Bikaner City Travel Guide -
Rajasthan
General Information Of
Bikaner
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Area 165.75 sq. km
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Population 4,16,289
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Altitude 237 metres above
sea level
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Languages Rajasthani,
Hindi, English
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STD Code 0151
Best time to visit November–February
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Introduction to city Bikaner - In
Rajasthan
Bikaner, situated in the northern part of Rajasthan, was founded
in 1488 by a descendant of the founder of Jodhpur named Rao
Bhikaji. Like Jaisalmer, this town was an important city on the
great caravan trade route during the medieval period. The city
is surrounded by high fortifications comprising a seven-kilometre
long wall which encircles the old city and has five
entrances—all constructed in the 18th century.
The city of Bikaner has seen several ups and downs in its
eventful history. Its proximity to Delhi made it bear the brunt
of Mughal invasions time and again. Legend has it that before
embarking on his campaign, Rao Bhikaji sought the blessings of
mystic Goddess Karni at Deshnoke. Since then the Karni Mata
temple in Deshnoke continued to be patronized by the ruling
family. Today hundreds of pilgrims flock the temple everyday to
invoke the blessings of the Goddess, who is revered as an
incarnation of Goddess Durga.
Bikaner is also called the camel country, being renowned for the
best riding camels in the world. It is also the birthplace of
the world famous Bikaneri bhujia and namkeen (a salted snack
made of lentils).
Being a desertscape, the summers are very hot in Bikaner. The
best time to visit this place is in winters when the weather
remains cool and tolerable.
Sightseeing : Places to visit in destination - Bikaner
Bikaner offers several attractions to the tourists besides, of
course, the exotic camel safaris. You can visit the majestic
forts or go to the Mata Karni temple where rats are
considered sacred and worshipped. The camel festival held in the
month of January is also an event worth witnessing. Some of the
major attractions around the city are Junagarh Fort,
Lalgarh Palace, Camel Breeding Farm, Gajner Palace, Deshnoke
Temple and Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum.
Bikaner Sightseeing : Places
to visit in destination Bikaner
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Places to visit in the city Bikaner |
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JUNAGARH FORT - Bikaner
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The Junagarh Fort, built by Rai Singh between 1588 and
1593, has a 986-metre-long wall with 37 bastions, a moat
and two entrances. Situated at a height of above seven
hundred feet above sea level, it towers over the city and
can be seen from a distance. The fort and its palaces are
profusely decorated with magnificent stone carvings. The
major buildings within the fort include the Anup Mahal,
Diwan-e-Khas, Hawa Mahal, Badal Mahal, Chandra Mahal,
Phool Mahal, Rang Mahal, Dungar Mahal, and Ganga Mahal.
The Chandra Mahal has remarkable frescoes. Beautiful
mirror work adorns the walls of Phool Mahal while golden
pen work decorates the Anup Mahal. |
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LALGARH PALACE - Bikaner
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Built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in memory of his father, the
Lalgarh Palace is situated 3 km north of Bikaner city.
Designed by Sir Swinton Jacob, the palace is quite
imposing with overhanging balconies and delicate
latticework. Peacocks and blooming bougainvillea in the
garden welcome the visitor to the palace. To promote
tourism, the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation has
converted a portion of this palace into a hotel.
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CAMEL RESEARCH AND BREEDING
FARM - Bikaner
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Eight kilometres from Bikaner, the government-managed
Camel Research and Breeding Farm is only one of its kinds
in Asia. The farm carries out breeding and training of
camels. |
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GAJNER PALACE - Bikaner
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The place located on the bank of the lake was the summer
resort of the former kings. Today it has been converted
into a hotel. |
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DESHNOKE TEMPLE - Bikaner
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Thirty kilometres south of Bikaner is the village of
Deshnoke, where the famous Mata Karni Temple is situated.
The 600-year-old temple is dedicated to Karni Mata, an
incarnation of Goddess Durga. The temple has huge
intricately carved silver gates donated by Maharaja Ganga
Singh.
The temple plays host to thousands of rats that form the
major attraction here. The rats are considered sacred and
worshipped accordingly. You have to be very careful while
entering the inner sanctum, because it is believed that if
you accidentally step on a rat, a gold replica has to be
made to compensate for the lost life.
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Bikaner Excursion : Places
nearby Bikaner - Rajasthan
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Places to visit nearby destination - Bikaner |
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Devi Kund
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Eight kilometres east of Bikaner lies Devi Kund, the site
of a royal crematorium with several ornamented cenotaphs
or chhatris built in the memory of the Bika dynasty
rulers. The white marble chhatri of Maharaja Surat Singh
is very imposing. |
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Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary
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Just 32 kilometres from Bikaner, the Gajner Wildlife
Sanctuary is home to a variety of wild animals. The
adjoining lake that reflects the charming pink sandstone
palace and gardens contrasts so effectively with the
surrounding scrubland where black back, chital, sambhar,
chinkara, nilgai, wild boar, rabbits, partridges, quail,
and Indian bustard abound, that you wonder if it/’s real,
or a desert mirage. From the paved terrace, you see jungle
animals come down to the water for a drink. This lake
attracts millions of migratory birds in winter. The
Maharajah of Bikaner held house parties for shooting
grouse, duck, and wild boar here. |
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