Bikaner

History at a glance

1. 1459
   Rao Jodha founds Jodhpur, having sought the blessing of Karni Mata.
2. 1478
   Bika builds a fort, now in ruins, remnants of which survive near the Lakshmi Narayan temple.
3. 1488
   Rao Bikaji, one of Rao Jodha's sons, leaves his father's court after a remark he resents, rides out to the scrubland of Jangladesh and founds his own kingdom.
4. 1534
   Kamran Mirza, second son of Babur, attacks Bikaner under Rao Jait Singh and holds it for a single day.
5. 1571-1611
   The reign of Raja Rai Singhji, sixth Raja of Bikaner, who accepts Mughal suzerainty and serves as an army general under Akbar and Jahangir.
6. 1589-1594
   The walls and moat of Junagarh are built, under the supervision of Karan Chand, prime minister to Raja Rai Singh, about 1.5 km from the city centre.
7. 1877
   Bikaneri bhujia is first fried — moth-dal dough pushed through a pepper sieve, by one account.
8. 1898-1902
   Laxmi Niwas Palace is built for Maharaja Ganga Singh by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob, in Indo-Saracenic style. It is now a luxury hotel.

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