Bikaner At A Glance
If Ever Beauty Has Bloomed In A Desert, It Has Been At Bikaner.bikaner Was Founded In 1488 By Rao Bika, A Descendant Of Jodha, Jodhpur’s Founder, And Was Another Important Staging Post On The Great Caravan Trade Routes. When The British Arrived Centuries Later, The State Of Bikaner Exchanged Its Finest Camels For Its Freedom. Bikaner Is A Vibrant, Dust-swirling Desert Town With A Fabulous Fort, A Refreshing Outpost Feel And A Burgeoning Tourist Trade. Bikaner Retains The Medieval Grandeur That Permeates The City’s Lifestyle. More Readily Called The Camel Country; The City Is Distinguished For The Best Riding Camels In The World And Hence Boasts Of Having One Of The Largest Camel Researches And Breeding Farm In The World. The Ship Of The Desert Is An Inseparable Part Of Life Here. 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, Created With Delicacy In Reddish-pink Sandstone, Bear Testimony To Its Rich Historical And Architectural Legacy. Surging Lanes, Colourful Bazaars With Bright And Cheerful Folks Make Bikaner An Interesting Experience To Explore.
| Area | 500 sq. km |
| Population | 6.44 lakhs |
| Winter Temperature | 2.0 oC |
| Summer Temperature | 49oC |
| Best Time to Visit | October to June |
Junagarh Fort
The Fort Was Built By Raja Rai Singh, The Sixth Ruler Of Bikaner Who Reigned From 1571 To 1612. Rai Singh Had Conquered Part Of Marwar And Had Been Granted Territory In Gujurat And Burhanpur By The Mughal Emperor Akbar As A Reward For His Services As Military Commander. This, As Well As Funding From Jodhpur, Enabled Him To Build The Fort. Rai Singh Held High Rank In The Imperial Courts Of Both Akbar And His Successor, Jehangir. During His Imperial Service He Travelled Extensively, Giving Him An Appreciation Of Art And Architecture. These Ideas Have Been Incorporated Meticulously Into The Architectural Style Of Junagarh Fort.
Bhandasar Jain Temple
Out Of The 27 Beautiful Jain Temples Adorning The Landscape Of Bikaner City, This Temple Dedicated To The Fifth Tirthankara, Sumatinath, Is Considered To Be The Most Beautiful And Also The Highest. This Temple Was Built By A Jain Merchant, Bhanda Shah. The Foundation Of This Temple Was Filled By Pure Ghee And Dry Coconuts. This Temple Is Mainly Famous For Wall Paintings And Usta Art. The Temple Is Built Of Red Sandstone And Is Divided In Three Floors. One Can See The Skyline Of Bikaner By Climbing To The Topmost Floor Of This Temple.
Karni Mata Temple ( 30 Km)
The World Famous Shrine Of Karni Mata Can Be Found In The Town Of Deshnoke 30 Km South From Bikaner On The Road To Jodhpur. Karni Mata Is Worshiped As An Incarnation Of Goddess Durga. This Temple Is Famous For Rats Which Can Be Seen Everywhere In The Temple.
Camel Research Farm
Bikaner Is A Farm Engaged In Research On Camels. It Is Located About 8 Km From Bikaner City In Rajasthan State Of India. This Is One Of Its Kind Institutes In India. The Farm Is Complex Of Cables Stables And Enclosures And Buildings. One Can Enjoy Camel Ride Or Ice Cream Made Of Camel Milk. The Farm Permits Tourists At Certain Hours Of The Day. It Is Interesting To Watch Camel Calves Gambolling Around And Also Camels Returning From A Day Out In The Desert. It Is Also Known As Camel Breeding Farm And Was Established In 1984 By The Central Government.