Some places in Rajasthan announce themselves with grand forts and palaces. Falna does it more quietly. A railway town in Pali district, it can easily be treated as just a gateway to the Aravallis and Jawai. But step beyond the station and the landscape reveals a very different story, one that moves from a golden Jain temple and a mirror-lined shrine to rugged granite hills, free-ranging leopards and even an unexpected factory visit.
A Golden Gateway of Devotion
For many travellers, Falna is simply a convenient railhead for exploring the region. Yet the town has an attraction of its own: the Swarna Jain Temple, dedicated to Shri Shankeshwar Parshwanath Bhagwan.
The temple is known for the gold donated by the local Jain community. Around 90 kg of gold is traditionally cited as having been contributed for the adornment of the temple dome and idol, giving the shrine its distinctive golden appearance. The temple is regarded as the first Jain golden temple built by the Jain community in the country.
Below the main shrine is the Kanch Mandir, or Temple of Mirrors, where walls covered with small mirrors create a striking play of reflections. It is an intimate space, but one that leaves a lasting impression.
A Quiet Stay Beside the Aravallis
After exploring Falna, our next stop was Chavri Resort, set close to the Aravalli hills. The stay offered comfortable rooms, good food and, above all, a sense of calm. The evening was spent simply enjoying the breeze and the surrounding landscape.
Adding an unexpected personal connection to the stay was the neighbouring Selo glassware factory. My father had visited the factory once before, making the otherwise ordinary industrial landmark a memorable part of our journey.
Entering Jawai’s Leopard Country
The following morning brought a dramatic change in scenery. A short drive from Falna took us towards Jawai, where ancient granite formations rise dramatically from the dry landscape and caves provide shelter for wildlife.
Jawai is particularly famous for its free-ranging leopards. Unlike conventional wildlife parks, the animals here live among rocky hills and villages rather than behind fences. The region is also known for its remarkable coexistence between leopards and the local Rabari community, whose traditional beliefs and way of life have helped shape a relatively peaceful relationship with the big cats.
The Jawai Bandh reservoir adds another dimension to the landscape. Its wetlands support crocodiles as well as numerous resident and migratory birds, including flamingos and cranes. More than 100 bird species have been recorded in the wider Jawai Bandh area, making it attractive not only to wildlife enthusiasts but also to birdwatchers.
When the Safari Becomes the Adventure
We visited in May, and the leopard safari proved to be an adventure even before we saw the animal we had come looking for.
Our vehicle was a Maruti Gypsy, and the route quickly became an off-road expedition. The driver navigated steep, rocky slopes and narrow tracks across the granite hills with remarkable confidence. The jeep climbed over terrain that seemed impossible to drive across, then descended just as sharply on the other side.
At one point, the driver showed us a place where leopards are known to come for water. Later, near the reservoir, we spotted crocodiles in the distance, visible only after considerable zooming through a phone camera.
Then came the moment we had been waiting for.
A group of safari vehicles gathered near a hillside after word spread of a possible leopard sighting. Across the rocks, a leopard appeared, moving calmly along a distant ledge. For nearly two minutes, we watched it before it disappeared among the rocks.
The sighting was thrilling, but strangely, it was not the most memorable part of the safari. The real adventure was the journey itself: the steep climbs, rough tracks and the skill of local drivers who know the terrain almost instinctively.
An Unexpected Industrial Detour
Not every memorable stop on a Rajasthan trip has to involve a temple, lake or wildlife sighting.
During the journey, we also visited the Joshi Plastic Factory, which manufactures VIP toothbrushes supplied to CSD dealers across the country. Inside, the process offered a fascinating contrast to the landscapes outside. Plastic granules were transformed through moulding, pressing and bristle-setting processes into the everyday toothbrushes found on shelves across the country.
It was a reminder that Falna’s story is not limited to religion and tourism. There is an industrial side to the town too, quietly contributing to everyday life.
More Than a Gateway
Falna and Jawai together create an unusual Rajasthan itinerary. There is the glow of a golden temple, the quiet of the Aravallis, the thrill of a leopard appearing unexpectedly on a rocky hillside, the wetlands of Jawai Bandh and the hum of a factory floor.
Perhaps that is what makes the journey memorable. Falna is not merely a gateway to somewhere else. It is a destination with its own stories, spiritual, wild, personal and industrial, waiting to be discovered.
( The writer of this article is Akhilesh Saproo, a student of APS, Jaipur)