Pokhran, Desert town in Jaisalmer district, India
Pokhran is a desert town in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan, sitting between sand dunes and rocky plains. The townscape is dominated by an old fort, around which residential quarters with traditional ochre-stone houses are grouped.
The fort was built in the 14th century by the Champawat Rathores, who controlled the area as part of the Marwar kingdom. The town remained under princely rule until Indian independence in 1947.
The name comes from the five salt ranges around the area and literally means "place of five salts." Visitors can see how local life continues around the old fort walls, where families have lived for generations.
The town sits 112 kilometers (70 miles) east of Jaisalmer and is reachable via a paved road that crosses the desert terrain. Visitors should bring sufficient water and prepare for dry, hot conditions, especially between April and September.
Underground nuclear tests took place nearby in the 1970s and 1990s at a military testing range. These events brought international attention to the town's name, though the place itself has remained quiet and remote.
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