IMPERIA |
october-november-december 2019
7
(Above left)
The famous
Diwali Chowk.
(Right)
A view
of the Prince
room.
India when she emerged from the ravages
of the British Raj. This is exactly the theme
that runs through all the categories of rooms
herein.
Another sister palatial property worth visiting
or staying at is the impeccable Laxmi Niwas
Palace commissioned in 1904 where royalty,
including King George V and Queen Mary
were invited to stay. These very doors are
now open for all. A must-do when here is
a dining experience at the Swarna Mahal
where you could also savour the same
menu the King and Queen Mary were
served back then specially recreated by the
chef in the solid gold-walled premise. It is
surely an experience like none other.
The rest of my days in Bikaner were spent
exploring the city and its surroundings. The
Merchant walk curated by the Bhawan is a
unique one as an experienced guide walks
you through the winding streets of the old
city narrating stories of how the merchants
came here and went about setting up their
businesses. The walk finally culminates at
an opulent and known merchant’s house/
haveli where you are in served an authentic
Bikaneri thali for lunch with a delectable
array of dishes, leaving your palate yearning
for more.
A visit to the ever famous Junagadh Fort,
the place where it all began, can take
an entire day to admire its architectural
splendour.
The revered Karni Mata temple around 30
km south of Bikaner is one place where you
will find the largest count of rats ever, all
partaking the evening prasad in an orderly
manner.
Bikaner is a shopper’s paradise and me
being a complete shopaholic headed
straight to the Kote gate – the oldest
shopping area of the city and returned with
bags filled with fabrics, sandals, leather
bags and everything else I could lay my
eyes and hands on.
My final stop was the Camel Research
Centre where some of the best camels in
the country are reared. The camel milk ice
cream was delicious and the camel milk
lassi looked equally inviting.
The time was now here to bid farewell to
Bikaner as I drove to the nearest airport
to catch my flight out. My tryst with
royalty came to an end or was it a part
of the never ending journey? Rajasthan
is magical, mysterious and the epitome
of royalty whichever part of the state one
opts to be in. And Bikaner is one such
truly hidden gem.
