The Thar desert has the Jain temples of Nagarparkar and the Karoonjhar hills, and turns green for a few weeks after the monsoon.
Nagarparkar, close to the Indian border, has a group of Jain temples, the oldest of which, the Gori Temple, dates from the 14th century. The Karoonjhar hills rise out of the desert, and peacocks are common in the villages. People of several religions live side by side here, in small hamlets of round thatched huts.
The Thar is a hard desert, so go with a guide who knows the tracks.
Highlights
- The Gori Temple of 1375
- The Karoonjhar hills
- Village homes of round mud huts, called chaunra
