CONTEMPORARYARCHITECTURE-1

THE LAND OF DUNES –

BIKANER

AKHIL
SANJAN
A ANIL
ANTON
Y
HARINI
HILAI
REVATH
I
CONTENTS
• LOCATION
• HISTORY OF BIKANER
• PUBLIC AND PRIVATE
BUILDINGS
• PEOPLE CULTURE
• WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM
LOCATIONOFBIKANER
• Bikaner is a city in the northwest, of
the state of Rajasthan in northern
India. It is located 330 kilometres
(205 mi) northwest of the state
capital, Jaipur. Bikaner city is the
administrative headquarters of
Bikaner District and Bikaner
division.
• It is located in the following latitude
and longitude 27°11' and 29°03' N
and 71°54' and 74°12' E.
CLIMATE
• Bikaner is situated in the middle of the Thar desert and has a hot semi-arid climate with very
little rainfall and extreme temperatures. In summer temperatures can exceed 45 °C, and
during the winter they may dip below freezing.
• The climate in Bikaner is characterized by significant variations in temperature. In the summer
season it is very hot when the temperatures lie in the range of 28–53.5 °C (82.4–128.3 °F). In
the winter, it is fairly cold with temperatures lying in the range of −4–23.2 °C (24.8–73.8 °F).Annual
rainfall is in the range of 260–440 millimeters (10–17 in).
 HISTORYOFBIKANER

