Page 40 - MASALA Magazine Vol.15 Issue 2 | December 2023 - January 2024

Second Stop:

From Karni Mata, drive through the desolate
desert towards ICAR – National Research GETTING THERE

Centre on Camel, where you can indulge By car, Bikaner is about a three-hour
in camel milk ice cream, chai, and coffee, drive from Jodhpur and a four-hour drive
learn about different breeds of camels, and from Jaipur. Bikaner can be reached by
enjoy camel rides. an overnight train from New Delhi, and

Very close to ICAR is probably one of the most it also has a small airport that allows for
fascinating places you’ll ever see. Jorbeer is a infrequent flights from limited cities.
carcass dumping ground, where animals are
disposed of after they die. It is also a raptor
conservation area, as vultures, falcons and
eagles come to feed on the remains of the dead TOP TIPS
livestock. It will shock you. The smell can be
overpowering, so wear a mask. And I highly The best time to visit is between October
recommend visiting with their conservation Not as busy as some of the other sights in and March. Temperatures can vary
expert, Dr. Jitu Solanki (Instagram: @jitu_ Bikaner, Devi Kund Sagar is a photographer’s drastically throughout the day, especially
jorbeer_tal_chappar) paradise. between December and February, so
dress in layers.
Third Stop: Final Stop:
Old Bikaner’s narrow alleys would be
If you are not too queasy after Jorbeer, stop End your action-packed tour of Bikaner difficult enough to manoeuver through
for lunch at Brij Gaj Kesri Hotel, a lush at Narendra Bhawan. You’ll know you’ve while they are empty, but once you factor
green oasis in the middle of the yellow desert. reached the right place, when you hear the in the occasional cow and the fact that
Otherwise head straight to Devi Kund Sagar, kind of music that seems out of place in a traffic inexplicably moves both ways,
or Sagar Chhatriyaan, the cenotaphs of luxurious Rajasthani hotel. But the playlist is driving a big car becomes impossible.
Bikaner’s royal family. Seventy cenotaphs perfect for the eclectic and sexy place that is Within the city, stick with rickshaws
stand here, one for each of the members of Narendra Bhawan. Dust yourself and settle or small cars. Watch your step when
the royal family cremated on the grounds. down in the outdoor cabana with a cocktail, walking in the old city, or you may find
Beautifully made of sandstone and marble, before you move into Narendra Bhawan’s you’ve stepped on cow dung!
each one is unique. elegant Pearls & Chiffon restaurant for dinner.