7 Things to Do in Osian, Rajasthan's Desert Temple Town

Osian, an oasis town in Jodhpur district on the edge of the Thar Desert, was a major trading and religious centre from the Gupta period onward and reached its peak under the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty, before an attack by the forces of Muhammad of Ghor in 1195 ended its prominence. Of the roughly hundred temples the town is thought to have once held, about twenty carved Hindu and Jain shrines survive, giving Osian its nickname among some guides as the "Khajuraho of Rajasthan." Here are seven ways to spend time there.

1. Climb to Sachiya Mata Temple

Set on a hill overlooking the town, this temple to the goddess Sachiya, a local form of Chamunda worshipped by both Hindus and Jains, remains an active pilgrimage site rather than a purely historical one; the climb is gentle and opens onto views over Osian's rooftops and the desert beyond.

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2. See the Mahavira Jain Temple

Built in 783 CE and among the oldest surviving Jain temples in Rajasthan, this shrine to the 24th Tirthankara is known for its finely carved domed ceilings and pillars, and remains in use as a place of worship rather than roped off as a monument.

3. Visit the Harihara group of temples

Among Osian's oldest surviving structures, this small group of temples is dedicated to Harihara, a combined form of Vishnu and Shiva, and dates to around the 8th century, predating most of the town's other shrines.

4. Look for the Surya (Sun) Temple

Among the more weathered of Osian's shrines, the Surya Temple's remaining carvings still show traces of the elaborate figurative work found across the town's temple group, and its more ruined state makes for a quieter stop than the town's active pilgrimage sites.

5. Take a camel safari into the dunes

Osian's proximity to genuine Thar Desert dunes, closer to Jodhpur than Jaisalmer's better-known safari circuit, has made it an established base for shorter camel treks, typically timed for sunset when the light on the sand is at its best.

6. Spend a night at a desert camp

Several operators run overnight tented camps in the dunes outside town, pairing the camel ride with a night under a sky largely free of light pollution, an easier add-on here than at the more built-up camps around Jaisalmer.

7. Walk Osian's old town and market

Away from the temples, Osian's narrow lanes and market still function as an ordinary small-town Rajasthani centre rather than a tourist set-piece, with older havelis visible among the newer construction for anyone willing to wander a little off the main temple route.

Traveller tips

• Osian is about 65km, under an hour and a half by road, from Jodhpur, making it an easy day trip or one-night stop.
• Modest dress is expected at all of Osian's active temples.
• The cooler months from October to March suit both temple visits and desert camping.
• Camel safari and desert camp operators vary widely in quality; booking through a listed local operator or a Jodhpur-based agent is generally more reliable than arranging on arrival.