The historic city of Bikaner is a desert city situated in the western most part of Rajasthan. The city is the administrative headquarters of the Bikaner district and is a fortified city, located about 330 km from the capital city, Jaipur. Set amidst the golden sand dunes of the Thar Desert, Bikaner is popular for its arid scenic beauty. Known as “Camel Country”, the city houses the largest Camel research and breeding farm in the world. It was once one of the most important trade route during the medieval period. The city is the fifth largest cities of the state of Rajasthan and is among the popular tourist destinations, which is visited by both domestic as well as international travelers. Geography and Climate Bikaner is situated at an altitude of 238 m above sea level at 28.0167° N and 73.3119° E. The city shares its boundary with Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Nagaur and even Pakistan and the district of Bikaner sprawls over a total area of 27,284 sq. km. The city features a hot desert climate as it is situated in the middle of the Thar Desert with very little rainfall and extreme temperatures. In summer temperatures can exceed 45 °C, and during the winter is extreme cold. During summer the average temperature varies between 48 and 28 degrees C and it winter it is between 22 and 4 degrees C. In monsoon the city receives an average rainfall of about 26-46 cm. Demographics As per provisional reports of Census India, population of Bikaner in 2011 is 647,804; of which male and female are 340,894 and 306,910, respectively. The average literacy rate of Bikaner city is 79.86 % of which male literacy is 87.15 % and female literacy is 71.77 % and has a sex ratio of 900 females per 1000 males. Languages spoken in Bikaner city are Rajasthani and Hindi. History of Bikaner Bikaner was founded by Rao Bikaji, the son of Rao Jodhaji of Jodhpur in the year 1488. When infuriated and aggravated by his father, Rao Bikaji quit the palace in Marwar and established the kingdom of Bikaner in the middle of the Thar Desert. The prince fortified his kingdom and since then, the city and the region have developed into one of the reputed and richest kingdoms in the state of Rajasthan. By the prophecy of Karni Mata, who forecasted that he would rule over a kingdom larger that his father’s, he established Bikaner and Rao Bikaji, who was the descendant of the Rathore clan of the Rajputs, left his father's kingdom with a small group of 100 cavalrymen and 500 soldiers. Owing to the strategic location on the cavalcade routes and the fortification offered by the inconsiderate desert backdrop, Bikaner developed into a prosperous kingdom. Although, the rulers were victorious in defeating the Mughals during the early 16[SUP]th[/SUP] century but eventually lost the kingdom in the hands of the great Mughal Emperor Akbar. With the decline of the Mughal rule, began the British Rule in Bikaner. The rule of the British in Bikaner is an important part of the history of Bikaner as it is the witness to the growth of the city in infrastructure and economy. It was the British who approached the kingdom of Bikaner, which signed a treaty of perpetual friendship with the British company in the year 1818. The exertions of the British colonial rule turned the princely kingdom of Bikaner into a mere colony of the British. The economy of the city of Bikaner profited during the Afghan Wars when the king of Bikaner provided the British troops with a regular supply of camels who could conveniently traverse the deserts and carry loads for the British. in the 20th century its visionary ruler, Maharaja Ganga Singh, brought it economic prosperity by establishing the legendary Bikaner Camel Corps and promoting the Ganga Canal, which helped to green vast tracts of the desert. The Camel Corps is still going strong, its caparisoned camels proudly participating in the colourful pageantry of the Republic Day celebrations each year as part of the paramilitary Border Security Force that guards India’s western frontier with Pakistan. Culture of Bikaner Bikaner is known for its rich cultural heritage and reflects the vivid culture of the state. Culture of Bikaner includes a wide array of magnificent spects that have evolved over time. The food of Bikaner is an inherent trait of its cultural dynamism. Since Bikaner is a dry region, hence most of the dishes prepared in Bikaner involve butter and buttermilk. Pakodi, gatta ki sabji and khata are some of the delicacies of Bikaner. Bikaner has been the centre for Usta Art, a generic term for the Manoti-Naqqashi (embossed and unembossed floral and geometric patterned objects layered with gold) media produced by Usta family master artistans of Bikaner. The Usta artists and artisans also controlled all production of the Bikaner School "miniature" paintings using translucent and opaque vegetable and mineral watercolours from the late-16th to late-19th Century. Famous painters of the Bikaner School were Hamid Rukn-ud-din, Ahmad, Nathu ji, Nure, Rahim, Isa, Iso, Sahab-ud-din, Rehim ji,Murad, and Abdul Shakoor. The Camel Festival, Gangaur Festival, Karni Mata Fair, Kapil Muni Fair and Kite Festival are some of the fairs and festivals that are celebrated in Bikaner with great pomp and show. Trourist Places in Bikaner Bikaner offers several attractions to including the exotic camel safaris. The camel festival held in January is an event worth witnessing and attracts a horde of both domestic and international tourists. Excursions around Bikaner as well offer a glimpse into the region’s heritage and provide an opportunity to observe its rich flora and fauna. Some of the major attractions of Bikaner are: Junagarh Fort Revel Lalgarh Palace Bhandeshwar Jain Temples (dedicated to the 23rd Tirthankar Parshvanathji) Lakshminathji Temple Ratan Bihariji Temple Shiv Bari Temple Nagnechiji Temple The Bhaironji Temple Camel Breeding Farm Devi Kund (a royal crematorium) Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary and Palace Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke Kolayat Shiv Bari Temple Havelis Kalibanga Transportation The city of Bikaner is well-connected by roads and railways with other major cities of India. National and State Highways like NH 11, 15 & 89 link Bikaner with other major cities and metros in India. Inter-city buses also connect the city with its neighboring cities and states. To Travel within Bikaner, the city has a fleet of buses along with auto rickshaws. The city has direct railway lines from major cities of the country and Bikaner Railway Junction is the Railway station where trains to all the major cities start. However, there is no airport in the city and the nearest airports are Jodhpur Airport and Jaipur International Airport, which are 251 km and 330 km, respectively from Bikaner.
