Sightseeing Around Bikaner

• Gajner – The place is located 32 km south west to Bikaner. This is the private hunting preserve of the royal family of Bikaner, Gajner was developed under Maharajas Ganga Singh into the finest sandgrouse shooting reserve in the country. The palace, built to front an artificial lake, attracted sufficient wintering birds from distant Siberia, as well as a variety of deer. Gajner Palace is perfect for a quiet holiday in truly regal surroundings. Photographic shoots are not only permitted but also encouraged.

• Deshnoke – The place is located 30 km south of Bikaner. The surprise of this place is a temple, which is entirely dedicated to rats. The Karni Mata Temple at Deshnoke is known by the sobriquet of ‘Temple of Rats’. Since it was Karni Mata who had bestowed her blessings on Rao Bika, the royal family has always held the saint goddess in especially high regard. She is said to protect the city even today against everything from war to disease.

• Kolayat - The place is located 52 km south west from Bikaner. This is where the Kolayat Fair is held, the sacred site where sage Kapil Muni is supposed to have meditated centuries ago. The fair lasts for 10 days in November. The Kolayat Lake has 52 ghats, shaded by banayan trees.

• Kalibangan – The place is located is 205 km north east of Bikaner. This is an early settlement thought to have been part of the Indus Valley Civilization. Excavations yielded evidence that town-planning measures were followed here. Remains dating to both the Harappan and pre-Harappan periods have been found at Kalibangan. An archaeological museum neat the site houses the remnants found here, such as pottery, bricks, bangles and terracotta figures. Kalibangan can be reached from Bikaner by taxi.