Bikaner

About Bikaner

Bikaner is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated approximately 330 kilometres (205 mi) northwest of the state capital, Jaipur, in the Thar Desert region of western Rajasthan. Bikaner serves as the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. Formerly the capital of the princely Bikaner State, the city was founded in 1488 CE by Rao Bika, a Rajput chief of the Rathore dynasty. From its small origins it has developed into the fourth largest city in Rajasthan. The Ganga Canal, completed in 1928, and the Indira Gandhi Canal, completed in 1987, facilitated its development.

The name "Bikaner" is a combination of two elements: "Bika", derived from the city's founder, Rao Bika and "Ner", which is believed to mean "place" or "city" in the local Rajasthani language. Hence, "Bikaner" translates to "the city of Bika".

Prior to the mid 15th century, the region that is now Bikaner was a barren wilderness called Jangladesh.

Rao Bika established the city of Bikaner in 1488. He was the first son of Maharaja Rao Jodha of the Rathore clan, the founder of Jodhpur and conquered the largely arid country in the...

Overview adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA. Photography via Wikimedia Commons.