Bikaner is a city in the northwest, of the state of Rajasthan in northern India. It is located 330 kilometres (205 mi) northwest of the state capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the administrative headquarters of Bikaner District and Bikaner division. It is located in the following latitude and longitude 27°11' and 29°03' N and 71°54' and 74°12' E.

1. CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE -1
THE LAND OF DUNES – BIKANER
AKHIL
SANJANA
ANIL
ANTONY
HARINI
HILAI
REVATHI
SOWYMA
INDRAJIT

2. CONTENTS
• LOCATION
• HISTORY OF BIKANER
• PUBLIC AND PRIVATE BUILDINGS
• PEOPLE CULTURE
• WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM

3. LOCATION OF BIKANER
• Bikaner is a city in the northwest, of the
state of Rajasthan in northern India. It is
located 330 kilometres (205 mi)
northwest of the state capital, Jaipur.
Bikaner city is the administrative
headquarters of Bikaner District and
Bikaner division.
• It is located in the following latitude and
longitude 27°11' and 29°03' N and 71°54'
and 74°12' E.

5. CLIMATE
• Bikaner is situated in the middle of the Thar desert and has a hot semi-arid climate with very little
rainfall and extreme temperatures. In summer temperatures can exceed 45 °C, and during the winter
they may dip below freezing.
• The climate in Bikaner is characterized by significant variations in temperature. In the summer season it
is very hot when the temperatures lie in the range of 28–53.5 °C (82.4–128.3 °F). In the winter, it is fairly
cold with temperatures lying in the range of −4–23.2 °C (24.8–73.8 °F).Annual rainfall is in the range of
260–440 millimeters (10–17 in).

6. HISTORY OF BIKANER
• BIKANER BEFORE THE 15 TH CENTURY WAS KNOWN AS JANGLADESH
UNDER THE RULE OF RAJPUTS.
• 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 NORTH OF RAJASTHAN. HE WANTED TO BUILD
HIS OWN KINGDOM AND THUS BIKANER WAS ESTABLISHED.
• THOUGH IT WAS IN THE THAR DESERT, BIKANER WAS CONSIDERED AN
OASIS ON THE TRADE ROUTE BETWEEN CENTRAL ASIA AND THE
GUJARAT COAST AS IT HAD ADEQUATE SPRING WATER. BIKA'S NAME
WAS ATTACHED TO THE CITY HE BUILT AND TO THE STATE OF BIKANER
("THE SETTLEMENT OF BIKA") THAT HE ESTABLISHED. BIKA BUILT A
FORT IN 1478, WHICH IS NOW IN RUINS, AND A HUNDRED YEARS
LATER A NEW FORT WAS BUILT ABOUT 1.5 KM FROM THE CITY
CENTRE, KNOWN AS THE JUNAGARH FORT.

7. HISTORY OF BIKANER
• AROUND A CENTURY AFTER RAO BIKA FOUNDED BIKANER,
THE STATE'S FORTUNES FLOURISHED UNDER THE SIXTH
RAJA, RAI SINGHJI, WHO RULED FROM 1571 TO 1611.
• HE BUILT THE CHINTAMANI DURG (JUNAGARH FORT) ON
A PLAIN WHICH HAS AN AVERAGE ELEVATION OF 760 FEET
(230 M). HE WAS AN EXPERT IN ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE,
AND THE KNOWLEDGE HE ACQUIRED DURING HIS VISITS
ABROAD IS AMPLY REFLECTED IN THE NUMEROUS
MONUMENTS HE BUILT AT THE JUNAGARH FORT.

8. ARCHITECTURE ,MATERIALS AND
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES

9. THE JUNAGARH FORT
• THE MASSIVE FORT BUILT IN THE PLAINS OF BIKANER HAS A RECTANGULAR
(QUADRANGULAR) LAYOUT WITH A PERIPHERAL LENGTH OF 1,078 YARDS (986
M). THE FORT WALLS ARE 14.5 FEET (4.4 M) WIDE AND 40 FEET (12 M) IN HEIGHT.
• IT ENCOMPASSES AN AREA OF 63,119 SQUARE YARDS (5.28 HA). IT WAS
SURROUNDED BY A MOAT WHICH WAS 20–25 FEET (6.1–7.6 M) DEEP WITH A
BASE WIDTH OF 15 FEET (4.6 M) AND TOP WIDTH OF 30 FEET (9.1 M).
• THE STRUCTURES BUILT WITHIN THE JUNAGARH FORT ARE THE PALACES AND
TEMPLES, WHICH ARE MADE OF RED SANDSTONE (DULMERA) AND MARBLE.
• THE PALACES ARE DESCRIBED AS PICTURESQUE WITH THEIR ASSORTMENT OF
COURTYARDS, BALCONIES, KIOSKS AND WINDOWS.
• THE FORT, THE TEMPLES AND THE PALACES ARE PRESERVED AS MUSEUMS AND
PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE GRANDIOSE LIVING STYLE OF THE PAST MAHARANAS
OF RAJASTHAN. THE FORT IS CALLED “A PARADOX BETWEEN MEDIEVAL MILITARY
ARCHITECTURE AND BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR DECORATION”.

