Junagarh Fort is located in the desert city, situated in western Rajasthan, known as Bikaner. The fort was originally called Chintamani and was renamed Junagarh or “Old Fort” in the early 20th century. It is one of the few major forts in Rajasthan which is not built on a hilltop.
The foundation of the fort was laid by the ruler of Bikaner Rao Bikaji in the 14th century. Its boundary runs up to 1.5 km. It has a popular temple of Lord Ganesha inside the premises and people regularly go to the temple today also. Even when anyone buys a new vehicle they surely visit the temple.
Apart from the temple, it also has a beautiful garden which looks lush from the terrace. The fort is made up of precious metals like gold and silver. All the weapons used in wars including the canon are kept here. Some of these weapons and an aeroplane were used in World War 1. The artwork in the fort is magnificent. The paintings are made from natural colours and embroidery is worth praising.
The emperor was also fond of horse-riding, fencing and royal materials. This fact is evident through the huge collection of swords, picture frames of the king enjoying horse-riding and the sculpture of the fort.
People from abroad as well as domestic tourists visit the Fort and get astonished by its royalty. There is no tourist who leaves without coming to Junagarh Fort. It is also situated in the centre of the city. The peak season is at the end of winters during in the months between January-April.
Featured image source: Pixbay.