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Bikaner

A historic city which bustles with life, Bikaner, in north-west Rajasthan, has streets that are best negotiated by trishaws, tongas (horse carts) and bicycles, all of which can be hired from the railway station for under 250 rupees.

Transport

Bikaner can easily be reached by train from Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai, Agra, Punjab and other major towns. The highways in the region are mostly of a good quality, but be more careful of the rural roads in the Shekawati region. The roads from Jaisalmer, Jaipur and Jodhpur are the best in terms of quality. The nearest airport to Bikaner is Jodhpur, a 4.5 hour journey.

What to see

The ancient Junagarh Fort is a must-see for anyone interested in the history of the region; it boasts an impressive collection of weapons and ornaments from previous eras, displayed in its museum. A fort of the Bikaner royal family, Junagarh was built by Raja Rai Singh, who reigned from 1571 to 1612.

32km outside Bikaner you will find the notorious Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke. Karni Mata is a local deity who was believed to take care of the Bikaner royal family. The temple is populated by a large number of rats, who are believed by the locals to be holy.

There are several other impressive temples and palaces in the area: Gajner Palace occupies over 6000 acres and was formerly used as a hunting resort by Maharajas and British dignitaries during the days of the Raj. There is a temple to the Hindu god Shiva at Shivbari; it houses two large water reservoirs and receives thousands of visitors a year. Laxmi Niwas Palace is a grand property built by the British architect, Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, between 1902 and 1926; its style of architecture is known as ‘Indo-Sarcenic’ and the building is now a luxury hotel.

What to do

Many visiting tourists enjoy camel safaris into the surrounding desert; this can be a great way to see the sun come up in the morning. There is also a Camel Festival in January. It is not surprising the festival is held here; Bikaner is home to India’s only camel breeding farm! The festival has a plethora of camel-related events and activities to enjoy, from camel rides and camel races to camel pageants and even camel beauty contests! Another fascinating feature of the festival is that it hosts traditional dances in the evenings, including Bikaner’s famous fire dances, which cannot be seen anywhere else these days.

If you are interested in the religious culture of the region, you can head further south from Bikaner to the temple town of Kolayat, where sadhus (spiritual men) swim in rubber tyres.

Best restaurants, food and drink

Bikaner is not a major centre of cuisine in India, but it does offer a wide variety of tastes, flavours and textures for you to enjoy. The restaurant Chai Patti is recommended by many tourists; it serves delicious Kachoris (spicy snacks made of balls of flour stuffed with beans and spices, or alternatively served sweet with coconut) and samosas. If you stop in the ice cream shop Sankla kulfi, you can sample delicious kesar kulfi (local ice cream topped with rose syrup and falooda). This is an ideal treat to enjoy while you escape the heat outside. Amber Restaurant, near Station Road, serves a good range of vegetarian Indian meals; Annapurna (on MG Road) supplies wonderful crepes, along with south Indian and continental food;  Joshi (on Station Road) serves delicious and well-priced Indian food across the board. Whether your budget is big or small, you are sure to find something in Bikaner to suit you.

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Picture author: Madelon van de Water Noledam. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.