Bikaner is a city of Rajasthan State in India and is the headquarters of Bikaner District. Bikaner was founded in 1486 by Rao Bika and was the capital of the princely state of Bikaner. Today Bikaner has grown to be the fourth largest city in Rajasthan. The Ganga Canal and the Indira Gandhi Canal seem to have contributed a lot to the development of Bikaner. The population of this 38.1 Sq Km city is about 400,000. Average literacy rate of Bikaner is around 66%.
Bikaner city administration realized the importance of education in the early stages and now Bikaner has good educational infrastructure. Rajasthan Agriculture University, Engineering College Bikaner and Sardar Patel Medical College help Rajasthan produce many professionals
History: Set on yellow gold, rocky Thar soil, charming and austere Bikaner has a rich history impregnate with countless tales of valor, passion and tender love. Tour the erstwhile military bastion of courageous Rao Bika who established Bikaner in the middle of a barren land. It took more than 30 years for Rao Bika to stabilize Bikaner as there were constant attacks on the newly formed state by desert nomads.
The history of Bikaner is that of cultural splendor, arts, handicrafts, folk traditions and more. Camels have played a very important role in the history of Bikaner. In fact inspite of being located in a barren land Bikaner flourished as an important Rajasthan commercial nerve center as it lay on a busy camel caravan trade route that connected China and Central Asia to India.
When Mughal influence increased in this part of Rajasthan the Maharaja of Bikaner entered into a significant political alliance with the Mughal Emperor Akbar. This was a turning point in the history of Bikaner,(Rajasthan) as Bikaner received the protection of the Mughal army and the Mughals acquired some of the bravest warriors born on Indian soil.
When the British influence started becoming stronger in this part of Rajasthan, the state of Bikaner traded its best riding camels with the East India Company in exchange for its freedom. Bikaner became a part of the Indian Union in the post independence period Best For:
Camel festival
Forts and palaces
Desert city
Bikaner gets very hot in summers with temperatures as high as 43 °C. The highest temperature recorded was 50 °C. During winter the temperature drops down to a low of 8 °C. Bikaner is in the desert area and the rainfall is very low.
Best time to visit Bikaner is during October to February.
The acceptable form of currency is India Rupees. Bikaner is a big city and credit cards are widely accepted. However, for local conveyance and small purchases, it is better to carry cash. The Hotel where you are staying may have a money exchanger. Check with the hotel or they can guide you to the nearest money changer.
No special travel permits are required to visit Bikaner. All foreigners must have a valid Indian visa.
By Air Bikaner has one airport called Nal (Bikaner) Airport. This is basically operational only for domestic flights. This airport is about 9 Km away from Bikaner city and has a single runway, 9000 ft long. This airport can handle twenty arrivals and departures.
Though Nal (Bikaner) Airport is a military base, civil passenger airlines are allowed during the tourist season. As this Airport is small only few airline operators have flights in and out of Bikaner. One can get a connecting flight from either Mumbai or Delhi.
The other nearest Airport is in Jodhpur, 243 Kms away from Bikaner. However, Jaipur which is 321 kms away has a better airport connecting major cities in India.
By Road All major cities are well connected by roadways. Being the fourth largest city in Rajastan, road links are given importance and it is convenient to travel by road to all major cities around like Jaipur, Jaisalmer or even Delhi.
Bikaner is popular for its fairs and festivals. Karni Mata fair, Kapil Muni fair and Camel festival offer a great treat to one's eyes. Rajasthan State Government organizes the camel festival in the month of January. You can watch the camel races, fire dance by the Sidh people and various cultural activities. One can visit Bikaner during the Aksaye Tritya or "AKKHA TEEJ": the foundation day of Bikaner.
There are many tourist attractions in Bikaner. They are Junagarh Fort, Lalgarh Palace, Raj Ratan, Bihariand Rasik Siromani Temple, Laxminath Temple, Bhandasar Jain Temple, Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum, Rajasthan State Archives, Havelis, Kodamdesar Bhairav, Punrasar Temple, Baldeo Plaza, Mukam Temple etc.
Junagarh Fort was built by Raja Rai Singh who ruled Bikaner from 1571 to 1612. The architectural style of Junagarh Fort makes it worth visiting.
Lalgarh Palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh with the best of Mughal and European architectural styles between 1902 and 1926. British architect, Sir Swinton Jacob is said to be the man behind the design. This palace with magnificent pillars and intricate latticework showcases the regal touch of class. The royal family lives in a part of the palace. There is a museum -Shri Sadul Museum, a library as well as a hotel operated by the Welcome Heritage Group within this palace.
Laxmi Nath Temple is one of the oldest temples dating back to 1488. Shiv Bari Temple built in 19th century is popular for the statue of Shiva with four faces sculpted in black marble
Kolayat, which is a temple dedicated to Kapil Muni and Karni Mata Temple is a shrine of Karni Mata, who was considered as an incarnation of Goddess Durga.
Where To Eat:
Bikaner is popular for namkin. Being the fourth largest city of Rajasthan, people from many states live here and with that comes the availability of different cuisines. There are plenty of hotels along the Station Road, like Ganesh restaurant, Chappan Bhog and Amber restaurant. You can try some sweets at the Chhotu Motu Joshi Sweet Shop and Bikaneri bhujia at Agarwal Bhujiawale.
When in Rajasthan, you can try the popular Rajasthani food, a combination of dal, bati and churma.
Where To Stay:
There are many good hotels in Bikaner. One may select a hotel that suits his/her purse. There are many 3 star hotels in Bikaner. Hotel Bhanwar Niwas , Hotel Lallgarh Palace and Hotel Laxmi Niwas Palace are the higher end options available. There is a wide range of options in budget and mid range accommodation also.
There are many interesting places around Bikaner. Places worth visiting are Shiv Bari Temple, Camel Research Farm, Devi Kund Sagar, Kolayat, Karni Mata Mandir, Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary, Kalibangan, Laxmi Niwas Palace.
Camel Research Farm at Jorbeer, 10 Kms away is Bikaner is established by The Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR). This is one of its kind in Asia.
Karni Mata Temple is 45 Kms from Bikaner. This 600 year old temple has a unique custom of feeding rats. Kolayat Temple is around 50 km from Bikaner.
Devi Kund about 8 km Bikaner is the royal crematorium where a number of cenotaphs were built in the memory of Bika rulers.
Moderately recommended. Generally one or two days are sufficient to cover all the places. You may spend a day or two covering some places around Bikaner. If you are mixing business with tourism, it is worthwhile. Alternatively, extend your travel plans to visit few more places along with visiting Bikaner.
