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The royal fortified city with a timeless appeal lying in the north of the desert state, dotted with many sand dunes. Bikaner retains the medieval splendour that pervades the city's lifestyle.
More popularly called the camel country, the city is renowned for the best riding camels in the world. The ship of the desert is an inseparable part of life here. Be it pulling heavy carts, transporting grains or working on wells, camels are the prime helpers. The wells of Bikaner – an important source of water are other attractions of the city. These are built on high plinths with slender minarated towers on each of the four corners and can be noticed even from a distance
Bikaner's history dates back to 1488 A.D., when a Rathore Prince, Rao Bikaji – a descendant of the founder of Jodhpur (1459 A.D.), Rao Jodhaji, established his kingdom here. Rao Jodhaji had five sons but Rao Bikaji was the most enterprising of them. Bikjaji chose a barren wilderness called 'Jangladesh' and transformed it to an impressive city, called Bikaner after the founder's name. The strategic location of Bikaner on the ancient caravan routes that came from West / Central Asia, made it a prime trade center in those days.
Bikaner stands on a slightly raised ground and is circumscribed by a seven km long embattled wall with five gates.
The magnificent forts and palaces, in reddish-pink sandstone, bear testimony to its rich historical and architectural legacy. Undulating lanes, colourful bazaars and bright, cheerful and hospitable folk make Bikaner an interesting experience
Junagarh Fort Noted for its finest quality of stone carvings this fort and its palaces were built between 1588 and 1593 by Raja Raj Singh, a general in the army of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, the fort has a 96 metre -long wall, with 37 bastions and two entrances. The main entrance of the fort is Suraj Pol, or Sun Gate. The fort encompasses many palaces amongst which the most spectacular ones are the Chandra Mahal or Moon Palace, the Phool Mahal or Flower Palace, both ornated with carved panels and mirrors and the Karan Mahal. Karan Mahal was built in remembrance of the celebration of the grand victory over Aurangzeb. Durga Niwas, a fabulously painted courtyard and Ganga Niwas which housed a finely carved red sandstone front, are the other places of attraction in this fort.
LALGARH PALACE
Another splendor in red sand sandstone was built 90 years ago by Maharaja Ganga Singh. Its architect Sir Swinton Jacob designed it to combine the best of European luxuries with Oriental styles. The Palace is complete with Billiards room, card rooms, and smoking rooms. Belgian Chandeliers and cut glass ornate the décor
Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary (32 km)
This place of scenic beauty, with hillocks encompassing it and housing a lovely lake. On the banks of this lake is an old summer palace which is used as a hotel now. In the sanctuary you can even see wild boar, black bucks, the majestic sand grouse, nilgai and chinkara.
The Gajner Palace, a summer retreat of the kings, stands on the bank of the lake and has been converted into a hotel.
Bhandeshwar Jain Temples
This temples were built during the 16th century, dedicated to 23rd Tirthankar Parshvanathji. The temples have some intricate carvings. Lakshminathji, Ratan Biharji, Shiv Bari and Nagnechiji temple are other shrines located in Bikaner. 40 kms from here is another famous temple of the Bhaironji temple at Kodamesar.
Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum
It is the best Rajasthan museum, having one of the richest collections of terracotta ware, weapons, miniature paintings of Bikaner school and coins. The exhibits are splendid masterpieces of Harappan civilization, Gupta and Kushan era and sculptures of the late classical time.
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