Location
Bikaner is a city in state of Rajasthan, India. It is in middle of Thar desert. In summer temperatures can exceed 48 °C, and during the winter they may dip below freezing. The city is most famous for its savoury snack Bikaneri bhujia which is sold all over the world. International Camel Festival is held every year in January. Roads are in good condition and city is well connected by buses and trains. There is domestic airport just 15 KM from city.
Our trip details
It was the longest trip of 18 days we ever had. After spending one and half day in Jaipur we caught night 11 PM train to Bikaner which touched it at 5.30 AM. We came out of the railway station and just walking few meters got auto for Rs.100 to drop us at RTDC Dhola Maru hotel (3KM). This hotel is in huge compound and luckily main door was slipped open. A man was sleeping and somehow he got up and showed us the AC room. The hotel was huge so was looking horrific. The room was not good but was big enough. There was no other way so we settled here for the next 3 days.
Plan of 3 days in Bikaner
Where to stay
I stay always in state’s Government tourist department hotels. They are average but have good restaurant and very big premises. Renovation was going on and room was not in good state but it was OK for me. If rush is less or off season they prepare lunch as per your individual order. Breakfast is normally included in tariff. In North India they usually serve you aloo paratha, curd or poori-bhaji.
Hotel booking – https://rtdc.tourism.rajasthan.gov.in/client/hotellist.aspx
Time required to visit Bikaner
Three days including desert camp day.
Best time to visit
September to March end.
Day 1 – I had taken phone number of same auto guy who picked up us from railway station. We fixed the auto guy for Rs. 800 for local city trip to show us local city as per our plan. The day was fine.
Bikaji Ki Tekri – Not very impressive but this fort is from the time when Bikaner city was first founded. So it carries a weight of history and I was curious to see this. It seems this fort is renovated to large extent keeping original parts intact like cenotaphs of Rao Bika, Rao Nera, Rao Lukaran, Rao Jaitse (all about 500-600 year old), rooms and basements. Good to see that these are kept preserved. We can still see old designs of rooms.
It seems Rao Bika had stayed here in this place called Ratti Ghati when he was selecting site of fort.
When we reached this fort the big iron gate was locked. Locals knocked at guard room to open. Better to visit this fort between 10 AM to 5 PM
Seth Bhandasar temple
This is also a very old temple and no tourist forgets to see this. This is meticulously decoratively painted temple. It is just about 1 KM from Bikaji ki Tekri and Lakshmi Nath temple is also just behind it at two minutes walk. Seth Bhandasr temple is 500 years old and it is said that 4000 KG of ghee was used in making it. It seems the walls ooz ghee in summer but I did not see this. There is golden baroque artwork on sanctum of temple. This is the only three storied temple in Bikaner.
Lakshminath ji temple
It is just 2 minutes walk from Seth Bhandasar temple. This temple was built by Rao Lukaran ji (1505-1560AD). This temple is visited every year by royal family to pay homage to temple for protecting Bikaner.
Rampuria haveli and Bhawar Niwas
After seeing the Lakshminath ji temple the same auto suggested us to see Rampuria haveli. But sadly this haveli is completely locked and there is only selfi point. We were taking the photo of Rampuria haveli from outside when a man approached us told us that there is currently a part of haveli converted to Bhanwar Niwas hotel and we can see the rooms to see how havelis are from inside. The entry fee was quite high Rs. 250 per person and we saw the luxurious rooms maintained as hotel. Anyone can stay here for Rs.10k to15K per day.
As said the part of Haveli is converted into hotel called Bhawar Niwas where tourists can book online. Fares are from 10K per day.
It was about 3 PM by the time we finished this part of journey and we rushed to see fort. The fort is open till 6 PM. Click on this highlighted link to see details of Junagarh fort in detail.
The photo below speaks about the power of states and handful British. I am not able to make out how we got independence with such political coalitions that time. But we should remember that those days there was o concept of united India.
Devi kund
Last leg of the day was Devi Kund, actual cremation ground of the maharajas of Bikaner. The custom prevalent in Rajasthan was that after death of king the cenotaph is built only after the marriage of grand son. Till then the ashes are kept in pitcher.
Day 2 – This day we kept for places which are on outskirts of Bikaner. These were Karni Mata temple and Gajner palace.
Karni Mata temple
This temple is about 35 KM from Railway station. We fixed same auto for these places for Rs.800. It was a nice journey seeing the outskirt of Bikaner. There was large crowd in the temple but darshan took us about 40 minutes. There is big cage of rats and people feed the prasad to rats after darshan. We have to take care that we don’t trample rat under our feet.
Gajner palace
Gajner palace and Karni Mata temple are in different direction from Railway station. Auto took us first Karni Mata temple and then Gajner. Total distance to and fro is 107 KM. Gajner palace is now private hotel and now owned by Mahararaja of Mewar. The entry fee is Rs.250 and only 30% of part is open for tourists to see. You can see Gajner lake which is private property now and roam inside the palace but entry is restricted in all rooms except one. If you do not have time you can drop this point but whole journet in outskirts was pleasant.
Lalgarh palace
This is totally restricted entry into the palace. All we can see and take photo is outside the palace. We can see a museum with entry fee of Rs. 50. We can enter the the palace restaurant and have lunch like biryani and North Indian food and reasonable prices.
Day 3- Our third day was reserved for desert camp. Though Bikaner is not as famous as Jaisalmer in desert camp but we had ample time and also thought to explore Bikaner desert we planned this. We had made online booking in Bikaner Desert Camp & Resort, Raisar village for Rs. 4000 for a night. It is 15 KM from Bikaner railway station and also from hotel Dhola maru where we stayed. We fixed the same auto for Rs.800 for drop and then pickup next day back to Bikaner.
The off season just had started and I saw only 2 families there. Anyway 4 PM they served us the evening tea and we had camel ride. We went all round the sand dune and a small pond on foot. By 7.30 PM we were back to resort for folk dance. The dance program was for 2 hours we enjoyed enchanting show to anout 10 dances Marwari to our choice in Hindi as well. By 9.30 we took the sumptuous dinner though it was spicy.
Next day they served us aloo paratha and tea and we checkedout for going back to Bikaner.
Epilogue
The large number of tourists visiting Rajasthan is attributed not to the government, but to the state’s feeling of ownership and love to their cultural heritage. Although the government has attempted to take ownership of many forts and havelis, as well as tightening control over cultural program revenues, the existing maharajas have prevented this from happening and a large percentage, if not all, of the revenue is declared and goes to private trusts.
The entry fees may be high, but it is commendable that these private trusts maintain the monuments as world-class, preserving their archaic and historical value while keeping their surroundings neat and clean. In Rajasthan, places such like Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Ajmer, and Udaipur are following same.
They don’t have Taj Mahal, Brahdeshwar, pyramids and Petra, their history is also not very old- just 500-800 years yet if they are able to maintain high influx of tourists, is highly commendable. It reminds me that same way British are maintaining their monuments.
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