Bikaner

Bikaner is a modern city of Rajasthan famous for its Rajput architecture in red and yellow sandstone. Bikaner was founded five centuries ago. The Mughals and the British played an important role in transforming it into a modern state. It is incredibly rich in architectural heritage which draws a lot of tourists. The Junagarh Fort is a marvel housing some of the most beautiful palaces and apartments which speaks volumes about the rich heritage of Bikaner.

Raja Rai Singh, ruler of Bikaner was the proud owner of the Junagarh Fort. It was built between 1571 -1612 AD by him. The fort is enclosed by a huge wall which seems to have been a major reason why the fort had never been captured.The architecture of the fort is a great testimony to human creativity.

The Junagarh fort complex is quite big and encompasses several stunning palaces. Some of the attractive palaces are Moon Palace, Phool (Flower) Palace, Karan Mahal, Rang Mahal and Anup Mahal.The temple inside the fort is called Har Mandir. Once it was a place of worship for the royal family. Worth a visit is a museum inside the fort. Manuscripts, jewelry, jars, carpets, weapons, treaties, decorations and the royal messages are on display here. The Lalgarh Palace, Jain Haveli, Bhandeswari Jain temple and the Gajner wildlife sanctuary are the other main draws of Bikaner.

Camel Research Center in Bikaner is one of its kind in (only one in Asia) serving as the breeding ground for camels. The farm covers an area of 2000 acres (semi arid land) and was established by Indian Council of Agricultural Research in 1984 with an aim to achieve a rise in commercial viability of breeding camels, mainly for the local people. The camels here are on sale in the cattle fairs. They are decorated beautifully before taking them to the fairs.

When you come to Bikaner do not forget to taste its spicy 'Bikaner Bhujia' and delightful sweets.

The handicrafts, leather items, marble stone statues, Kundan jewelry, precious stones fixed delicately in gold, lightweight quilts called Nokha, paintings in a signature miniature style and pretty cotton fabric with sanganeri prints and tie and dye fabrics, contribute a lot to the popularity of the city.

The Akshaye Tritya, Karni Mata fair, Kapil Muni fair and Gangaur festival are the important fairs and festivals of Bikaner and are celebrated with great fervor.