Bikaner is situated in the middle of the Thar desert with very little rainfall and extreme temperatures. In summer, temperatures exceed 50 Celsius/122 Fahrenheit (a “hot” that is no laughing matter) and during the winter it dips to freezing point. Founded in 1488 by Rao Bikaji, a descendant of the founder of Jodphur and the second oldest of 14 sons, Bikaner is serious camel coountry and known for the best riding camels in the world. Bikaner holds a camel festival in January that would have to be a sight to behold and also arranges exotic camel safaris.

However, the most famous camel fair in Rajasthan is the Pushkar Fair held in November. There are camel races, Rajasthani men and women dressed in colorful traditional attire, along with thousands of bulls, cows, sheep, goats, horses and camels all around town. If you can’t attend, there are still copious amounts of camels used as “beasts of burden” around Bikaner.

One important sight is the Karni Mata Temple, dedicated to a 15th century local saint believed to be an incarnation of the Goddess Durga. A long legend about reincarnation as a rat – all her devotees would be reborn as rats until reincarnation as humans….yadda…yadda. Sorry we didn’t visit. Glad we didn’t visit once I heard that thousands of rats swarm all over the temple floor and…you enter barefoot! Yuck…eewww…

Instead of rats running all over the floor, a visit to Junagarh Fort, and two temples. Laxmi Nath Temple and Bhandasar Jain Temple Temple. Bhandasar Jain Temple Temple is one of the oldest temples in Bikaner and the foundation of the city was laid here in 1488 by Rao Bikaji. The temple was erected during the reign of Rao Lunkaran and was added to by Maharaja Ganga Singh.

The Junagarh Fort is truly massive with a rectangular layout, 37 bastions and seven gates including two Elephant Gates, Suraj Pol (sun gate) and Karan Pol. Both gates were studded with iron spikes and braced to prevent elephant ramming.

Inside Junagarh Fort are individual palaces and more temples with lavish interiors, inlaid ceilings…View image, wall paintings and beautifully decorated.

One day is enough in Bikaner to see all the sights before moving along to Jaisalmer, a hard, 333km/206 mile ride on abominable roads. Bikaner does have rail connections to Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Kolkata and Ahmedabad (Ahmedabad is very close to the State of Rajasthan). Take a look at one of the old steam engines that was still used for train travel in India.

A “know before you go” tip: Take a short nap while: (a) waiting for a train to approach after the gates go down; (b) waiting for the very slow train to pass; or (c) waiting to see if a train is actually coming or if it’s a false alarm and the gates will go up eventually. Get out of the car…find a place to pee and settle in for the duration.