Legends and fascinating phenomena always revolve around all the heritage destinations of Rajasthan. With beliefs that are considered myths by some and devotion by others, Rajasthan never fails to make us glide into a surreal atmosphere of ethereal joy, no matter what. The Karni Mata temple is another such glistening pearl in the oyster of the most fascinating and intriguing destinations to visit.
The temple is the abode of almost 20,000 rats and it attracts people from all over the world, some who come out of curiosity and some by the essence of devotion. Interesting anecdotes revolve around the mysterious dwelling of such a huge number of rats in the temple. The local dwellers narrate such stories with great vigor and interest.
Mughal architecture is predominant in the structural design of the temple. It was completed in the late 20th century by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner. Apart from that, silver doorways and other artistic works add to the beauty of the place. The temple also consists some white rats among the large numbers of black rats. These white rats are considered to be especially holy as they are rumored to be the manifestations of Karni Mata herself and four sons.
A vibrant fair is also a part of this attraction. The fair is organized two time a year, one in March-April period and the other one in September-October period. Karni Mata Temple is possibly one of the most fascinating destinations that any tour plan can offer. Don’t forget to enjoy the essence of the place!
Another attraction that adds a sparkling feather in the cap of Bikaner is the Mukam temple.Located at a distance of 80 kms from Bikaner city, the temple is dedicated to Guru Jambheshwarji, who is considered to be the founder of Bishnoi sect and an incarnation of Lord Mahavishnu himself. This place is believed to be his last resting place and hence the name, ‘Mukam’.The temple is adorned beautifully in white marble.The Samadhi of Guru Jambheshwarji is near the Kheri and Jaal tree, around which the Mukam temple is built. The Mukam temple is a place of great religious importance for the Bishnois. On every new moon night, devotees throng the place and it is a sight to witness. Two fairs are held every year in the temple, one in the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin,and the other in the month of Falgun.
Splendid architecture, religious serenity and an innumerable number of devotees thronging the place just to get a glimpse of their spiritual guru-that is the essence of Mukam temple.
Bikaner has always been known for its delicacies and the splendid tourist locations. The strong forts,the serene temples-every spice of Rajasthan’s culture is present and flourishing in Bikaner. Adding up to the spice of this diverse and magnanimous culture is the Shiv Bari Temple. Located at a distance of 6 kms from the main city, the temple showcases one of the most intricate, exquisite and perfected forms of architecture. The temple reflects a variety of miniature paintings which represent the artistic sentiments of the people in that era. Built of lustrous red sandstone, the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is a memorial, built in the memory of Maharaja Lal Singhji by his son, Maharaja Doongar Singh.
The ambience that Shiv Bari Temple creates is captivating and obviously cannot be enjoyed vicariously. So grab your packs to get a firsthand experience of this mesmerizing destination.
The royal destination of Bikaner; deserts, palaces, Havellis- you can find it all right here! The exotic destination proves its worth as one of the most attractive destinations of Rajasthan. The culture, delicious cuisine and everything about this place is too much to describe in grandiloquent words.
Bikaner- a land exhibiting great diversity in taste as well as tourism. Whatever attracts you- forts, palaces, temples, you can surely find it here. Making the collection of variety and diversity complete, Bikaner proudly presents the Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary. Located at a distance of about 32 kms from Bikaner, the sanctuary was earlier used as a hunting ground by the Maharaja of Bikaner. A large number of species like the wildfowl, deer, antelope, chinkara, blackbuck etc. are found here along with a diverse variety of avifauna. There is a beautiful lake in the sanctuary, which apart from complementing the beauty of the place is used by the animals living here to quench their thirst. The sanctuary has also been selected as a site for the Cheetah Reintroduction project in India.
The soul of Rajasthan lies in its history. The rich and magnificent history of Rajasthan is what gives its present an attractive structure to a great extent. Situated in Bikaner district of Royal Rajasthan, the Ganga Government Museum is another addition to the museums which bring history to the forefront. It showcases a number of artifacts, medieval musical instruments and anything and everything used by the then kings. The antique furniture collection of Ganga museum is worth to witness.
The museum was founded by Maharaja Ganga Singh. Later, Maharaja Karni Singh relocated the museum to a new place where it stands today. The museum treasures rich historical evidence that clearly symbolizes the lavish and extravagant lifestyle of Indian kings.
Lalgarh Palace limns the true regality of Rajasthan in colours of grandeur, exquisiteness and vivacity. The architectural beauty of this palaces osculates surrealism and perfection, adorned by a protean backdrop.
Located in the region ornated with diverse and colourful habiliment of culture, Bikaner, this diacritic palace was gifted as another feather in the heritage cap of India by Maharaja of Bikaner, Sir Ganga Singh, somewhere in the early 1900s.
The palace beautifully presents a fusion of a myriad of architectural styles of various countries and regions. It can be classified as a combination of Rajput, Mughal and European architectural styles. The palace derives its name from Maharaja Lall Singh,(father of Maharaja Ganga Singh), an stands as a magnificent landmark to commemorate the legacy of the then king.
The palace plays host to a number of cupolas, pavilions, a gargantuan dining hall and many more. Beautifully crafted in red sandstone, the construction and completion of the palace amounted to a staggering sum of a million rupees, due to the highly intricate and skifully crafted designs.
The palace is not the only instrument of mystification for the tourists. The palace houses the fourth largest private library in the world, the Shri Sadul Museum and also the Lalgarh Palace hotel.
The palace is certain to prove itself as a must visit site in a vivacious tour to regal Rajasthan.
The Junagarh Fort is located in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan. This majestic structure is the real world manifestation of the desire and expertise of the sixth ruler of Bikaner, Raja Rai Singh Ji. The 16th century of the Indian history saw the rise to invincibility of the mighty Mughals under the reign of sagacious Akbar and his successor Jahangir. Raja Rai Singh was fully aware of the fact that locking horns with the mighty Mughals in any sort of battle would be nothing short of tomfoolery on his part and as such happily accepted Mughal supremacy. This however does not mean that Raja Rai Singh had, as the hackneyed phrase has it, ‘a cowardly bone in his being’. This he proved by showing his dexterity in the many battles he fought and winning half the Mewar Kingdom.This wooed the Mughal emperors to such an extent that they gave him the lands of Gujarat and Burhanpur as a gift to appreciate his service to the Mughals. With the large amount of revenue amassed from these lands, Raja Rai Singh was now in a position to conceive the construction of a fort, every bit as magnificent as he wanted it to be. The result was the Junagarh Fort.
Raja Rai Sing was an avid traveler. He travelled far and wide and displayed serious affinity for art and architecture. All the knowledge garnered from these travels were meticulously implemented in the construction of the Junagarh Fort. The obsessive attention to details shown by the Raja, springs out and meets your eye the moment you begin to appreciate its aesthetic appeal. Inside the Junagarh Fort expect to find temples, a legion of palaces (Karan Mahal, Phool Mahal,Chandra Mahal and Badal Mahal need special mention), gardens and of course a museum (the Junagarh Fort museum) exhibiting a plethora of priceless collections.
So, if you want to feel the intricate carvings against your fingers on this grand structure or appreciate and applaud the work of Raja Rai Singh Ji, we suggest you do it in person and as such we invite you to include the Junagarh Fort on your ‘To Visit’ list. Happy Travelling!
