BIKANER

BIKANER - RAJASTHAN TRAVEL GUIDE

INTRODUCTION

This desert city of Rajasthan (India’s north-western province) is an eye-catching site of well-fed camels and citadels. Being near to Delhi, it had to withstand the worst of Mughal invasions during earlier times. The exotic camel safaris, its gorgeous forts and the worship of thousands of holy rats at Mata Kali temple are some of the most interesting aspects of Bikaner. The camel festival held in the month of January is also an event worth witnessing if one wants to get the actual color of the place.

Location

Bikaner is situated in the north of Rajasthan. The city, just like Jodhpur, is surrounded by great walls. It has Ganganagar and Hanumangarh in its northern side whereas Churu lies in its eastern side. Nagaur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer are in its south while in the western part it has the neighboring country Pakistan. It is situated on a slightly higher place (altitude 237 meters) and has an arid climate most of the year. Due to the geographic location of the city, it was one of the most important trade centers for the traders of west-central Asia.

History

Just like the history of the entire state, Bikaner also has its own glorious past to talk about. It has examples of courage, motivation and happiness. It was in 1488 that a Rathore Prince, Rao Bikaji (a descendant of the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodhaji), established his kingdom here. It has faced many foreign intrusions and fought a number of wars with the Mughals and the British.

How to Reach :

1.By Road :

It is also linked with the big and small cities of India by the national highways and other roadways. We would provide you all India tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the intercity drives too.

2.By Train :

Bikaner has number of train links to connect it with the major cities of India

3.By Air :

Bikaner is well connected to the nearby towns and cities of importance. Jodhpur is the nearest airport. The airport is easily accessible by road.

Best Time to Visit :

A vibrant though a desert town with amazing sights and culture, the best time to visit Bikaner is from the months of October through March, when the weather is soothingly cool and is suitable to move around for sightseeing. The summer months on the other hand are disparagingly hot with temperatures rising up to 42 degrees while the evenings are cooler with a minimum of 28 degrees. The monsoon season in the city runs from July to September but there is very little or no rainfall and the resulting weather leads to even more humidity with temperature scale swinging between 30 to 40 degrees thus not being conducive to the tourist season.

Places to Visit :

Junagarh fort was built by a Mughal army general, Raja Rai Singh, in 1593. The courtyard of the fort along with the balcony, kiosks and windows are perfect examples of the artisanship of that time. The beautiful cutworks and dots on the red stones and the marbles are fascinating. The various parts of the palace-the Dewan-iI-khas, the Phool Mahal, Hawa Mahal, Badal Mahal and Anup Mahal-reflect the glorious architecture of Bikaner.

Lalgarh Palace, built by Maharaja Ganaga Singh in memory of his father, is situated 3 km north of Bikaner city. The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation as part of their tourism promotion program has converted some portions of the palace to tourist hotels. Other parts of the palace have been converted into a museum named as the Sadul Museum to preserve the glory of the yesteryears of Rajasthan in general and Bikaner in particular.

Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum is one of the best museums of Rajasthan with some fabulous collection of antiques and artilleries.

The Bhandasar Jain Temple, dedicated to the 23rd Jain tirthankara, is also a place worth visiting.

The Camel Research Farm carries out breeding and training of camels-the only fighting force and medium of transportation in the past.