Ancient forts are as captivating as they can be and these are structures that depict the history of the area as well. The Junagarh Fort Bikaner is one such fort that goes back to the 13th century. This is an old fort and it is rightly said as Old Fort too. Previously popular as Chintamani, the Bikaner Junagarh Fort is a grand structure with multiple structures within its premises. It reflects the life and history of the 16 generations of the rulers in Bikaner. Undoubtedly visiting this fort would be like searching through a treasure trove of history.
The Junagarh Fort photos certainly cannot do justice to how gorgeous this structure looks in reality. You need to observe it yourself to understand the royalty of this brilliant structure. So next time when you are planning to visit Bikaner or Rajasthan, make sure you include this location in your itinerary. Keep on reading this article as I will mention everything that you need to know to plan a visit to the Bikaner Junagarh Fort. From Junagarh Fort timing to how to reach the fort and what all you can see there, I will mention it all here. This will be a helpful read for you if you are planning a trip to this location in Rajasthan.
Junagarh Fort
Location of Junagarh Fort Bikaner:
Bikaner Fort, Bikaner, Rajasthan
Junagarh Fort timings:
The Junagarh Fort opening time is 10 am in the morning and it remains open till 4:30 pm in the evening on all days.
Junagarh Fort Bikaner ticket price:
The Junagarh Fort ticket price for Indians is Rs. 50 and for foreigners it is Rs. 350. Also Junagarh Fort tickets for an Audio tour are Rs. 350. There is a separate price for the tour in Phool Mahal and Chander Mahal that is Rs. 100. For video there is an additional charge of Rs. 100.
Junagarh Fort entry fee for students: The students get a concession in this fort and for Indian students the entry fee is Rs. 30 and for foreign students it is Rs. 150. And for the Audio Tour for students it is Rs. 200.
Ideal duration for visit: 2-3 hours
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How to reach Junagarh Fort Bikaner
By air
If you are travelling by air then the nearest airport to reach the fort is the Jodhpur Airport which is 233 km away from the Fort. It would take around 4 hours to reach the fort from the airport which is not exactly very convenient. You will get cabs outside the airport to reach the Junagarh Fort. Also buses are also available here to reach the fort.
By train
Bikaner is most conveniently accessible by train. The Bikaner Junction is only at a 2 km distance from the Junagarh Fort. Another nearby railway station is the Lalgarh Railway Station that is about 3.2 km from the fort and you can reach there in about 10 minutes. You will get trains from cities like Jaipur, Punjab, Delhi, Hyderabad, Mumbai etc. From the railway stations you will get local transport like autos and tongas. You can easily avail them to reach the fort from the railway stations.
By road
Government as well as private buses are available from nearby cities. So you can surely opt for that. Bikaner is connected to major cities by road so it won’t be a hassle. You can also drive through your own car or hire a car to reach the fort. Bikaner to Junagarh Fort distance is about 1.4 km and you can reach there in about 1.4 km.
Junagarh Fort History
Who built Junagarh Fort?
The history of Junagarh Fort goes back to 1478 and Rao Bika laid the foundation stone of this fort. Previously the structure of the fort was just a stone structure. The establishment of the city of Bikaner goes back to 1472 and then grew and developed around this mighty fort of Junagarh. Enemies had made multiple attempts to capture this beautiful fort, however all of them failed. There was only one attempt by Kamran Mirza though that was successful. The son of Babur, Kamran Mirza captured this fort in 1534 just for one single day during the reign of Rao Jait Singh.
Under the rule of Raja Rai Singh, who was the 6th ruler of Bikaner at that time, the city of Bikaner flourished. This happened mostly during the period of 1571- 1611. Raja Rai Singh held a good position under the rule of Mughal emperors like Jahangir and Akbar. He accepted the Mughal rule and was an able king. He has also won many wars and a lot of accolades too. After obtaining a good position under the Mughal rule he started to reconstruct the Junagarh Fort.
On 17th of February in 1589 he held a foundation ceremony and finally on 17th January, 1594 the work was complete. Amidst the Thar Desert this fort is like an architectural marvel. Raja Rai Singh was himself an artistic person and he had knowledge about architecture and construction. He gave his inputs for the construction of this beautiful and grand fortress.