• BIKANER BEFORE THE 15 TH CENTURY WAS KNOWN AS

JANGLADESH UNDER THE RULE OF RAJPUTS.
• RAO BIKA ESTABLISHED THE CITY OF BIKANER IN 1488.
• HE WAS THE FIRST SON OF MAHARAJA RAO JODHA OF
THE RATHORE CLAN, THE FOUNDER OF JODHPUR AND
CONQUERED THE LARGELY ARID COUNTRY IN THE
NORTH OF RAJASTHAN. HE WANTED TO BUILD HIS OWN
KINGDOM AND THUS BIKANER WAS ESTABLISHED.
• THOUGH IT WAS IN THE THAR DESERT, BIKANER WAS
CONSIDERED AN OASIS ON THE TRADE ROUTE BETWEEN
CENTRAL ASIA AND THE GUJARAT COAST AS IT HAD
ADEQUATE SPRING WATER. BIKA'S NAME WAS ATTACHED
TO THE CITY HE BUILT AND TO THE STATE OF BIKANER
("THE SETTLEMENT OF BIKA") THAT HE ESTABLISHED. BIKA
BUILT A FORT IN 1478, WHICH IS NOW IN RUINS, AND A
HUNDRED YEARS LATER A NEW FORT WAS BUILT ABOUT
1.5 KM FROM THE CITY CENTRE, KNOWN AS THE
JUNAGARH FORT.
HISTORYOFBIKANER
• AROUND A CENTURY AFTER RAO BIKA
FOUNDED BIKANER, THE STATE'S FORTUNES
FLOURISHED UNDER THE SIXTH RAJA, RAI
SINGHJI, WHO RULED FROM 1571 TO 1611.
• HE BUILT THE CHINTAMANI DURG (JUNAGARH
FORT) ON A PLAIN WHICH HAS AN AVERAGE
ELEVATION OF 760 FEET (230 M). HE WAS AN
EXPERT IN ARTS AND ARCHITECTURE, AND THE
KNOWLEDGE HE ACQUIRED DURING HIS VISITS
ABROAD IS AMPLY REFLECTED IN THE
NUMEROUS MONUMENTS HE BUILT AT THE
JUNAGARH FORT.
ARCHITECTURE,MATERIALSAND
CONSTRUCTIONTECHNIQUES
 THEJUNAGARHFORT
• THE MASSIVE FORT BUILT IN THE PLAINS OF BIKANER HAS A
RECTANGULAR (QUADRANGULAR) LAYOUT WITH A PERIPHERAL
LENGTH OF 1,078 YARDS (986 M). THE FORT WALLS ARE 14.5 FEET
(4.4 M) WIDE AND 40 FEET (12 M) IN HEIGHT.
• IT ENCOMPASSES AN AREA OF 63,119 SQUARE YARDS (5.28 HA).
IT WAS SURROUNDED BY A MOAT WHICH WAS 20–25 FEET (6.1–
7.6 M) DEEP WITH A BASE WIDTH OF 15 FEET (4.6 M) AND TOP
WIDTH OF 30 FEET (9.1 M).
• THE STRUCTURES BUILT WITHIN THE JUNAGARH FORT ARE THE
PALACES AND
TEMPLES, WHICH ARE MADE OF RED SANDSTONE (DULMERA) AND
MARBLE.
• THE PALACES ARE DESCRIBED AS PICTURESQUE WITH THEIR
ASSORTMENT OF COURTYARDS, BALCONIES, KIOSKS AND
WINDOWS.
• THE FORT, THE TEMPLES AND THE PALACES ARE PRESERVED AS
MUSEUMS AND PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE GRANDIOSE LIVING
STYLE OF THE PAST MAHARANAS OFRAJASTHAN.THEFORTIS CALLED“A
PARADOXBETWEENMEDIEVALMILITARY ARCHITECTUREAND BEAUTIFUL
INTERIOR DECORATION”.
 THEFORTGATES
• WHILE THE MAIN ENTRY GATE WAS KARAN POL OR PAROLE,
FACING EAST, THE
CURRENT GATE OF ENTRY IS CALLED SURAJ POL (MEANING THE
SUN GATE), 'POL'
, BUILT IN GOLD COLOURED OR YELLOW SANDSTONE, UNLIKE THE
OTHER GATES AND BUILDINGS BUILT IN RED SANDSTONE.
• IT ISTHEEASTFACING GATEPERMITTING THERISING SUN’S RAYSTOFALL ON
THE GATE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED A GOOD OMEN. THE DOORS OF
THIS GATE
ARE STRENGTHENED WITH IRON SPIKES AND STUDS TO
PREVENT RAMMING BY ELEPHANTS DURING AN ATTACK.
• BETWEEN THE MAIN GATE AND THE PALACE, THERE IS A
QUADRANGLE, AND
THEN ANOTHER GATE CALLED THE TRIPOLIA GATE (TRIPLE
GATEWAY) BEFORE
ACCESSING THE ROYAL CHAMBERS. NEXT TO THIS GATE IS A
SMALL TEMPLE CALLED THE HAR MANDIR, WHERE THE ROYAL
FAMILY USED TO OFFER WORSHIP.
• IN THE QUADRANGLE, WHICH HOUSES A LARGE PAVILION WITH A
WATER POOL
BUILT IN CARRARA ITALIAN MARBLE. THE KARAN MAHAL, WHERE
PUBLIC
AUDIENCE WAS HELD IN THE DIWAN-I-AM BY KARAN SINGH (1631–
39) AND HIS
SUCCESSORS TILL THE 20TH CENTURY, CAN ALSO BE SEEN IN THE
SAME
QUADRANGLE.
THERAILWAYSTATIONOFBIKANER
• BIKANER RAILWAY STATION IS AT AN
ELEVATION OF 226 METRES (741 FT).
• BIKANER RAILWAY STATION WAS
CONSTRUCTED IN 1891 WITH A RS. 3,46,000
DONATION BY RAI BAHADUR DEWAN
BAHADUR SIR KASTURCHAND DAGA, A KNOWN
TRADER FROM THE CITY.
• IN 1889, THE TWO STATES OF JODHPUR AND
BIKANER FORMED THE JODHPUR–BIKANER
RAILWAY TO PROMOTE RAILWAY
DEVELOPMENT JOINTLY WITHIN THE
RAJPUTANA AGENCY.IN 1891 THE1,000 MM (3 FT3 3⁄8
IN) WIDE METRE GAUGE JODHPUR–BIKANER
LINE WAS OPENED. IN 1901–02, THE METER
