Bikaner
A red-sandstone desert city in the Thar, famed for the never-conquered Junagarh Fort, the Rat Temple and the camel research centre.
Bikaner lies in the Thar Desert in northwestern Rajasthan, India. Founded in 1488 by Rao Bika, it was once a wealthy Rajput kingdom, renowned for its desert trade routes and camel corps, earning it the nickname "City of Camels". It sees fewer visitors than Jaipur or Jodhpur and has a more relaxed pace. Sightseeing falls into three areas: the city itself (Junagarh Fort, the Kote Gate old-town bazaar, Rampuria Haveli, Bhandasar Jain Temple and Laxminath Temple, Ganga Government Museum, and Lalgarh Palace to the north); the outskirts (the National Research Centre on Camel and Jorbeer Vulture Conservation Reserve, and the royal cenotaphs at Devi Kund Sagar); and half-day trips (the Karni Mata Rat Temple at Deshnoke, 30 km south, and Gajner Palace and the sacred Kolayat Lake to the west). The best season is October to March; in January the Bikaner Camel Festival features camel beauty contests, dancing and folk performances. From April to June daytime temperatures often exceed 45°C, so travel is not advisable. Getting there: trains connect to Delhi (about 7–10 hours), Jaipur and Jodhpur; get around town by auto-rickshaw or hired car. Bikaner's fried gram-flour snack, bhujia, and its sweets are famous across India. Plan on 2 days, and combine with Jaisalmer and Jodhpur for a desert circuit.
Top sights
- Junagarh Fort – A red sandstone fortress built in the late 16th century that was never taken by direct assault. The palace interiors are richly decorated w…
- Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke – A goddess temple in Deshnoke where some 20,000 rats, considered sacred, are kept. Spotting a white rat is regarded as a good omen.
- Lalgarh Palace – An Indo-Saracenic palace of red sandstone built in the early 20th century. It is now a heritage hotel and houses the Sadul Singh Museum.
- Rampuria Havelis – A group of merchant mansions in the Old City's lanes, built by Jain merchants. The red sandstone facades are carved with lattice windows an…
- Bhandasar Jain Temple – A 15th-century three-storey Jain temple, its interior covered in gold leaf, paintings and mirror work. Legend says ghee was used instead of…
- National Research Centre on Camel – India's only camel research institute. Visitors can see several native camel breeds, ride camels and try camel-milk ice cream.
- Gajner Palace – A royal hunting lodge on the lakeshore, now a heritage hotel. It is surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary and a winter habitat for migratory b…
- Devi Kund Sagar – The cremation ground of Bikaner's royal family. Sandstone and marble memorial pavilions surround a stepped water tank.
- Kote Gate & Old City Bazaars – The main gate of Bikaner's Old City. The markets around it sell Bikaner's famous bhujia snacks, sweets and fabrics.
- Jorbeer Conservation Reserve – A suburban animal carcass disposal site that draws hundreds of vultures and raptors, making it one of India's most popular spots for raptor…
- Ganga Government Museum – A district museum founded in 1937, housing Harappan artifacts, Gupta-period terracotta sculptures and royal treasures.
- Laxminath Temple – One of Bikaner's oldest Hindu temples, dedicated to Vishnu and Lakshmi, and a royal guardian temple of the city.
- Kolayat – A pilgrimage town built around a sacred lake, known for the Kapil Muni Temple and dozens of bathing ghats.
Where to eat
- Chhotu Motu Joshi Sweets – A century-old family sweet shop outside Bikaner station; crisp kachori, syrup-soaked jalebi and a dozen types of lassi…
- Heeralal's Restaurant – A popular fully vegetarian restaurant opposite the railway station, open since 2008, serving everything from Rajasthani…
- Laxmi Niwas Palace Restaurant – A restaurant in a heritage hotel within the Lalgarh Palace complex, where you can eat laal maas and Rajasthani vegetari…
Itineraries
- Grand Rajasthan Desert & Forts Loop – A grand loop from Delhi covering Shekhawati, desert fortresses, Udaipur, Pushkar, and Jaipur.