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Junagarh Fort is located in the middle of the Thar Desert, it was built in 1594 by Raja Rai Singh. Junagarh Fort is the most famous fort in Bikaner, it was originally called the Chintamani Mahal until the 20th century. Junagarh Fort is one of the forts which are not situated on a Hilltop, it is located on a sprawling land of 5.28 hectares and studded with temples, palaces, and pavilions. The walls of the fort are 986m-long, with 37 bastions, it is surrounded by a moat.
The structure of Junagarh Fort is made up of red sandstone and marbles. There are 7 palaces within the vicinity of the fort, which are Karan Mahal, Phool Mahal, Anup Mahal, Chandra Mahal, Ganga Mahal, Badal Mahal, and Bikaneri Havelies. Your Bikaner trip is incomplete without witnessing this grand fort and huge walls. The palaces inside the fort have elegantly carved windows, balconies, towers, and kiosks, it also has mirrors, paintings and carved marble panels in the Moon Palace are worth having a look. Other interesting places to visit in Junagarh fort are the Ganga Niwas, Dungar Niwas, Vijay Mahal, and Rang Mahal. At present, a part of Junagarh fort has been converted to a museum, which has an extensive collection of ancient artifacts and other various things belonging to the past.
History of Junagarh Fort
Formally known as Chintamani, the Fort was renamed to Junagarh in the early 20th century. Locally, it is also famous as Old Fort. The foundations of the Fort were laid by Rao Bika back in the year 1478 and it was inaugurated on 17th February 1589. The Fort is an architectural feat that is built with finesse and explicit engineering prowess. The design is a unique amalgamation of Rajput, Gujarati, and Mughal styles of architecture, along with some European motifs and elements. The monuments inside the fort are an exemplary feat of engineering and architectural abilities of 16 generations of rulers who ruled the city of Bikaner in the late 16th century. The fort also comprises of an eclectic mix of Gothic archways, mansions, Hindu temples, Buddhist monuments, and mosques that must be seen with your own eyes to be believed.
Junagarh Fort Architecture
The structures built within the Junagarh fort are the palaces and temples, which are made of red sandstone and marble.
The palaces are described as picturesque with their assortment of courtyards, balconies, kiosks, and windows displaying the original lifestyle and way of living of the Maharanas of Rajasthan.
The massive fort built in the plains of Bikaner has a rectangular layout with a peripheral length of 1,078 yards. The fort has seven gates for several palaces, pavilions and many temples of Hindu and Jain religions – the earliest dated to the 16th century.
The beauty of the fort lies in the stone carving done in red and gold-colored sandstones. The interiors of the palaces are decorated and painted in traditional Rajasthani style.
The Junagarh Palace have a large number of rooms, as every king built his own separate set of rooms.
The design and architecture of these rooms and the entire palace are dominated by Gujarati, Mughal and Rajputana architecture and design.
Chandra Mahal has the most luxurious room in the palace, which houses gold plated divinities and paintings inlaid with costly stones as it was the bedroom of the Maharaja.
In the Badal Mahal you can see the paintings of Shekhawati Dundlod rulers paying respects to the Maharaja of Bikaner in different types of turbans. Photos of people standing on nails, wood, swords, and saws are also depicted showing an example of faith.
This fort is a magnificent fort known for its design, decorations and constructions. Some of the other known attractions of this fort are Ganga Mahal, Badal Mahal, Zenana quarters, Har Mandir and more.
Bikaner Tourism is home to one of the only two models of the biplane used by the British during World War I. They were presented by the British to Maharaja Ganga Singh, then ruler of the city. Another unique aspect about Bikaner are the sand dunes that are scattered throughout the district, especially from the north-east down to the southern area. Bikaner is situated in the northern region of Rajasthan. One of the earlier established cities, Bikaner still displays its ancient opulence through palaces and forts, built of red sandstone, that have withstood the passage of time. The city boasts of some of the world’s best riding camels and is aptly nicknamed ‘camel country’. It is also home to one of the world’s largest camel research and breeding farms; as well as being known for having its own unique temple dedicated to Karni Mata at Deshnok called the Rats Temple.
