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Tourist Places in Bikaner
JUNAGARH FORT
Built in 1588 by Raja Rai Singh (reigned 1571-1611), it is unusual in the senses that it was one of the few major forts of Rajasthan that was not built on a hilltop. Instead it was built on the desert plains, perhaps using the very inconspicuousness of its location as defense. Its rugged sandstone bastions and graceful pavilions and balconies are silhouetted against the sky. As you entered through the main gateway Suraj Pol, you can see the twin statues of the fort's guardians, Jaimal and Patta, the warrior-heroes of Chittorgarh's defense. Beyond this lies a complex of splendid palaces, each one built by a different ruler over the centuries .The last portions were added on as recently as 1943. CHANDRA MAHAL AND PHUL MAHAL
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Junagarh
Fort is one of the most interesting forts in Rajasthan. Its
sumptuously decorated interiors are much better preserved than in
almost any other in the region Wandering through the halls of its
palace complex you can easily imagine what life must have been like in
those medieval times.
Inside
of Chandra Mahal
The
Lallgarh Palace
Around the
turn of the 20th century Maharaja Ganga Singh decided
that it was time to move out of Junagarh Fort and build
a modern palace that more clearly reflected the
progressive new character of his kingdom. The result was
the impressive Lallgarh palace. It took twenty-four
years to complete, from 1902 to 1926.
Havelies
in Bikaner
During medieval times, Bikaner became a
haven for rich traders and bankers who felt safe here, in the
desert, from the turmoil that frequently swept across north
India. Several of them left their families and their wealth in
Bikaner, as they establish their business elsewhere. That is
the origin of the town's beautiful old havelies or mansions
which date back to the 17th century. These handsome sandstone
buildings often multistoried have ornately carved lattice
screens, balconies and balustrades.
The windows made from solid wood, bound with iron bands,
constant graphically with the delicacy of the carved purple
sandstone.
The
Camel Farm in Bikaner
The camels of
Bikaner played a major role in the history of the kingdom,
contributing greatly to its economy, as well as its defence, over
the centuries. The camel breeding farm set amid rolling sand
dunes, was formed in 1960 to produce superior strains of camels.
One of the efforts at the farm, interestingly is to breed camels
with longer, thicker eyelashes, which offer greater protection in
sandstorms Bikaner camels have traditionally been renowned for
their heavy load-carrying capacity. The camel farm breeds camels
both for domestic haulage as well as, even today, for military
use. The Indian army still boasts a crack Camel Corps,
indispensable for desert warfare. It traces its origin back to the
Ganga Risala regiment, raised by Maharaja Ganga Singh in the late
19th century. The regiment's temperament beasts were so superbly
trained that a member of a visiting Viceroy's party to Bikaner in
the 1920's on seeing a guard of honour, noted that the camels were
"immovable, as if carved out of gray granite".
A
Passage inside Lalniwas
The
armor of Raja Anup Singh
Ganga Niwas a great pink sandstone hall, its walls
entirely carved with delicate tracery and scroll-work, was
maharajas Ganga Singh's contribution to Junagarh Palace in
the early 20th century. Once used as the Diwan-i-Am. It
now houses part of the fort museum.Here you can see an
exotic array of antique Rajput weaponry, from jade-handled
daggers to ivory inlaid muskets. Also unexpectedly, a
World War One biplane in here. Other interesting items in
the museum collection are an eclectic collection of royal
costumes, hookahs, bric-a-brac, carpets, jewellery and the
drums of Jambhoji, the saint. The museum also contains
some beautiful examples of miniatures from the Bikaner
school, as well as illuminated
Weapons
at the museum
In Lallgarh
Palace, is a fascinating little museum, filled with the
sundry possessions of the later Maharajas, everything from
a 1921 model simplex movie projector to the British like
soldiers that some little Bikaner prince used to play with
once can be found here. You must not miss this place if
want to get a feel of the past.
An
inside view of Anup Mahal
Built in
1669, it has a magnificent coronation room with ornately
lacquered walls in red and gold and panels of dazzling
colored glass inlay set over a throne. The marble
columns are covered with delicate paint work, and the
entire effect is simply breathtaking. Do not miss the
small side chambers with its aquamarine blue walls,
richly with gold leaf. Another notable feature is the
revolutionary absence of columns to support the ceiling,
which accounts for the narrowness of the hall. As you go
upstairs, you come to Gaj Mandir and, right at the
summit, the breezy Chhattar Niwas Built in the 1880. It
has walls decorated with English plated bearing old
prints of "Oriental Field Sports".