10. THE FORT GATES
• WHILE THE MAIN ENTRY GATE WAS KARAN POL OR PAROLE, FACING EAST, THE
CURRENT GATE OF ENTRY IS CALLED SURAJ POL (MEANING THE SUN GATE), 'POL'
, BUILT IN GOLD COLOURED OR YELLOW SANDSTONE, UNLIKE THE OTHER GATES
AND BUILDINGS BUILT IN RED SANDSTONE.
• IT IS THE EAST FACING GATE PERMITTING THE RISING SUN’S RAYS TO FALL ON
THE GATE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A GOOD OMEN. THE DOORS OF THIS GATE
ARE STRENGTHENED WITH IRON SPIKES AND STUDS TO PREVENT RAMMING BY
ELEPHANTS DURING AN ATTACK.
• BETWEEN THE MAIN GATE AND THE PALACE, THERE IS A QUADRANGLE, AND
THEN ANOTHER GATE CALLED THE TRIPOLIA GATE (TRIPLE GATEWAY) BEFORE
ACCESSING THE ROYAL CHAMBERS. NEXT TO THIS GATE IS A SMALL TEMPLE
CALLED THE HAR MANDIR, WHERE THE ROYAL FAMILY USED TO OFFER WORSHIP.
• IN THE QUADRANGLE, WHICH HOUSES A LARGE PAVILION WITH A WATER POOL
BUILT IN CARRARA ITALIAN MARBLE. THE KARAN MAHAL, WHERE PUBLIC
AUDIENCE WAS HELD IN THE DIWAN-I-AM BY KARAN SINGH (1631–39) AND HIS
SUCCESSORS TILL THE 20TH CENTURY, CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN THE SAME
QUADRANGLE.

11. THE RAILWAY STATION OF BIKANER
• BIKANER RAILWAY STATION IS AT AN ELEVATION OF 226
METRES (741 FT).
• BIKANER RAILWAY STATION WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1891
WITH A RS. 3,46,000 DONATION BY RAI BAHADUR
DEWAN BAHADUR SIR KASTURCHAND DAGA, A KNOWN
TRADER FROM THE CITY.
• IN 1889, THE TWO STATES OF JODHPUR AND BIKANER
FORMED THE JODHPUR–BIKANER RAILWAY TO PROMOTE
RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT JOINTLY WITHIN THE
RAJPUTANA AGENCY. IN 1891 THE 1,000 MM (3 FT 3 3⁄8
IN) WIDE METRE GAUGE JODHPUR–BIKANER LINE WAS
OPENED. IN 1901–02, THE METER GAUGE LINE WAS
EXTENDED TO BATHINDA.
• PRESENTLY IT IS BEING USED AS A STATION CUM
MUSEUM FOR THE DISPLAY OF MACHINEARY
,MATERIALS USED IN THE RAILWAY INDUSTRY.

12. MUD ARCHITECTURE – BIKANER
• THE HOUSES ARE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF STONE AS
WELL AS MUD. RECTANGULAR ROOMS ARRANGED IN
GEOMETRIC PATTERN AROUND THE COURTYARD
CONSTITUTE THE BASIC PLAN FORM.
• ALL MAJOR SPACES ARE RECTANGULAR, WITH FLAT
STONE SLABS OR ROUGH WOOD ROOFS, EXCEPT FOR
ONE CIRCULAR(KITCHEN OR STORE) SPACE WITH A
CONICAL THATCHED ROOF.
• THE WALLS ARE EITHER CONSTRUCTED OUT OF SUN
BAKED MUD BRICKS OR UNDRESSED STONE,
PLASTERED WITH MUD. THE VILLAGE HOUSES HAVE
TWO OR THREE COURTYARDS. THE OUTER COURT HAS
A HIGH AND STRONG COMPOUND WALL

13. Mud architecture – Bikaner
• FOR AND PROTECTION AGAINST THE SANDSTORMS. THE
INNER OR CENTRAL COURT IS THE PLACE ONTO WHICH ALL
ROOMS OPEN. AND IT IS THE HUB OF ACTIVITIES.
• THE REAR YARD IS WHERE THE FODDER IS STORED. THE
INTERIOR OF AND THESE BUILT SPACES IS USED ONLY WHEN
THE CLIMATE IS SPECIALLY SEVERE SEMI OPEN SPACE LIKE
VERANDAHS ARE USED MOST OF THE TIME.
• THE ROOM WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE
MAYBE USED AS A VISITOR’S ROOM OR AS A SHOP.
• THE PLAY OF WALLS OF DIFFERENT HEIGHTS SET ON
VARIOUS PLANES GIVES THE MAIN FAÇADE AN
APPEARANCE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE AREA.
• OPENINGS IN THE WALLS ARE SMALL AND FEW IN NUMBER.
THE MUD PLASTERED WALLS ARE PAINTED WHITE AT THESE
OPENINGS AND THIS MAKES THEM LOOK LARGER.

