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Junagarh Fort

Junagarh Fort

heritage site · Rajasthan

Begun in 1589 and never taken, which is why the painted and gold-leaf interiors survive as well as they do.

State
Rajasthan
Type
Heritage Site

Begun in 1589 and never taken, which is why the painted and gold-leaf interiors survive as well as they do. The walls and moat went up between 1589 and 1594 under Karan Chand, prime minister to Rai Singh of Bikaner. It was called Chintamani until the early twentieth century. Unusually for Rajasthan it stands on flat ground rather than a hill, so the city grew around it instead of below it.

Junagarh Fort is known for

Never taken by siegeGold-leaf painted interiorsFirst World War biplane in the museum

A short history

Built 1589-1594 under Rai Singh of Bikaner, with construction overseen by his prime minister Karan Chand. Not part of the UNESCO Hill Forts of Rajasthan serial listing (a plains fort, not a hill fort).

Why Junagarh Fort matters

Rare among Rajasthan's major forts for standing on flat ground rather than a hilltop, and for never having fallen to a siege.

When to go

October to March

Why visit

Rare among Rajasthan's forts for standing on flat ground rather than a hilltop, yet it was never taken by siege — its palaces hold gold-leaf frescoes and an eclectic museum collection.

How to reach

Bikaner Junction railway station is well connected to Delhi, Jaipur, and Jodhpur. Bikaner's own airport has limited flights, so most visitors fly into Jodhpur or Jaipur and drive the rest of the way.

Junagarh Fort guide & itineraries

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Bikaner
Place

Bikaner

Bikaner gets a fraction of Jaisalmer's and Jodhpur's visitors and is a better city for it. Nothing here is queued. Junagarh, begun in 1589, is unusual among Rajasthan's forts in standing on flat ground rather than a hill, and it was never taken — which is why the painted interiors survived intact. The lacquer ceilings and the gold-leaf Anup Mahal are the reason to come, and the museum has a First World War biplane in it. Inside the old walls the city is a grid of red Dulmera sandstone havelis, the Rampuria cluster being the best of them and most still lived in. Bhujia was invented here. The Karni Mata temple at Deshnoke, thirty kilometres south, is the one with the rats — you go barefoot or you do not go. October to March. April to June sits well over 40°C.

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