Bikaner & Jaisalmer: The Land of the Golden Fort

This is a part of the 15 days trip we took to Rajasthan in October 2013 via the Howrah- Bikaner Jodhpur Express.

A camel Hump

Weapon on display

We arrived at Bikaner in the morning and started looking for a hotel. Bikaner is a small town where it is more convenient to stay near the Bus stops and markets because, after dark, the rest of the town lacks any activities for tourists. The bus services are good and autos ferry people to the various Palaces and Museums. Most of these places have duplicates of the original relics kept at the Central Museum of the place, which include the daily necessities used by the Maharajah, relics from various parts of India gifted to him, and Weapons and armour used in war. The Most Interesting sections here are the Coins of the Mughals, and the Relics collected from the Indus Valley Civilization. The other interesting place at Bikaner is the Junagarh Fort. It was built by Rao Bikaji, The founder of Bikaner in 1488 AD, He was the son of Rao Jodhaji, founder of Jodhpur. The different Mahals in this fort have been built in different eras and separated by their unique architectural designs. Chinese Tiles and Italian Marble have been brought by later Kings. Rao Bikaji made the first room of gold in the palace and also made an air-conditioned room for the hot summers in the Palace. a special attraction is the 17.5kg Sword of Bikaji and the door made of Silver which shows amazing art on it. This palace also has the first modern amenities, including ceiling fans, a lift specially bought from the British, the first in an Indian Home, and the Private aeroplane of the King. The Primary deities here are Krishna and Mata, Rani Parvati. Next, another must-see is the Camel Research Institute. It closes early so better be there early. Tourists can taste camel milk products like Tea, Coffee, Milk and Ice cream. It is a government-run Institute meant for researching camels, the only one in India. The campus has a huge ground for a camel ride and camel grazing for tourists to click pictures, a college on research works, a museum of camel products and parts and a shop where people can buy real camel leather products at affordable prices. The prices are the lowest here on the whole trip, and hats, purses and wallets are an attraction. We made the mistake of not buying there but the camel products elsewhere are often fake and of a higher price.

Jain Temple In Fort

The next stop was Jaisalmer. Buses run from late night till early morning from Bikaner to Jaisalmer. Jaisalmer is famous for its Yellow Sandstone, but products made from it are now banned hence most products sold in thousands of this stone are fake. The Purana Quila famous as " Sonar Kella" or " Golden Fort" is the main attraction here. Market areas are the main areas to stay in, and not near the bus stops where lower hotel costs may attract you. The Hotels are not very cosy apparently, and the market is not well enough for tourists except for handloom shops. The places to see

Patwan Haveli

there are the Patwano ki Haveli, The Gadhisar Lake, and The Fort, and the main attraction is the sand dunes visit in the evening. Jaisalmer should preferably be visited on a full moon night. The Patwan Havelis have a wonderfully preserved palace giving an insight into the household in those days. The Jaisalmer Fort has a very good museum and Jain Temples. Its Shiva temple displays mesmerizing architecture. The weapon gallery is also important. The Gadhisar Lake is advisable to be visited around 3pm when the boating starts and the lake temples can be visited. It is near the Central Bus Stands. The main attraction of this trip however is the sand dunes. We took a car to the sand dunes. It was an hour's journey from the city. The cars drop off tourists at a spot where camel carts and camels are available to give a 30-minute ride to the spot. Here beer, chips and cold drinks are sold at thrice prices. So it's preferable to bring them along. After sunset, these same carts and rides bring you back to the car parking. It's advisable to take your driver's number and have your hotel numbers with you because drivers tend to gossip here and there and can not be found. About 15 Minutes from here are the Resorts for the folk dance performance. Tea snacks and buffet dinners are served by these resorts within your package and here you taste the real flavours of Gujrat and Rajasthan. The Dances and performances culminated in a DJ night. If you are young or with friends it is advisable to stay the night at the resort tents. Otherwise, if you are with family, then please return to the hotel in the car provided. Our journey back was most beautiful in the dark night as the moonlight shone on the sand, making it look snow-white. The next day we start towards Jodhpur by bus early morning from Jaisalmer. If you stay near any crossroads at Jaisalmer you can get on any bus from your hotels, but to be safe pre-book with the hotel. The next part of the Blog will be in my next Blog.