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Bikaner is a desert city in the Thar region of northwest Rajasthan, India, famous for the mighty Junagarh Fort, its red sandstone palaces and the nearby Karni Mata Temple, home to thousands of holy rats. Founded in 1488 by the Rathore prince Rao Bika, it grew rich on the caravan routes and was the capital of the princely state of Bikaner.
Junagarh Fort, built from 1589 under Raja Rai Singh, is one of the few great Rajasthan forts not set on a hill, and its palaces are lavishly painted and mirrored. Maharaja Ganga Singh later built Lalgarh Palace, with Laxmi Niwas Palace beside it, and the lakeside Gajner Palace outside town. The walled old city hides the carved Rampuria Havelis and the frescoed Bhandasar Jain Temple.
Camels are central to life here: the National Research Centre on Camel breeds them on the edge of the city, and the Bikaner Camel Festival celebrates them each January. Day trips lead to Deshnoke, Kolayat and the royal cenotaphs of Devi Kund Sagar. October to March is the best time to visit.
Junagarh Fort is the great fortress of Bikaner, built between 1589 and 1594 under Raja Rai Singh, and one of the few major Rajasthan forts not set on a hilltop. Behind its moat and walls lie richly decorated palaces such as Anup Mahal and Phool Mahal, and a museum of arms, robes and royal treasures.
Lalgarh Palace in Bikaner was built between 1902 and 1926 for Maharaja Ganga Singh in the Indo-Saracenic style, designed by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob. Carved from red sandstone, it blends Rajput, Mughal and European touches, and part of it now houses a museum and a heritage hotel.
Laxmi Niwas Palace is part of the Lalgarh Palace complex in Bikaner, a red sandstone royal residence built for Maharaja Ganga Singh in the early 20th century. Now a luxury heritage hotel, it is known for its finely carved facades, ornate halls and courtyards, where princes and viceroys once stayed.
Gajner Palace stands on the bank of a lake about 30 kilometres from Bikaner, a former royal hunting lodge of the Bikaner rulers inside the Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary. Built of red sandstone with delicate carved balconies, it is now a heritage hotel where deer, antelope and birds gather by the water.
Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke, about 30 kilometres south of Bikaner, is famous worldwide as the Temple of Rats, home to thousands of rats revered as holy kaba. Devotees offer them milk and sweets, spotting a rare white rat is thought lucky, and the marble facade has ornate silver doors.
Bhandasar Jain Temple in Bikaner is a Svetambara Jain temple built by the merchant Bhanda Shah and dedicated to Sumatinatha, the fifth tirthankara. Its interior is covered with colourful wall paintings, gold leaf and mirror work, and legend says ghee was mixed into the mortar of its foundations.
Kolayat is a pilgrimage town about 50 kilometres southwest of Bikaner, built around a sacred lake linked to the sage Kapil Muni. Its marble ghats and temples line the water, and the great fair at Kartik Purnima each autumn draws thousands of pilgrims, who bathe in the lake and float lamps at dusk.
Devi Kund Sagar is the royal cremation ground of the Bikaner rulers, about 8 kilometres east of the city, set beside a large water tank. Its cluster of domed chhatris, or cenotaphs, built in red sandstone and white marble, honours generations of maharajas and queens with fine stone carving.
The Rampuria Havelis are a group of grand merchant mansions in Bikaner's walled old city, built in red sandstone for the wealthy Rampuria family. Their facades are covered with intricate carvings, jharokha balconies and decorative windows, making the lanes around them one of the best walks in town.
The National Research Centre on Camel lies about 8 kilometres from Bikaner and is one of the few institutes in the world devoted to camels. Visitors can see herds of different breeds, watch them return from grazing in the evening, visit a small museum and taste camel milk products at its parlour.
Ganga Government Museum in Bikaner was founded in 1937 by Maharaja Ganga Singh and is one of the leading museums in Rajasthan. Its galleries hold Harappan and Gupta-era finds, terracotta, sculptures, miniature paintings, carpets and arms, giving an overview of the history and crafts of the region.
The Bikaner Camel Festival is held each January in Bikaner, organised by Rajasthan Tourism to celebrate the ship of the desert. Decorated camels parade through the city, and there are camel races, dances, folk music and contests, ending with fire dancing and fireworks under the desert sky.
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