Pokhran

Pokhran, also spelt Pokaran, is a small town in the Thar Desert in Jaisalmer district. It was once a quiet settlement, but it became known around the world in 1974 and again in 1998, when India carried out its nuclear tests in the surrounding desert, events that marked turning points in the country's science and politics.

The town is dominated by the walls of Pokhran Fort, built by the Rathore clan who once held the area, with winding halls, decorated apartments, sculpture and wall paintings. The Phool Mahal palace, associated with Maharaja Abhai Singh in the 1700s, shows Rajput building style. Local markets sell textiles, jewellery and other crafts, and Teej and the Desert Festival bring dances and camel races. Nearby are the Sati Mata cenotaph for the town's former royals and the shrine of the saint Ramdevji at Ramdevra.