Bikaner Fort
Junagarh Fort is situated in Bikaner and is also known as Bikaner fort. The fort was originally named as Chintamani and was christened with Junagarh fort or Old fort during early 20th century especially after the royal family shifted to the Lalgarh palace outside this fort. It is to be noted that this fort is not constructed on top of the hill like many forts in Rajasthan. Bikaner, the modern city is said to have built around this fort.
This mesmerizing fort was constructed by Raja Rai Singh who ruled Bikaner from 1571 to 1612. The construction of the fort started in the year 1588 and it took five years to complete construction. It is to be noted that Raja Rai Singh who was a famous military chief during the reign of Emperor Akbar and Emperor Jehangir. He was rewarded by the Mughal Emperors with revenue from Gujarat as well as Burhanpur and with the help of the revenue he constructed this fort. The fort comes with 986 long walls with 37 bastions and also has two entrances.
The entrance of the fort is called as Suraj Pole or the Sun Gate that comes with east facing and the second important entrance is the daulatpol. The daulatpol gate is also of historical importance as the tourists can find the handprints of the royal ladies who committed sati. Other than that there are also some other gates that leads to the interiors of Junagarh fort which are Karan Pol, Fateh Pol; and Chand Pol. The palaces in the fort are situated on the southern side and come with magnificent courtyards, kiosks, windows and balconies. The fort comes with famous architecture which he observed during Raja Rai Singh’s travel to different parts of the country. Currently, the fort is being maintained by the Government of India.
The entrance of the fort is called as Suraj Pole or the Sun Gate that comes with east facing and the second important entrance is the daulatpol. The daulatpol gate is also of historical importance as the tourists can find the handprints of the royal ladies who committed sati. Other than that there are also some other gates that leads to the interiors of Junagarh fort which are Karan Pol, Fateh Pol; and Chand Pol. The palaces in the fort are situated on the southern side and come with magnificent courtyards, kiosks, windows and balconies. The fort comes with famous architecture which he observed during Raja Rai Singh’s travel to different parts of the country. Currently, the fort is being maintained by the Government of India.
The fort consists of 37 palaces as well as many temples and pavilions. The beauty and architecture of this fort can rival any other structure around the world. The inner rooms of the palace come with exquisite frescoes and decorated beautifully in traditional style. The women played a major role in the household issues. However, they are not involved in the state affairs. The fort also comes with exquisite artistic skill and women used to interact with outsiders through a carved stone screens. Even today the tourists will find these intricate screens. Other than this the palace comes with mirror work, lacquer work and paintings which will make the visitors to marvel at it.
How to Reach Bikaner Fort, Bikaner
The city of Bikaner is connected by railways with other major cities of India. The city is also well connected by road to other cities of India and also within the city the tourists can take unmetered taxis, tongas and auto rickshaws for transportation. Rajasthan Roadways run comfortable deluxe, super deluxe and AC buses to other parts of the country. The nearest airport is the Nal airport which is 17 Km from the heart of the city. Only passenger flight is available here. Jodhpur airport and Sanganer airport are some other airport that is in proximity to this city.
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