fort side
9Osian Sun TempleOne of the oldest temples in Osian, 55 km west; shoes off, and a small donation is expected
10Mahavira Temple, OsianThe Jain temple in the middle of Osian; leather items stay outside
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Khimsar →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Khimsar:
Free walking tours in Khimsar
The fort of the hooded cobra
Khimsar is a village with a fort, and the nearest real town is Nagaur, 40 km away: an old caravan stop in the Thar whose fort is one of the largest in Rajasthan. It was held in turn by the Chauhans, the sultans of Nagaur, the Mughals and the Rathores of Jodhpur, and its most famous lord, Amar Singh Rathore, became a hero of ballads across Marwar. This half-day route goes in through the town gate, round the fort and down to the tank where Amar Singh is remembered. About three hours in Nagaur plus the drive; the fort is shadeless, so go in the morning.
- Delhi Darwaja · Nagaur was an important province of the Delhi Sultanate in the 13th century, and Balban, who later became sultan, was once its governor. The town's gates are still named for the roads they opened onto, and this one faced the capital.
- Nagaur Fort · Ahhichatragarh means 'fort of the hooded cobra'. Its palaces and water channels were restored over many years by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust of Jodhpur, work that won a UNESCO Asia-Pacific heritage award, and its courtyards host a Sufi music festival each February.
- Ranvas · Ranvas means the queens' quarters: the walled set of courtyard houses inside the fort where the women of the court lived. Today the old zenana is a hotel, so you see it from the fort side unless you stay.
- Nakas Darwaja bazaar · Nagaur is one of the main fenugreek-growing districts of India, and "Nagauri methi", the dried leaf, is sold under that name across the country. In the bazaar it comes in sacks, far cheaper than the packets in Delhi.
- Amar Singh Rathore cenotaphs · Amar Singh, a Rathore prince given Nagaur by Shah Jahan, drew his dagger in the emperor's court at Agra in 1644 and killed the paymaster Salabat Khan, who had insulted him. He was cut down on the spot, and the ballads of Marwar have sung of him ever since.
- Amar Singh Rathore Panorama · Rajasthan's heritage authority has built a series of these panorama halls for the folk heroes of the state, each in the hero's own town. This one tells Amar Singh's story in a ring of painted scenes.
Osian, temples at the edge of the dunes
West of Khimsar the land turns to sand, and an hour's drive brings you to Osian, an oasis town that was a great trading and religious centre between the 8th and 12th centuries. More than a dozen Hindu and Jain temples of that age survive, among the oldest in Rajasthan, and the Oswal Jain merchants who spread across India take their name from the town. This route stops at a village shrine on the way and then walks the temples. Half a day, about 120 km there and back; the dunes outside Osian are at their best at sunset if you want to stay on.
- Baba Ramdev temple, Bhawanda · Baba Ramdev was a 14th-century Rajput saint who preached that all castes are equal. Hindus worship him and many Muslims honour him as Ramshah Pir, and his shrines are found in villages all over western Rajasthan.
- Osiyan · In the Jain tradition, the merchants of Osian were converted here by the monk Ratnaprabhasuri, and their descendants became the Oswals, today one of the largest Jain communities in India. Many still come to Osian to visit the temple of their origin.
- Mahavira Temple, Osian · The temple of Mahavira was first built in the late 8th century, under the Pratihara kings, and is counted among the oldest surviving Jain temples in western India. Its carved gateway and pillars were added in later centuries.
- Piplad Mata Temple · Piplad Mata is a goddess worshipped in Osian since its temple-building age, and her temple stands in the group of early shrines by the stepwell. Its low hall and pillars are among the older pieces of Osian.
- Osian Sun Temple · Sun temples were built across western India before the 12th century and almost none are still in use. The carving on this one shows Surya, the sun god, standing with lotuses in his hands and boots on his feet — a sign of his northern, Iranian origin.
- Osian step well · In a town with no river, stepwells were the only way to reach the water table in the dry months, and they doubled as cool meeting places. This one sits between the temples, which shows how water and worship went together here.
