|
Junagarh
Fort
Constructed between 1588
and 1593 by Raja Rai Singh, one of the most trusted and able general
in the army of the Mughal emperor, Akbar - the fort has a 986 m
long wall with 37 bastions to guard the fort, a moat and two entrances.
The Suraj
Pol, or Sun Gate, is the main entrance to the fort. Inside the palace,
one can find a gathering of 37 palaces, temples and pavilions that
exemplify the red marble-stone construction. The palaces have exquisitely
carved windows, balconies, towers and kiosks.
The palaces
inside are located on the southern side and make a picturesque ensemble
of courtyards, balconies, kiosks, towers and windows. A major feature
of this fort and its palaces is the superb quality of the stone
carving - rivals the best anywhere in the world.
Among
places of interest are the Chandra Mahal, or Moon Palace, with paintings,
mirrors and carved marble panels. The Phool Mahal, or Flower Palace,
is also decorated with glass and mirrors.
Then
there is Karn Mahal, built to commemorate a notable victory over
the Mughal Aurangzeb.
The Durga
Niwas is a beautifully painted courtyard while the Ganga Niwas,
another large courtyard, has a finely carved red sandstone front.
The multi-storied
Anup Mahal was the governance chambers for the rulers. The beautifully
maintained rooms now display the treasures of the Royal family.
Other
palaces include the Hawa Mahal, Rang Mahal, Bijai Mahal, Badal Mahal
and Anup Mahal. The contents include the usual Rajput weapon collection,
not to mention an old WWI biplane presented to Ganga Singh by the
British.
Har Mandir
is the royal temple, dedicated to Lord Siva. The fort museum has
an extensive collection of illuminated manuscripts, jewellery, jars
and carpets, arms and weapons, treaties, decorations and the 'Farmans'.
The fort
is open is open from 10 am to 4.30 pm and is closed on Fridays.
Entry is Rs 50 and there’s a Rs 25 camera charge, Rs 100 for a video.
A guide is included in this price.
Lalgarh
Palace
About three km north of t he
city centre, this red sandstone palace was built by Maharaja Ganga
Singh (1881-1942) in memory of his father Maharaja Lal Singh and
displays a magnificent blend of Oriental and European style.
It’s
a grand building with overhanging balconies and delicate latticework.
Its terraced lawns and the Bougainvillea bushes add beauty to the
palace. Peacocks stroll around the palace which has been partly
converted into a hotel.
The palace
museum, Shri Sadul Museum covers the entire first floor of the palace.
It has an assortment of exhibits, including personal possessions
of former Bikaner rulers, old photos depicting royal hunts, and
an extraordinary collection of the former maharaja’s personal possessions
- golf tees, camera, clothes, books, earplugs and even his electric
toothbrush.
The library
of the palace is supposed to have the largest collection of original
Sanskrit manuscripts on parchments, copper and gold or silver plaques.
The palace museum also displays well preserved hunting trophies
and old photographs.
The museum
is open daily except Wednesdays from 10 am to 5 pm; entry is Rs.5.
Photography is not allowed.
Ganga
Golden Jubilee Museum
This small museum
has a large collection of pre-Harappan, Gupta, Kushan pottery. The
rich collection of pottery, carpets, paintings, armoury and coins
make this museum one of the best in Rajasthan. The Bikaneri miniatures
which are displayed in a sepetrate section for local arts, makes
visit to the museum a must.
Other
Attractions
The narrow smelly streets
of the old city conceal a number of old havelis and a couple of
notable Jain temples. The Bhandasar and Sandeshwar temples date
from around the 15th century. The temples have colourful wall paintings
and some intricate carving.
The Ganga
Golden Jubilee Museum houses an interesting collection of sculpture,
terracotta ware, coins, paintings, musical instruments and weapons.
It’s open daily except Friday from 10 am to 4.30 pm and there’s
small entry fee.
Excursions
Gajner Wild Life Sanctuary:
32 Km on the Jaisalmer
road is located the Gajner wild life sanctuary and are inhabited
by wildfowl as well as a number of deer and antelope. One can easily
spot a Blue Bull, Chinkara, Black Buck or flocks of Sand Grouse
and Wild Boar living in the sanctuary. Imperial sand grouse migrate
here in winter. Wooded hills and lakes surround the lush green forest.
Gajner Palace
Hotel is the erstwhile royal summer palace and is ideally situated
on the banks of a lake. It’s an impressive building made of red
sandstone and is set in serene surroundings. Horse/jeep safaris
can also be arranged.
Bhand Sagar Temple
The 16th century Jain
temple to the 23rd tirthankar, Parasvanath, is the most important
of the complex. Other include the Chintamani Temple of 1505 and
the Adinath Temple. There is a fine view of the city wall and surrounding
countryside from the park behind the temple.
Devi Kund
8 km east of Bikaner,
this is the site of the royal chhatris (cenotaphs) of many of the
Bika dynasty rulers. The white marble chhatri of Maharaja surat
Singh is among the most imposing.
Camel Breeding Farm
This government-managed
camel breeding station, eight km from Bikaner, is probably unique
in Asia. There are hundreds of camels here and it's a great sight
in late afternoon as the camels come back after grazing. The British
army had a camel crops drawn from Bikaner during World War One.
The farm
is open Monday to Friday and every second Saturday from 3 to 5 pm.
Entry is free and photography is not allowed. Camel rides are reasonably
priced and one can find most auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers on the
lookout for tourists to take to the camel farm. However, beware
and bargain hard to save your money.
Deshnok
Deshnok is 30km from
Bikaner along the Jodhpur road and houses the Karni Mata Temple
dedicated to Karni Mata, an incarnation of Durga and known for its
devotion to rats. The temple has silver doors and marble carvings
donated by Maharaja Ganga Singh. Once inside, you fall into the
rats domain, hoping that some will scamper over your feet – most
auspicious.
Little boys
sometimes pick them up by their tails and let them perch on your
shoulders. Devotees buy prasad to offer to the rats, finishing off
anything thay may leave. Keep your eyes peeled for a white rat –
it’s considered good fortune if you spot one.
Eating prasad
that has been salivated over by these holy rats also brings great
fortune, but is not recommended for wimpish western constitutions.
The temple
is open from 4 am to 10 pm and there’s a Rs.10 camera charge, Rs.25
for a video.
There are buses
every 15 minutes from Bikaner. Taxi drivers don’t seem keen to make
this journey. You’ll have to bargain hard for the round trip and
this goes a little higher taken into consideration the waiting time
at the temple which is around half an hour at bare minimum.
Kalibangan:
One of the major excavation sites
of the Harappan civilisation, it houses emmence treasure of our
past and is of particular interest to archaeology enthusiasts.
Kolayat:
54 Kms from Bikaner, it
is a picnic spot.
Devi Kund:
8 Kms from Bikaner, is this
royal crematorium with a number of cenotaphs. The chhatri of Maharaja
Surat Singh is most imposing. One cannot miss the spectacular Rajput
paintings on the ceilings.
Bhandeshwar & Sandeshwar
Temples:
Five Kms from the city these
temples are the oldest surviving monuments of aesthetic heritage.
These were built by two brothers and the temples carry their names.
The mirror work and the gold leaf paintings in the temple are noteworthy.
The temples are dedicated to 23rd Jain teerthankar, Parasvanathji.
|