14. PEOPLE AND CULTURE
• BIKANER COMPRISES OF FOLLOWERS OF BOTH HINDUISM AND
ISLAMIC LIVING IN HARMONY.
• THEIR TRADITION, CULTURE, FESTIVALS ARE THEIR PRIDE.
• THESE PEOPLE ARE ETHNIC, FUN-LOVING AND JOVIAL BY NATURE.
• THEIR TRADITIONAL TURBAN ARE OFTEN SPOTTED BY MEN AND
THE JEWELRY BY WOMEN.
• RAJASTHANI (LOCAL LANGUAGE), HINDI, ENGLISH ARE SPOKEN.
• SIMPLICITY, GRACE, CREATIVITY, VIBRANT COLORS AND HERITAGE
DEFINE THE CULTURE.
• THE ART AND CRAFT CULTURE AS FLOURISHED SINCE 1600’S.
• THE UNIQUE COLOR, SHADES ON THE BIKANER MINIATURE ART
SERVES AS A PRICED POSSESSION.
• THE CARPET WEAVING, MINIATURE PAINTING, ORNAMENTAL
STONE WORK.

15. • THE FESTIVALS :
• BIKANER CAMEL FESTIVAL: CELEBRATED IN ORDER TO HONOR
THE SHIP OF THE DESERT.
• THE GANGAPUR FESTIVAL: 18 DAY LONG FESTIVAL CELEBRATED
TO HONOR GODDESS PARVATI.
• THE KARNI MATA FAIR: CELEBRATED ON THE OCCASION OF
NAVARATRI.
• KOLAYATJI FAIR: DEDICATED TO THE SAGE KAPIL MUNI. IT IS THE
LARGEST FAIR OF THIS CITY.

16. WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM IN BIKANER
• MAHARAJA GANGA SINGH WAS GREAT SOCIO-POLITICAL
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN EVERY SPHERE OF
LIFE NAMELY EDUCATION, HEALTH, SANITATION, WATER
SUPPLY, POWER GENERATION ETC.
• ON THE NORTHERN BORDER, THE GHAGGAR CANAL IN
THE PUNJAB IRRIGATED ABOUT 5000 ACRES
• GHAGGAR RIVER IS AN INTERMITTENT, ENDORHEIC
RIVER IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN THAT FLOWS ONLY
DURING THE MONSOON SEASON.
• IT ORIGINATES IN THE VILLAGE OF DAGHAI IN SHIVALIK
HILLS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AT AN ELEVATION OF
1927M ABOVE THE SEA LEVEL THAT FLOWS THROUGH
PUNJAB AND STATES INTO RAJASTHAN.

17. GHAGGAR CANAL (ALSO KNOWN AS INDIRA
GANDHI CANAL NOW)
• THE CANAL CONSISTS OF THE RAJASTHAN FEEDER CANAL
WITH THE FIRST 167 KILOMETRES (104 MI) IN PUNJAB
AND HARYANA STATE AND A FURTHER 37 KILOMETRES
(23 MI) IN RAJASTHAN FOLLOWED BY THE 445 KILOMETRES
(277 MI) OF THE RAJASTHAN MAIN CANAL, WHICH IS
ENTIRELY WITHIN RAJASTHAN.
• THE CANAL ENTERS HARYANA FROM PUNJAB
NEAR LOHGARH VILLAGE THEN RUNS THROUGH THE
WESTERN PART OF THE SIRSA DISTRICT BEFORE ENTERING
RAJASTHAN NEAR KHARAKHERA VILLAGE IN THE TIBBI
TEHSIL OF THE HANUMANGARH DISTRICT. THE CANAL
TRAVERSES SEVEN DISTRICTS OF RAJASTHAN: BARMER,
BIKANER, CHURU, HANUMANGARH, JAISALMER, JODHPUR,
AND SRIGANGANAGAR.
• IT COULD BROUGHT UNDER IRRIGATION FROM THE
STORED WATERS OF PUNJAB RIVERS.

18. BIBILIOGRAPHY
• www.rajasthantourplanner.com
• www.yatra.com
• www.bikaneronline.in
• www.realbikaner.org
• www.youtube.com
• www.bikanerincity.org

19. THANK YOU