An
Overview of Bikaner :
Located on the north of the state Rajasthan, the camel country Bikaner is
one of the three main destinations of the desert circuit cities of
Rajasthan. It was founded by the Rathore prince Rao Bikaji a descendant of
founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodhaji. During medieval period the city was an
important trading route to the West Asian countries. The city is popular in
all over world for its best riding camels and architectural wealth lying in
its marvelous forts, palaces and temples.
Climate of Bikaner :
Due to its proximity to the desert, the city experiences a hot and humid
climate with high temperature difference. During summer the average
temperature varies between 48 and 28 degrees C and it winter it is between
22 and 4 degrees C. In monsoon the city receives an average rainfall of
about 26-46 cms.
Tourist Attractions of Bikaner :
» Junagarh Fort - Built by Raja Rai Singh between
1588 to 1593, the fort complex was bounded by a 986 meter long wall with two
entrances. The Suraj Pol is the main entrance to the fort. There are several
palaces within the fort complex including Chandra Mahal, Phool Mahal, Rang
Mahal and Ganga Mahal. Paintings, mirrors, marble carvings are the major
attractions of these palace. The museum inside the complex has a collection
of valuable objects. The fort is open daily from 10 AM to 4.30 PM.
» Lallgarh Palace - This architectural beauty of
red sandstone was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh in 1902, in the memory of
his father Maharaja Lal Singh. The entire palace complex was built by Sir
Swinton Jacob and is a blend of Rajput, Muslim and European style
architecture. Its intricate carvings on red sandstone is the prime feature
of its craftsmanship. The palace complex also houses a museum named the Shri
Sadul museum with a rich collection of armory, paintings, portraits and
various other antique objects. A part of the palace has now converted into a
heritage hotel runs by the Rajasthan Tourist Development Corporation(RTDC).
It is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM except Sundays.
» Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum - Run by the
Government of Rajasthan, this museum was established in 1937 on the eve of
the golden jubilee celebration of Maharaja Ganga Singh. It has a rich
collection of local art & crafts, sculpture, terracotta, armory,
miniature paintings and several historical records in terms of Mughal
Farmans. It is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM except Friday and all gazetted
holidays.
Camel Research Centre - Established in the year 1984,
this research centre conducts applied research for improvement of camel
breeding. It remains open daily from 2.30 PM to 5.30 PM for the visitors.
» Camel Festival - Celebrated every year in the
month of January, the Camel Festival is organized by the Department of
Tourism, Art & Culture Government of Rajasthan. Folk dances, music,
decorated camel procession, camel races, camel dances and various other
interesting cultural performances are the prime features of this festival.
Getting to Bikaner :
»
By Air - The nearest airport service is at Jodhpur at a distance of 240
km.
» By Rail - Indian Railway connects Bikaner with
all the major destinations of Rajasthan & other parts of north India.
Also the luxury heritage train “Palace on Wheels” covers the city
in its week long tour.
» By Road - Bikaner is well connected by road to
some of the major cities of Rajasthan and nearby states.
» By Local Transport - Taxis and auto rickshaws are
the major modes of local transport.