Khimsar and the saints of the desert
Khimsar itself is a quiet village of farms and sand around its fort, and what fills the landscape here is faith: shrines with white flags for a saint shared by Hindus and Muslims, and the seats of a desert sect that walks on fire. This short route starts at the fort and drives the country roads to both, then on to a Krishna temple in Nagaur. About 100 km in all, an easy half-day; the light over the fields is softest late in the afternoon.
- Khimsar Fort · The fort was built in 1523 by Rao Karamsji, a son of Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur, and his descendants still own it. Today much of it is run by the family as a hotel.
- Shri Jasnath Asan · Jasnath was a saint of the late 15th century, and his followers, the Jasnathis, keep 36 rules that include protecting trees and animals. At their festivals the Jasnathi Siddhs dance barefoot on burning coals to the beat of drums.
- Banshiwala Temple · Banshiwala means "the one with the flute": Krishna as the cowherd who called the girls of Braj with his music. The temple was raised by the merchants of Nagaur — Nagarseth is the title of a town's chief merchant.
- Ginani Talab · A talab is a rain-fed tank, and old Nagaur was ringed by them because the town had no river and very little rain. Each one was dug by a ruler or a merchant family as a public gift.
Getting to Khimsar and getting around
- Nagaur railway station · The nearest station, 40 km north-east; trains to Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaipur
- Samta bus stop, Nagaur · Private and state buses leave from the stands by the station; Khimsar has only roadside stops
- Merta Road Junction · A bigger junction to the south-east, with more trains towards Jaipur and Delhi
Cheap eats in Khimsar
There is almost nothing to eat in Khimsar village outside the fort, so quick food means Nagaur. This is the Marwar desert, where cooking was shaped by little water and few vegetables: ker sangri, dried desert beans and berries, dal baati, bajra millet bread and buttermilk. Snacks are fried and spiced, and almost all of it is vegetarian. Prices in the bazaar are low; a full plate rarely passes 150 rupees.
- Chetan Prakash Namkeen · Morning kachori and fried snacks by weight in Nagaur, about ₹20-60
- Vasudev Chaat Bhandar · Chaat and pani puri, about ₹30-80
- Ramawat Juice Center · Fresh juice and quick snacks, about ₹40-100
- Shri Jai Gopal Chhaganlal · Sweet shop by the station; a box of sweets about ₹100-300
- The Momoz Hum · Momos and Indo-Chinese plates, about ₹60-150
- Baaluji Namkeen · Bhujia and mirchi bada for the road, about ₹20-60
Museums in Khimsar
- Nagaur Fort · Restored palaces with painted rooms and old water channels
- Amar Singh Rathore Panorama · The story of Nagaur’s hero in a ring of painted scenes
- Khimsar Fort · Old arms and family portraits in a fort still owned by its family
Nature and day trips near Khimsar
- Ginani Talab · The big tank on the east side of Nagaur, with birds in winter
- Jada Talab · The tank beside Amar Singh’s cenotaphs
- Pratap Sagar · A town tank with a Hanuman temple on its bank
- Khejri fields round Khimsar · Open farmland and sand dotted with khejri trees; chinkara gazelles at dawn
- Samas Talab · A quieter tank south-east of the fort
Things to do in Khimsar with kids
- Nagaur Fort · Ramparts, courtyards and gateways to explore
- Amar Udyan · A park below the fort walls for running about
- Nagaur City Park · Lawns and swings near the Jada tank
- Osian step well · Look down into the old well between the temples
- Baba Ramdev temple, Bhawanda · Look for the little cloth horses left as offerings
Where to eat in Khimsar
- Khimsar Fort · Dinner in the fort courtyard; Rajasthani dishes like laal maas and ker sangri
- Ranvas Nagaur · Meals in the old queens’ quarters inside Nagaur Fort
- The Station House · Simple hotel restaurant by Nagaur station
- Agarwal Hotel and Restaurant · Vegetarian thali near the station
Frequently asked questions about Khimsar
What is there to see in Khimsar?
The top sights in Khimsar are Khimsar Fort, Shri Jasnath Asan and Baba Ramdev temple, Bhawanda. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Khimsar?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Khimsar without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Khimsar?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Khimsar, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: The fort of the hooded cobra.
How do you get to Khimsar and get around?
The main ways are Nagaur railway station, Samta bus stop, Nagaur and Merta Road Junction. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Khimsar, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Khimsar that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Khimsar for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.