GAUGE LINE WAS EXTENDED TO BATHINDA.
• PRESENTLY IT IS BEING USED AS A STATION
CUM
MUSEUM FOR THE DISPLAY OF MACHINEARY
,MATERIALS USED IN THE RAILWAY INDUSTRY.
MUD ARCHITECTURE– BIKANER
• THE HOUSES ARE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF
STONE AS WELL AS MUD. RECTANGULAR
ROOMS ARRANGED IN GEOMETRIC
PATTERN AROUND THE COURTYARD
CONSTITUTE THE BASIC PLAN FORM.
• ALL MAJOR SPACES ARE RECTANGULAR,
WITH FLAT STONE SLABS OR ROUGH
WOOD ROOFS, EXCEPT FOR ONE
CIRCULAR(KITCHEN OR STORE) SPACE
WITH A CONICAL THATCHED ROOF.
• THE WALLS ARE EITHER CONSTRUCTED OUT
OF SUN BAKED MUD BRICKS OR
UNDRESSED STONE, PLASTERED WITH
MUD. THE VILLAGE HOUSES HAVE TWO OR
THREE COURTYARDS. THE OUTER COURT
HAS A HIGH AND STRONG COMPOUND WALL
Mud architecture – Bikaner
• FOR AND PROTECTION AGAINST THE
SANDSTORMS. THE INNER OR CENTRAL COURT
IS THE PLACE ONTO WHICH ALL ROOMS OPEN.
AND IT IS THE HUB OF ACTIVITIES.
• THE REAR YARD IS WHERE THE FODDER IS
STORED. THE INTERIOR OF AND THESE BUILT
SPACES IS USED ONLY WHEN THE CLIMATE IS
SPECIALLY SEVERE SEMI OPEN SPACE LIKE
VERANDAHS ARE USED MOST OF THE TIME.
• THE ROOM WHICH IS ACCESSIBLE FROM
THE OUTSIDE MAYBEUSEDASA VISITOR’S ROOM
ORASASHOP.
• THE PLAY OF WALLS OF DIFFERENT
HEIGHTS SET ON VARIOUS PLANES GIVES
THE MAIN FAÇADE AN APPEARANCE
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE AREA.
• OPENINGS IN THE WALLS ARE SMALL AND FEW IN
NUMBER. THE MUD PLASTERED WALLS ARE
 PEOPLEANDCULTURE
• BIKANER COMPRISES OF FOLLOWERS OF BOTH
HINDUISM AND ISLAMIC LIVING IN HARMONY.
• THEIR TRADITION, CULTURE, FESTIVALS ARE THEIR
PRIDE.
• THESE PEOPLE ARE ETHNIC, FUN-LOVING AND JOVIAL
BY NATURE.
• THEIR TRADITIONAL TURBAN ARE OFTEN SPOTTED
BY MEN AND THE JEWELRY BY WOMEN.
• RAJASTHANI (LOCAL LANGUAGE), HINDI, ENGLISH ARE
SPOKEN.
• SIMPLICITY, GRACE, CREATIVITY, VIBRANT COLORS
AND HERITAGE
DEFINE THE CULTURE.
• THEARTAND CRAFTCULTUREASFLOURISHEDSINCE1600’S.
• THE UNIQUE COLOR, SHADES ON THE BIKANER
MINIATURE ART SERVES AS A PRICED POSSESSION.
• THE FESTIVALS :
• BIKANER CAMEL FESTIVAL: CELEBRATED IN
ORDER TO HONOR THE SHIP OF THE DESERT.
• THE GANGAPUR FESTIVAL: 18 DAY LONG FESTIVAL
CELEBRATED TO HONOR GODDESS PARVATI.
• THE KARNI MATA FAIR: CELEBRATED ON THE
OCCASION OF NAVARATRI.
• KOLAYATJI FAIR: DEDICATED TO THE SAGE KAPIL
MUNI. IT IS THE LARGEST FAIR OF THIS CITY.
WATERSUPPLYSYSTEMIN BIKANER
• MAHARAJA GANGA SINGH WAS GREAT SOCIO-
POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN
EVERY SPHERE OF LIFE NAMELY EDUCATION,
HEALTH, SANITATION, WATER SUPPLY, POWER
GENERATION ETC.
• ON THE NORTHERN BORDER, THE GHAGGAR
CANAL IN THE PUNJAB IRRIGATED ABOUT
5000 ACRES
• GHAGGAR RIVER IS AN INTERMITTENT,
ENDORHEIC RIVER IN INDIA AND
PAKISTAN THAT FLOWS ONLY DURING THE
MONSOON SEASON.
• IT ORIGINATES IN THE VILLAGE OF DAGHAI IN
SHIVALIK HILLS OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AT
AN ELEVATION OF 1927M ABOVE THE SEA
LEVEL THAT FLOWS THROUGH PUNJAB AND
GHAGGARCANAL(ALSOKNOWN ASINDIRA
GANDHI CANAL NOW)
• THE CANAL CONSISTS OF THE RAJASTHAN
FEEDER CANAL WITH THE FIRST 167
KILOMETRES (104 MI) IN PUNJAB AND HARYANA
STATE AND A FURTHER 37 KILOMETRES
(23 MI) IN RAJASTHAN FOLLOWED BY THE 445
KILOMETRES (277 MI) OF THE RAJASTHAN MAIN
CANAL, WHICH IS ENTIRELY WITHIN RAJASTHAN.
• THE CANAL ENTERS HARYANA FROM PUNJAB
NEAR LOHGARH VILLAGE THEN RUNS THROUGH
THE WESTERN PART OF THE SIRSA DISTRICT
BEFORE ENTERING RAJASTHAN NEAR
KHARAKHERA VILLAGE IN THE TIBBI TEHSIL OF
THE HANUMANGARH DISTRICT. THE CANAL
TRAVERSES SEVEN DISTRICTS OF RAJASTHAN:
BARMER, BIKANER, CHURU, HANUMANGARH,
JAISALMER, JODHPUR, AND SRIGANGANAGAR.
• IT COULD BROUGHT UNDER IRRIGATION
FROM THE STORED WATERS OF PUNJAB
RIVERS.
BIBILIOGRAPHY
• www.rajasthantourplanner.co
m
• www.yatra.com
• www.bikaneronline.in
• www.realbikaner.org
• www.youtube.com
• www.bikanerincity.org
THANKYOU