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Gujarat
seaports. While other cities of Rajasthan are rich in
lakes and havellis, Bikaner seems quite bare in
that respect. Bikaner is famous
for its superb fort, camel safaris and Karni Mata temple. In
this temple thousands of holy rats are worshipped. Hindi,
Rajasthani, Marwari and English are the common languages which
are spoken here. The climate in Bikaner is temperate. In
Summers the temperature is not too hot. It is around 41.8º
Celsius and in winters it is around 5º Celsius.
History of Bikaner
A Rajput prince Rao Bika ji who was the descendent of Rao
Jodha Ji, the founder of Jodhpur established his kingdom in
Bikaner in 1459 AD. Bika Ji chose a barren land called "Jungladesh"
and shaped it into an impressive city called Bikaner. Ever
since the foundation of Bikaner till its accession into Indian
Union in 1947 A.D. and after it's integration in Rajasthan
state in 1949 AD, Bikaner has played a notable role in the
history of Rajasthan. Bikaner has produced several able
Generals and warriors and distinguished rulers like Raja Rai
Singh and Raja Anup Singh. Bikaner has many magnificent
buildings made of reddish pink sandstone that transcends the
surrounding barren wilderness.
Festivals in Bikaner
Camel festival is celebrated in Bikaner, an enchanting desert
city and the only camel breeding farm in the country in the
month of January. It is the most popular festival of
Rajasthan. During this festival there are camel races and
camel dances. Music and dance of Rajasthan also adds charm to
this festival. There are also several unusual folk
performances, and you may also experience the rare fire dance
in the night.
Tourist Attractions in Bikaner
The main tourist attraction in Bikaner are Junagarh fort and
Lalgarh Palace. Junagarh Fort was built between 1571 to 1611
AD. This fort was constructed of red sandstone and marble with
kiosks and balconies embellishing the structure at intervals.
Lalgarh palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh and designed
by Sir Swinton Jacob. It is an outstanding architectural
marvel of magical fusion of Rajputana, European and Mughal
building styles. Stone crafted pillars, Italian colonnades,
spacious lounges, regal halls and profusely carved fire places
at the imposing Lalgarh Palace in Bikaner transport you back
in time to an incomparably lavish royal era.
More...
How to reach Bikaner
By Air:
The nearest airport to Bikaner is Jodhpur which is about 247
km away.
By Rail:
Bikaner is on the meter gauge network of the western Railways.
It has convenient connections from Delhi and Jodhpur.
Air-conditioned coaches are attached to Delhi trains.
By Road:
Bikaner is well connected by road to the various cities in
Rajasthan. Regular bus service operates between Bikaner and
major cities like Jaipur, Kota, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur
and Ajmer. Rajasthan Roadways run daily deluxe coaches between
Jaipur and Bikaner. |
