A Guide To Bikaner: India’s Unusual Red City

Rajasthan’s Red City offers one of the world’s greatest concentrations of sublimely curious and curiously sublime places. One can walk barefoot through a den of sacred rats or sample dromedary milk at the national camel research center and sanctuary. There is a temple which purportedly oozes butter during hot weather, while the local fort features Himalayan-style monsoon clouds in its Weather Palace. We stayed in Bikaner’s Old City, where opulent mansions in shades of cinnabar face off across deserted lanes. Our palatial heritage hotel was tucked away on a tiny street dominated by a rather territorial cow.

Most visitors come to Bikaner to see the Junagarh – literally, Old Fort – or the luxury hotel at Lalgarh Palace. Few stay long enough to sample Bikaner’s other extraordinary monuments. We spent several nights and put together a guide to the city and environs. All sites are marked on our Google map.

Junagarh Fort

Bikaner came into its own somewhat later than other parts of Rajasthan, which feels appropriate since it was founded by the second son of Jodhpur’s Maharaja. Rao Bika established his new dominion in 1472, at an oasis in the Thar Desert.

In a major shift in priorities, he chose a flat location on a major trade route rather than a more defensible hilltop. A century later, the choice had paid off: the territory’s sixth ruler commanded enough wealth and power to construct a huge new fort in a mere five years (1589-94).

Raja Rai Singh introduced innovations in architecture and art based on extensive travel abroad, and his descendants continued to incorporate a broad range of styles. The 17th-century main courtyard features a Mughal-style pool rendered in Carrara marble imported from Italy. The 19th-century Badal Mahal, or Weather Palace, is a blue-and-white ode to monsoon rains.

While a site like Chittorgarh shows a more purely medieval structure, Junagarh stands out for its continuous additions and adaptations over 16 generations. The oldest section is the Phool Mahal or Flower Palace, entered via a solid-silver door. In the Ganga Singh Hall, a weaponry museum houses a World War I airplane.

For visiting information see the website.

Havelis

At the heart of Bikaner’s Old City lies a warren of mysterious havelis (mansions), erected in the 18th and 19th centuries by affluent Silk Road merchants. Judging by appearances, most of them were emptied out by the late 20th century – and yet someone has been paying to keep the exquisite facades maintained. A trio of structures with coordinating blue shutters anchors the neighborhood. These, along with a handful of surrounding properties, were built by the Rampuria family. All of them remain sealed except for the Bhanwar Niwas, which is now a heritage hotel (see Practicalities section below).

Although the havelis feature the same overall silhouette and color, the variation is astounding. In true Rajasthani fashion, they freely mix forms from medieval Hindu temples, Mughal palaces, and European townhomes. Lines of carvings feature Rajasthani and English kings; a modern light bulb tops a traditional depiction of Ganesh over a doorway. At least one building features window grilles in both Islamic hexagons and Art Deco flowers.

In some parts of Rajasthan, successive coats of paint can obscure the more delicate architectural shapes. Not so in Bikaner, where the color comes from sandstone and brick. We found a wealth of detailing where bare surfaces showcase exquisite textures – rather remarkable, given the dusty surroundings.

Bhandasar Jain Temple

The Bhandasar Jain Temple lies in the Bada Bazaar area, near the edge of the Old City. Although the exterior matches Bikaner’s red-and-white palette, the inside is a riot of crayon colors and gilt. Apart from inlaid marble floors and stained glass windows, paintings cover every surface. Floral motifs in all sizes connect narrative panels, all in the vibrant Bikaneri style.

This being a Jain temple, most depict the faith’s teachers and proverbs – but not all. On the beams forming an octagon under the main dome, we discovered pictures of the city skyline complete with people going about daily tasks.

The temple’s history is a mixture of legend and fact. Although the main shrine likely originated in the 12th century, the temple was probably built several hundred years later by the son of city founder Rao Bika. Its name comes from local merchant Bhanda Shah, who apparently donated a huge quantity of ghee (clarified butter) which was mixed into the foundation instead of water. Various sources offer different reasons for this unusual deed, and cite amounts from 40,000 to 100,000 kilograms. We visited in winter, making it impossible to confirm reports that the structure continues to emit melted butter during high temperatures.

Devi Kund Sagar Royal Cenotaphs

Bikaner features one of the largest series of royal cenotaphs (memorials) in the region. Like the fort, the complex is also remarkable for showing how styles evolved over the centuries. One of Rajasthan’s most characteristic forms is the chhatri or “umbrella”, a cluster of columns topped by a dome. These stone kiosks are part of the region’s unique fusions of Hindu and Islamic architecture. Besides lining the roofs of major palaces, they were used on elevated bases as memorials.

Out at the Devi Kund Sagar royal cenotaphs, masses of umbrella-shaped memorials look strangely futuristic, especially void of people in the desert landscape. Red sandstone and white marble domes reveal still-colorful paintings on the inside, and the site even has a handful of modern iterations.

A surprising amount of information remains even for those who can’t read the inscriptions. For instance, slabs recording men’s names are placed vertically while the women’s go horizontally; childhood deaths are represented by a bare block.

National Camel Research Center

The National Camel Research Center, known to locals as the Camel Farm, provides a change of pace from pearl-encrusted palaces. The government-sponsored property houses several hundred camels plus a small museum, a shop selling products made with camel milk, and research facilities. The information provided isn’t terribly extensive, but we found the proverbial Ships of the Desert endearing – especially at feeding time or when the bright green parrots use them as a roost. Rajasthan’s five dromedary (single-hump) breeds include the Bikaneri, with a distinctive dark coat. See the website for visiting information.

Rat Temple

Perhaps the most singular sight in Bikaner’s vicinity is the temple dedicated to worship of goddess Karni Mata whose descendants cycle between reincarnations in human and rat form. The family of sacred kābā now numbers roughly 20,000. They roam freely between feeding from a diverse range of offerings, from dairy, grains, and vegetables to sweets and occasionally liquor. Having a rat run across one’s foot is considered auspicious, as are sightings of the rare white rat. (As with all Hindu temples, shoes are removed before entry.)

While the main sanctum dates back as far as the 15th century, the current temple was built by Bikaner’s Maharaja in the early 1900’s. Its traditional Rajput-style architecture includes an ultra-elaborate marble facade and silver doors. The temple attracts a growing number of curious tourists as well as pilgrims; those who wish to avoid crowds can visit as early as 4 a.m. See the website for more information.

Practicalities

We stayed at the Bhanwar Niwas, the last and largest of the havelis built by the Rampuria family. They’ve converted the 1920s structure into a heritage hotel. Cavernous suites and lounging areas around the courtyard mix Rajput antiques, English porcelain tiles, and Murano glass chandeliers.

Further Reading

For more on Rajasthan and environs, see our posts:

Off the Beaten Path in Rajasthan, India

A Guide to Rajasthan’s Remarkable Architecture

A Guide to Rajasthan’s Most Epic and Historic Forts

The Architecture of Jaipur, India’s Pink City

The Architecture of Jodhpur, India’s Blue City

The Architecture of Udaipur, India’s White City

The Monumental Architecture of India’s Golden Triangle

The Architecture of Agra from Fatehpur Sikri to the Taj Mahal