About Bikaner
Overview on Bikaner: This city lies on the northern point of the triangle of desert cities. Bikaner is another royal walled city dating back to 1486 AD. It was, however, a major trade centre as it stood on the ancient caravan route which linked central Asia and North India with the Gujarat seaports. While other cities of Rajasthan are rich in lakes and pleasure pavilions, Bikaner seems quite bare in that respect. This desert town in the north of the state was founded on 1488 by Rao bika, a descendant of Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur. Bikaner has a superb fort, camel safaris and 30 kms to the south is the extraordinary Karni Mata temple where thousands of holy rats are worshipped.
Bikaner lies in the centre of the hot Thar Desert in Rajasthan, 240km northeast of Jodhpur. Most of the city lies within a massive, battlement wall, more than 5km in circumference and from about 5 to 9m high.