Today we travelled from Alsisar to Bikaner. The haze is dissipating, the sky is blue and the litter is diminishing, we have even noted huge truck trailer sized bags containing rubbish being hauled away somewhere.
The country is becoming increasingly arid but still well timbered and agricultural activity obvious. We are guessing the vegetation type is remnant Thorn Forest.
Typical species include:
- Prosopis cineraria (Khejri)
- Acacia senegal (Kumat)
- Acacia leucophloea
- Capparis decidua (Ker)
- Zizyphus nummularia (Ber)
- Salvadora oleoides (Jal)
- Leptadenia pyrotechnica (Khip)
- Grasses: Lasiurus sindicus (Sewan), Cenchrus ciliaris
We are seeing more camels and they are being used extensively for transporting all manner of material.
Power infrastructure is abundant and clearly important as new towers are going up everywhere.
When we reach Bikaner we tour the Junagarah Fort, it is one of the few major forts in Rajasthan which is not built on a hilltop. The fort itself is absolutely amazing, its history, art and architecture. Influenced by blended Mughal-era artistic influences and over the years incorporated the best of furniture and materials from Europe, England and elsewhere. Dr Karni Singh, was from 1950 the last Maharaja of Bikaner State to hold the title of Maharaja of Bikaner, officially, until 1971, when the privy purse and all the royal titles were abolished by the Republic of India.
The fort was built in 1478 by Rao Bika who established the city of Bikaner in 1472. Rao Bika was the second son of Rao Jodha of the Rathod clan, the founder of Jodhpur city. He conquered the large arid lands to the northern region of Rajasthan to set up his domain. Even though being the second but eldest surviving son of Rao Jodha, he chose not to inherit his father’s kingdom and therefore decided to build his own kingdom at Bikaner at the place then called “Jungladesh”. Bikaner, though a partly of the Thar Desert, was considered an oasis on the trade route between Central Asia and the Gujarat coast since it had adequate spring water sources. Bika’s name was thus tagged to the Bikaner city as well as to the then state of Bikaner (“the settlement of Bika”) that he established. The history of Bikaner and the fort within it thus start with Bika.
A visit to the adjoining museum where we viewed everything from jewelry to clothing used during the time of the rulers, the style, beauty and quality was outstanding.
We were then taken through the old city by three wheeled bikes, Tuk Tuks. It was exciting to say the least and gave us direct contact with every day life. People as always were very friendly, even though their situation must be very challenging for some.
We are learning that Rajasthan’s town names are essentially historical clues. By looking at the linguistic components, suffixes, and cultural references in the names, you can often infer who founded the town, what community lived there, what the geography was like, or which deity or ruler was associated with it.
For example.
Jaipur — “Jai Singh’s City” (from Jai Singh)
Bikaner — “Bika’s Grove” (founded by Rao Bika)
Bhat in a Rajasthan place name, it usually signals:
- A Brahmin scholarly lineage
- A founding or dominant clan
- A fortified settlement (if combined with -ner / -garh / -kot)
We note the 21st Raj Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner ) reigned 1887–1943) brought water to Bikaner by constructing the 89-mile-long Ganga Canal, which was opened in 1927 to tap the Sutlej River. This massive project was built to end chronic famine and drought, transforming 1,000 square miles of desert into fertile land.
Today we saw the Indian Roller, Coracias benghalensis, Indian paradise flycatcher, Terpsiphone paradisi and Purple Sunbird, Cinnyris asiaticus.
A few more of the fort.