Architecture of Junagarh Fort
The Junagarh Fort is a beautiful structure and one of the most amazing examples of architectural brilliance. One of the highlights of the construction of this fort is the intermingling of a variety of cultures in the style of construction. The major structure here is the Rajput style of architecture that was the earliest. You will find a beautiful mix of Rajput style mingled with Gujarati style and then mixing with the Mughal form of art. It also somehow reflects the semi westernized styles in its construction as well. During the rule of Maharaja Ganga Rajput, a revivalist Rajput architectural style also mingled here.
The whole fort of Junagarh is rectangular in structure and is 1078 yards in length. In total it spreads for an area of 63119 square yards. At first when Bika Rao laid the foundation of this fort it was a mere stone fort. Later the purpose behind the construction of the fort was to safeguard that old stone fort. For security purposes there was a moat earlier, but at present that is not present.
The Junagarh Fort Bikaner also houses multiple palaces inside its premises. And all those palaces are exquisite in their looks and are magnificent. The heritage and the culture of all the rulers are very well reflected in the creation of balconies, kiosks and the gates of the fort. An important feature of the Junagarh Fort is red and gold stone carvings. These structures are made with sandstones and reflect Rajasthani style of architecture. Total there are seven gates in the fort. Also there are multiple Hindu and Jain temples in the fort as well.
What’s more?
However two gates of the fort are most important and they are made of Golden sandstones. In the past the Karan Pol was mostly in use but at present the Suraj Pol is the one in use. The location of Karan Pol is east facing and therefore it makes sure that the first ray of the sun falls here. The golden glow of the sun falls on the golden sandstone and makes it look even more exquisite. On top of that the people also considered this thing as a good omen.
This fort is still standing tall in its brilliance and uniqueness. It is an epitome of beautiful architectural styles. Also this fort is something in between a medieval military architecture and a beautifully interior decoration. The mix of architecture here makes this fort a beautiful site to explore.
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Structures in the Junagarh Fort Bikaner
The structures that you can find inside the Junagarh Fort are the main attractions here. There are beautiful structures crafted to perfection and the interior of the fort will surely leave you spellbound.
Gates
The gates of the fort are one of the major attractions here. In total there are 7 gates here out of which the main gates are Karan Pol and Suraj Pol. Suraj Pol is a beautiful structure in yellow sandstone and faces eastwards. Here you will also find two elephant statues of red sandstones along with mahouts. The other gates here are Daulat Pol which is a double gate, Fateh Pol and Chand Pol. Daulat Pol has the hand impressions of numerous women who have performed Sati for their husbands who had died in the battlefields.
Palaces
There are multiple palaces inside this fort and each of them reflects the brilliant artwork and cultural brilliance. The first one is the Karan Mahal. Karan Singha built the Karan Mahal in 1680 when he returned victorious after fighting Aurangzeb. Then there is Phool Mahal, that Raja Rai Singh built and this is the oldest palace here. Anup Mahal is a multi storeyed building and has beautiful sophisticated designs on it. It was once the administrative headquarter of the kingdom. Then there is Badal Mahal and it is an extension of the Anup Mahal. This palace houses several brilliant paintings.
Ganga Mahal is a 20th century palace that Raja Ganga Singh built. At present it houses a museum. The Chandra Mahal is the most intricate palace and the most luxurious one too. This is an aesthetically pleasing palace with intricate decorations in it. Also there are Bikaner Havelis which are located both inside and outside the fort.
Temples
There is Har Narayan Temple which is a royal temple inside the fort premise dedicated to Lord Narayan and his wife Devi Lakhshmi. Also there is the Ratan Bihari Temple which is a temple of Lord Krishna.
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Junagarh Fort Museum
Timings of Junagarh Fort Bikaner Museum: 9 am to 6 pm
Entry fee of Junagarh Fort Bikaner Museum: Rs. 10 for Indians, Rs. 25 for foreigners and Rs. 20 additional for camera
Maharaja Dr Karni Singhji built this museum in 1961, also popular as the Prachina Museum. This museum houses various paintings, artifacts and an old collection of ancient Bikaner. A rich history of the culture and the change in cultural setting with the change in power is also reflected well here through the family portraits of former rulers.
Wrapping Up!
Now that you have all the information that you might need to plan a trip to visit this fort, what are you even waiting for? Plan a trip as soon as you can because you certainly cannot miss out on visiting this beautiful fort. So when are you planning to visit the Junagarh Fort Bikaner? Also do not forget to tell me if this particular article is helpful for you in planning a trip to this beautiful location in Rajasthan.
