Before reading this blog, I would suggest you to know a little about Bikaner and its environment. In this piece, I would be sharing my personal experience of my last week visit to the beautiful city. First, let me tell you one thing that Bikaner is located in the middle of the Thar desert and normally encounters the chilling heat. The city is known for its numerous temples dedicated to Goddess Durga and her incarnations. It is home to various historical sites that are worth visiting. Not to mention, the town of Bikana is an educational center of Rajasthan. Different people have a distinct way of exploring a place and here I am with my own perception about Bikaner. Have a look at the way I looked at the medieval town.
Historical Palaces are the Heart of Bikaner
Bikaner State was one of the princely states in India that existed between mid 15th century and 1947. Owing to the rich history of the town, one can witness multiple historical buildings, forts, and palaces. While the Junagarh Fort is the pride of the city, the Lalgarh palace attracts national and international tourists with its beauty and luxury hotel. The ancient museum is another site where you can have a glimpse of Bikaner’s cultural heritage. If I have to suggest, you should have a visit to the infamous Junagarh Fort where you witness the stunning interior of the fort built during the 16th century.
It is a City of Temple
Ahh, I liked the temples. A number of temples can be found all across the city. But the most notable and my favorite is the temple of Goddess Karni, located in the village of Deshnoke, approx. 30 km from Bikaner. You don’t need to panic about the distance as buses are available at regular interval. The best thing about this temple is that thousands of rats reside inside the temple campus without disturbing a devotee. The stunning architect of Bhandasar Jain Temple and Laxmi Nath Temple is also a beauty to watch in Bikaner. The latter in particular was a thrilling place to visit. The white marble shines to give an attractive outlook of the beautiful temple.
Bikana is a developed Town
Like many, I also expected this city to be a normal one like many other Indian cities in desert areas. I was fascinated to see a much better traffic system in Bikaner. Roads were in good condition there. To do away with the scorching heat, there wes a proper system of chilled water tanks on almost every nook and corner of the town. I also came to know about the educational importance of Bikaner. It was an honour to visit Bikaner boys school with my friend who had been a student here.
The communal harmony touched me
I’m fond of various cultures, I like knowing about various societies, and I certainly love people from different community living with coordination. In fact, this is what I love about whole India. Approx. 200 m from the hotel I was staying in there were two tea stalls- Ram Sewak Chaiwala and Hussain Tea Center. I fell in love with the way people from two communities were discussing Indian politics. Even I couldn’t resist myself from joining the debate. While travelling to Deshnok, I came across a Muslim man named Najeeb who made me aware of the great history of the city and bravery of Rajput kings. For many, these smaller things might hold little importance but I love watching from someone else’ eyes.