Bikaner

Bikaner
Bikaner Location of Bikaner in Rajasthan and India
Country	India
State	Rajasthan
District(s)	Bikaner
Population • Density	723,982 (2008[update]) • 1,960 /km2 (5,076 /sq mi)
Time zone	IST (UTC+5:30)
Area • Elevation	270 km2 (104 sq mi) • 242 m (794 ft)
Codes • Pincode • 3340XX • Telephone • ++91 151 • Vehicle • RJ-07

Bikaner is a District in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan in northern India. The city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. It was formerly the capital of the princely state of Bikaner. The city was founded by Rao Bika in 1486 and from its small origins it has developed into the fourth largest city in Rajasthan. Just like Jaipur, Bikaner is called the Green City. The Ganga Canal completed in 1928 and the Indira Gandhi Canal completed in 1987 have allowed the farming of crops such as mustard, cotton and wheat. Other industries include wool production and the mining of gypsum, plaster of Paris and bentonite.

History

• See History of Bikaner

Till the 11 th Cenruary the area was under the Gurjara - Pratihara and was rules by a powerful Bargujar King. In those days it was known as Jangladesh and Churu was the centre of Bargujar power.

Geography

Bikaner is located at 28°01′N 73°11′E / 28.01°N 73.19°E / 28.01; 73.19^[1]. It has an average elevation of 243 metres (797 feet). It is the largest district in rajasthan

Transport

The internal transport system in Bikaner consists of autorickshaws and city buses. Bikaner is connected to all India's major cities via broad gauge railway. The city has direct rail connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Agra, Jalandhar, Baroda, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Guwahati, Jaipur, Surat, Jalandhar, Thiruvananthapuram, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Ahmedabad. Bikaner is well served with roads and is linked directly to Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Haridwar, Jodhpur, Nagaur and many other cities. National highways 11, 15, and 89 meet at Bikaner. Bikaner has a well equipped military airport at Nal and hopes to have a passenger airport in the near future.

Climate

Bikaner is situated in the middle of the Thar desert with very little rainfall and extreme temperatures. In summer, temperatures exceed 50 °C and during the winter it dips to freezing point.

Art & Culture

Princely flag of Bikaner

Bikaner is famous for its "Bikaneri Bhujia" and its sweets. Bikaneri Bhujia is a spicy snack made from moth dal, spices and edible oil. Bikaner is also known for its handicrafts and leather articles, for its palaces and for having Asia's biggest camel farm.

The city is also known for its intricately carved Jharokas. These red sandstone stone jalis (screens) are found on the windows of the Junagarh fort, temples and havelis (mansions of Northern India). Jalis would be used for ventilation and for women to watch the world while remaining hidden.

The red sandstone for these stone window screens was supplied by the nearby village of Dulmera.

Usta Art

Bikaner was and is the centre for Usta Art, a generic term for Art produced by Usta Masters. This generic term encompasses late 16th to early 20th Century techniques for paintings on paper and objects using translucent and opaque watercolors and a secondary technique incorporating embossed and unembossed gold patterns.

Fairs and festivals

• Karni Mata fair
• Gangaur
• Kapil Muni fair
• Camel festival: each January the state government organises a camel festival with camel races, various cultural events and a fire dance performed by the Sidh people.
• Aksaye Tritya or "AKKHA TEEJ": the foundation day of Bikaner. This was the day when Rao Bika laid the foundation of the new empire. Every year on this day people from across the social spectrum enjoy themselves by flying kites or "CHANDA". They also enjoy a special meal, such as "Khichra and Imlani".

Attractions in Bikaner and nearby

Junagarh Fort, Bikaner, Rajasthan, India

Junagarh Fort

The fort was built by Raja Rai Singh, the sixth ruler of Bikaner who reigned from 1571 to 1612. Rai Singh had conquered part of Marwar and had been granted territory in Gujurat and Burhanpur by the Mughal emperor Akbar as a reward for his services as military commander. This, as well as funding from Jodhpur, enabled him to build the fort. Rai Singh held high rank in the imperial courts of both Akbar and his successor, Jehangir. During his imperial service he travelled extensively, giving him an appreciation of art and architecture. These ideas have been incorporated meticulously into the architectural style of Junagarh Fort.

