Bikaner The royal fortified city with a timeless appeal. Lying in the north of the Desert State, the city is dotted with many sand dunes. Bikaner retains the medieval splendor that pervades the city's lifestyle More popularly called the camel country, the city is renowned for the best riding camels in the world.

The ship of the desert is an inseparable part of life here. Be it pulling heavy carts, transporting grains or working on wells. Camels are the prime helpers. Lying in the north of the desert state, the city is dotted with scores of sand dunes. 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 research and breeading farm in the world.

The ship of the desert is an inseparable part of life here. A camel besides doing transportation duties, also works on wells. These are built on high plinths with slender minarets on each of the four corners and can be noticed even from a distance. The history of Bikaner dates back to 1488 when a Rathore prince, Rao Bikaji founded his kingdom. Bikaji was one the five sons of Rao Jodhaji the illustrious founder of Jodhpur. But Rao Bikaji was the most adventurous of them.

It is said that an insensitive remark from his father about his whispering in the Durbar provoked Bikaji to set up his own kingdom towards the north of Jodhpur. The barren wilderness called Jangladesh became his focus point and he transformed it to an impressive city. He accomplished his task with 100 cavalry horses and 500 soldiers, and established his kingdom on 84 villages abandoned by the 'Shankhlas'. When Bikaji died in 1504 his rule had extended to over 3000 villages.

Modern Bikaner is the result of the foresight of its most eminent ruler Maharaja Ganga Singh (1887 1943) whose reformative zeal set the pace for Bikaner transformation from a principality to a premier princely state. The strategic location of Bikaner on the ancient caravan routes that came from West/Central Asia made it a prime trade centre in those times.

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.

Tourist Destination
Junagarh Fort: Raised by Rai Singh during the period of 1588 to 1593, the Junagarh Fort has a 986 m long wall with 37 bastions, a moat and two entrances. It massive structure is very prominent in the city and can be seen from a distance. Its most unusual feature is that it was built at ground level and not on high ground. The fort and its palaces are elaborately defined with magnificent stone carvings. The major attractions within the fort contains the Anup Mahal, Diwan-e-Khas, Hawa Mahal, Badal Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Phool Mahal, Rang Mahal, Dungar Mahal, and Ganga Mahal.

Lalgarh Palace:
The Lalgarh Palace built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the memory of his father is an architectural splendour in red sandstone. It is situated 3 kms north of Bikaner city. Designed by Sir Swinton Jacob, it has beautiful latticework and filigree work in sandstone. The palace is quite entirely imposing with overhanging balconies and delicate latticework. The gardens with wandering peacocks and blooming bougainvillea welcome the visitors to the palace.

Temples:
The temple of Karni Devi is the most significant one as it is dedicated to the family deity of the royal house of Bikaner. The Bhandeshwar and Sandeshwar Jain Temples are dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parsavnathji. Built in the 16th century by two brothers whose names they bear, these temples are distinct for their colourful murals and the abundant use of gold leaf and mirrors.

Bhandeshwar Jain Temple:
Dedicated to the 23rd Jain Tirthankara, Parsavnathji, the temple was built in 16th century. The temple is the oldest monument of Bikaner. The temple is decorated with rich mirror work and gold leaf paintings.

Shopping in Bikaner
Bikaner shopping destinations are a shopper's paradise. They have something to offer to everyone. The best time to shop in Bikaner is during the Camel Festival. You can ride on a camel and shop for the local crafts in the numerous stalls put there. Apart from that, the other famous shopping places in Bikaner, Rajasthan are Kote Gate (King Edward Memorial Road) and Junagarh Fort. The most famous shopping items of Bikaner are the camel leather products consisting of camel leather shoes, camel leather chairs, camel fur rugs, camel leather belts, bags, wallets, miniature paintings on camel hides.