Bikaner- the royal fortified city, stands on a slightly raised ground, and is circumscribed by a 7 km long embattled wall with five gates. The magnificent forts and palaces created with delicacy in reddish-pink sandstone bears testimony to its rich cultural heritage. Bikaner, more popularly called the camel country is renowned for the best riding camels in the world.
General Information
Area: 18 sq. km
Altitude: 237 meters
Climate:Max.Min.
Summer41.80C280C
Winter23.20C100C
Best Season: October to March
S.T.D Code: 0151
TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION
AirNearest Airport is Jodhpur 253 km connected by Indian Airlines .
Rail: Bikaner is connected with Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jammu Tawi & Haridwar.
Train
Dep. (Sarai Rohella/Delhi) Arr. (Bikaner)
4791(Bikaner Mail) 21.15 hrs. 08.15 hrs.
4709(Bikaner Link Exp) 23.00 hrs. 10.05 hrs.
4789(Bikaner Exp) 08.50 hrs. 19.20 hrs.
Road: Good motorable roads connect Bikaner with Delhi 510 km, Jaipur 316 km, Jodhpur 240 km and Jaisalmer 335 km and Pushkar 246 km..
LOCAL TRANSPORT
Auto Rickshaws, Tonga’s and Un-metered Taxis available.
FESTIVALS
Camel Festival: The festival brings to life the desert town to full life with its spell binding display of the desert life. Various camel contests are also held.
Karni Mata Fair: Is celebrated twice a year at the Deshnok during the Navratras in April/ May & Oct/ Nov.
Gangaur: Begins a day after the Holi is 18 days long festival.
Kapil Muni Fair, Kolayat: On the full moon day of the month of Kartik the sacred lake of Kolayat becomes the venue of the fair held in the honour of Kapil Muni. A cattle fair also collaborate the event.
PLACES OF INTEREST
Junagarh Fort -- 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.
Lalgarh Palace -- 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.
Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum -- One of the best museums in Rajasthan, the Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum has one of the richest collections of terracotta ware, weapons, miniature paintings of Bikaner school and coins dating back to Harappan civilization and Gupta and Kushan era.
Raj Ratan Bihari and Rasik Shiromani Temple -- These temples are situated inside the Ratan Bihari Park on the northern side of KEM road. Built in early 19th cent by Ratan Singuji and Sardar Singuji. They are of red sandstone and constructed in a mansion style of architecture.
EXCURSIONS
BhandShah Jain Temple (5 km) -- A Jain temple at Bikaner in Rajasthan: 16th century temples dedicated to Adinath and Parasvanath.
Camel Research Farm (8 km) -- 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.
Devi Kund (8 km) -- 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.
Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary (32 km) -- 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.
Shiv Bari Temple (6 km) -- Built in the 19th century by Maharaja Doongar Singhji, the temple is encircled by a high wall. Beautiful paintings and a Nandi Bull facing the Shiva Lingam are the attractions of the temple.
Deshnok’s Karni Mata Temple (30 km) -- Near Bikaner in Rajasthan: Marble carvings and a silver door adorn this temple where rats are cared for and fed & worshipped.
Kalibanga (205 km) -- Long before recorded history, many thousands of years ago, there was a city on the banks of a river called Saraswati. Agriculture flourished here, as did commerce and the industries of pottery, iron and beads. And then, the mighty river changed its course and finally dried up due to the immensity of the encroaching desert. The winds of change buried the city under the sands of time and for the next four thousand years or more, it lay entombed below the dunes as millenniums slipped silently by on the hot desert surface. And the ancient city was forever lost to memory. And then one day in 1962 it was rediscovered as much by accident as by design. After nearly 5000 years it was dug out from the womb of the earth near sand bound village in north Rajasthan called Kalibanga.
Kolayatji (50 Km) -- A sacred spot, dedicated to Kapil Muni. The temple here is the venue for a fair in the month of Kartik (Oct.- Nov.), attracting thousands of pilgrims. Kolayat is an idyllic picnic spot as well.
Wood Fossils: Are exibited at Maruti Vyamshala near Jassusar has a collection from the Bikaner area. Time to vistis 1630 to 1830 Hrs.
Katariasar- Rural Tourism Site: (48Km) North-East of Bikaner is the seat of sect of Guru Sh. Jashnathji who performed penance here for 550yrs ago a fair is held thrice a year. The place has also holds a Cattle Fair and one day camel Festival in the month of January.
Mokam - A Religious site (78 km). It’s a village very sacred for the bishnoi community where the remains of the Jambeshwarji founder of the Bishnoi sect are deposited.
i really wish all the indians to at least visit once in life this beautiful and simple city of Rajasthan.