Camel business in Jaisalmer

Sur les remparts du fort de Jaisalmer

Not far from the Pakistani border, Jaisalmer seems to emerge from the Thar Desert.
The ‘Golden city of India’ has nothing to envy to the surrounding desert: its walls have the colour of the sand and its buildings have prettier designs than the dunes.

Femmes dans une rue de Jaisalmer, à l'extérieur du fort

However the desert appears to be a prolific source of incomes for the area. Indeed, one of the most common businesses of the town is the organization of camel safaris in the desert. Many people have chosen this field to earn a living, eager to provide for their family, but also to make tourists discover their homeland traditions.

Chandra Ujjwal is one of them, for ten years he used for one of the biggest hotel of Jaisalmer. But given the way the camel safaris were organized there he decided to leave and to start a business more respectful of the desert. The travellers are brought to the most touristic dunes, crowded and polluted. These kinds of places, like Sam’s dunes, were originally breathtaking and deeply peaceful but for many years the natural environment has not been really respected. In fact garbage, toilet paper, bottles, etc. lay down in the sand, not being picked up by the cameleers or the tourists.

Parmi les rares personnes rencontrées, quelques bergers, notamment de jeunes enfants...

Moreover the shops selling food, drink and alcohol in the middle of the desert have contributed to destroy the landscape, according to Chandra and many touristic guides such as the world-known Lonely Planet.

In order to offer an alternative vision of the camel safaris he set up his own hotel two years ago. He organizes the trips in less known areas where the only people encountered are some villagers, shepherds or rare travellers. He also assures an eco-friendly trip with old-fashioned camp fire cooking.

Les repas sont préparés par les chameliers, directement dans les dunes, sur un feu de bois

Though this eco-friendly approach may appear as a progress, the social situation of the cameleers, including his, is closed from being appalling. Away from their family nine months out of twelve, these men live in poor conditions, obliged to stay with the camels in the desert.

Ali Khan et Mister Magou, un des chameaux du troupeau

Behind his young age, Ali Khan already bears a realistic view on his profession. The 300km between his job and his village, Bambara, is a high price to pay to provide for his family. But it is, according to him, the only solution: with no employment and mediocre infrastructure, his village has a long-time tradition of men exile.

Coucher de soleil sur les dunes

Text written by Camille Goyet and Maina Fauliot