Laxmi Niwas Palace

Laxmi Niwas Palace

The Laxmi Niwas Palace is a former residential palace of the king of the former Bikaner state, Maharajah Ganga Singh in Bikaner in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was designed by the British architect, Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob in the year 1902. The style of architecture is Indo-Saracenic. It is now a luxury hotel owned by Golden Triangle Fort & Palace P. Ltd. The magnificent structure in red sandstone is one of the most popular destinations for tourists in Bikaner.^[2]

Lalgarh Palace

Lalgarh Palace

Lalgarh Palace was built between 1902 and 1926 according to Rajput, Mughal and European architectural styles. The building was commissioned by Maharaja Ganga Singh (1881 - 1942) in memory of his father Maharaja Lall Singh and was designed by the British architect, Sir Swinton Jacob. It is coated in red sandstone and has several grand halls, lounges, cupolas and pavilions. The building features magnificent pillars, elaborate fireplaces, Italian colonnades and intricate latticework and filigree work. The palace houses the Shri Sadul Museum as well as the fourth largest library in the world. Though the Bikaner Royal Family still live in the palace, part of the building has been converted into a hotel operated by the WelcomHeritage Group.

Moolnayakji

Constructed in 1486, Moolnayakji was the first Vaishnav Temple built in Bikaner. It was the principal seat of the Vaishanv sect. The first of the Bhagavad Katha Vachaks of the Rattani Vyas clan of Bikaner Shri Rattoji Vyas gave the Bhagavad Updesh to the king, Rao Bika and his aide Salloji Rathi. This practice is carried on till date. The presiding deity is Lord Moolnayak Krishna.

Laxmi Nath Temple

Laxmi Nath Temple

Laxmi Nath Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bikaner. The foundation of the city was laid here in 1488 by Rao Bikaji. The temple was erected during the reign of Rao Lunkaran and was added to by Maharaja Ganga Singh.

Kolayat

Kolayat is a famous pilgrimage spot with a temple dedicated to Kapila who, according to his devotees, sat in meditation near the lake.

Karni Mata Temple

The shrine of Karni Mata can be found in the town of Deshnoke 30 km south from Bikaner on the road to Jodhpur. Karni Mata is worshiped as an incarnation of Goddess Durga.

Shiv Bari Temple

Built from red sandstone by Dungar Singh in the late 19th century, the temple is surrounded by a wall with battlements. It has a four faced black marble statue of Shiva and a bronze Nandi facing the Shiva Lingam. There are also two large reservoirs of water known as bawaris. The temple attracts thousands of visitors during Shravan (August) especially on Mondays.

Other attractions

• Camel Farm
• Sur Sagar
• Public Park and Zoo
• Raj Ratan Bihariand Rasik Siromani Temple
• Lakshminath Temple
• Bhandasar Jain Temple
• Vaishno Dham
• Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum
• Rajasthan State Archives
• Havelis
• Devi Kund Sagar.
• Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Kalibangan.
• Kolayat.
• MUKAM Nokha
• Deshnok Goddess Karni Temple.

Demographics

According to the 2001 India census ^[3], Bikaner had a population of 529,007. Males constituted 53% of the population and females 47%. Bikaner has an average literacy rate of 66%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with male literacy of 74% and female literacy of 57%. 14% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Education in Bikaner

Bikaner is growing as a big centre for education.^{[citation needed]} Good schools and coaching facilities provide students with plenty of opportunities.^{[citation needed]}

For notable Universities and colleges see List of universities and colleges in Bikaner:

For notable schools see List of schools in Bikaner, Rajasthan.

See also

List of people from Bikaner

References

• Patnaik, Naveen. (1990). A Desert Kingdom: The Rajputs of Bikaner. George Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd., London.

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007)

1. ^ Falling Rain Genomics, Inc - Bikaner
2. ^ Laxmi Niwas Palace (Bikaner, Rajasthan) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor
3. ^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 2004-06-16. http://web.archive.org/web/20040616075334/http://www.censusindia.net/results/town.php?stad=A&state5=999. Retrieved 2008-11-01. 

External links

• Bikaner travel guide from Wikitravel
• District Government Site
• BikanerDarshan - Picturing 21st Century Bikaner
• RealBikaner - The City Portal
• HamaraBikaner- The City of Joy, Happiness and Religious
• KhabarExpress- Bikaner Daily News, Photo and Video

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