Junagarh Fort – Bikaner
Located on the arid region of Thar Desert, a majestic, culturally enriched, unpenetrated killa/fort of Rajasthan. The fort has seen some of the wars but remained unvanquished despite successive wars and invasions. Junagarh Fort remains a major fortresses inside Rajasthan which was not built on a range.
Inside Thar of Rajasthan, city of Jaisalmer, Bikaner along with Jodhpur, can be seen together forming a triangle on the map of northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. The fort is bounded on Aravali Ranges in northwest.
Bikaner, at the time of establishment of this fort was known as Jangaldesh. Rao Bika Ji founded the city around 1488 CE. Initially a small fortress in Rati Ghati was the original residence of the imperial family, until Raja Rai Singh Ji AD. 1571 – AD. 1611, the sixth ruler of Bikaner, established a new fort – Chintamani. The new fort remained under Karan Chand from 1589 CE to 1593 CE. Residence of the royal family was later moved to Lalgarh Palace, the formation of which was completed on early 20th century.
Chintamani fort was later renamed as Junagarh Fort, meaning the “Old Fort”. The old city of Bikaner was a prominent and a vital legacy in the history of medieval times. The rulers of Junagarh held high ranks as ‘Mansabdars’ of special order as the Governors in the court of the Mughals. Raja Rai Singh Ji was one of the generals during the reign of Emperor Akbar.
The Junagarh Fort is a humongous structure, that extends 5.28 hectares or 63,120 sq. yards. The quadrangular structure has a total peripheral length of 986 m. with walls reaching at a height of forty feet. 37 bastions were constructed for fortification along with seven gates, among which there are two gates that serves as the main gates used as a defense against and countering enemy attacks. The fort was built as a new stronghold outside the fort of Rao Bika, at the periphery of the Bikaner city walls.