Tanot Mata Temple stands in the desert about 120 kilometres from Jaisalmer, close to the Pakistani border. The goddess Tanot Mata is considered the protector of the region, and the temple has been an important pilgrimage site for centuries. Today it is managed by the Border Security Force of India, which maintains a small museum in the temple compound displaying artefacts and photographs from the 1971 war, including shells that reportedly fell in the compound but did not detonate.
The road to Tanot passes through the heart of the Thar Desert and is in itself part of the experience. The landscape becomes increasingly flat and open as you travel west, and the border posts and BSF checkpoints give the journey a frontier quality. The drive takes about two to three hours from Jaisalmer each way, usually by hired jeep.
Tanot is sometimes combined with a visit to the Longewala War Memorial, a short distance away, where a small number of Indian Army soldiers held off a large Pakistani armoured force in 1971 — an engagement that later inspired the Bollywood film Border. The memorial has preserved tanks, artillery pieces, and a brief exhibition. Foreigners need to carry their passport; Indian passport holders should bring a copy of their ID.