Incredible India
7 Things to Do in Bikaner, Rajasthan's Desert Fort City
Built around a 16th-century fort that was never taken by siege, Bikaner pairs red sandstone architecture with a working camel research centre and a temple where rats are worshipped as sacred, a desert detour most Rajasthan itineraries skip.
By BigTravel.in Editorial Team · · 3 min read
Founded in 1488 by Rao Bika, a Rathore prince who struck out from Jodhpur to build his own kingdom in the Thar desert, Bikaner grew into one of Rajasthan's wealthiest princely states on the back of camel-trade caravan routes. Its fort, unlike Chittorgarh or Jodhpur's Mehrangarh, was never taken by force, and the city's mix of red sandstone havelis, a working camel research farm and a temple devoted to sacred rats gives it a different, less-visited character than Rajasthan's bigger circuit stops. Here are seven things to do, each with a direct map link.
1. Junagarh Fort
Built between 1589 and 1594 by Raja Rai Singh, a general in Emperor Akbar's army, Junagarh Fort stands at ground level rather than on a hilltop, a rarity among Rajasthan's major forts, and was never successfully besieged. Its interior holds richly decorated palaces, including the mirrored Anup Mahal and the Karan Mahal, along with a museum covering the Bikaner royal family's history.
2. Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke
Around 30 kilometres south of Bikaner, this temple houses an estimated 20,000 black rats considered sacred and treated as manifestations of Karni Mata, a 14th-century mystic. Visitors walk barefoot among the rats, and spotting a rare white rat is considered especially auspicious.
3. National Research Centre on Camel
India's dedicated camel research institute breeds and studies the state's various camel breeds, and its visitor programme includes a small museum, camel rides and, in season, camel-milk products including a small dairy café.
4. Lalgarh Palace
Commissioned in 1902 by Maharaja Ganga Singh in memory of his father, Lalgarh Palace blends Rajput, Mughal and European architectural styles in red sandstone latticework, and part of the complex now operates as a heritage hotel while another wing houses a museum open to visitors.
5. Rampuria Havelis
A cluster of ornately carved 19th and early 20th-century merchant havelis built by the Rampuria family in Bikaner's old city, these red sandstone mansions show the same jali latticework and carved façades found in the fort, on a residential rather than royal scale.
6. Bhandasar Jain Temple
Built in the 15th century and dedicated to the fifth Jain Tirthankara, Sumatinathji, this temple is known for its detailed frescoes and gold-leaf paintings, and is said locally to have used ghee in its construction mortar instead of water.
7. Gajner Palace and Wildlife Sanctuary
About 32 kilometres from Bikaner, this former royal hunting lodge sits on the edge of a lake and adjoining wildlife sanctuary, now run partly as a heritage hotel, and remains a popular day trip for its lakeside setting and birdlife.
Traveller tips
- Bikaner's Nal Airport has limited connectivity; most visitors arrive by road or rail from Jodhpur, Jaipur or Delhi.
- Winter months, from October to March, are the most comfortable for sightseeing; summer temperatures regularly exceed 40°C.
- Bikaner is also known for bhujia snacks and rasgullas; several old-city shops sell both alongside the havelis.
- Karni Mata Temple requires shoes to be removed before entering; socks offer no exemption from walking among the rats.
Where this is
Bikaner, Rajasthan
