Lalgarh Fort, Bikaner

Think of constructing a palace in the desert area where sand storms play havoc in summer. Everything becomes hazy when the wind blows mercilessly. It was not an easy task to construct the palace but the celebrated architect of the 20th century took up this challenge. The result was the materialization of an architectural masterpiece called Lalgarh Palace.

Carved in red sand stone in the year 1902, the Palace was built by Maharaja Ganga Singh. He dedicated it to the memory of his father Maharaja Lal Singh Ji. The palace depicts a fantastic blend of Rajput, Mughal and European style of architecture. As you enter the front area of the palace, beautiful pierced stone screens called Jaalis will catch your attention. This typical Rajasthani work used to serve an important purpose of keeping the palace ventilated.

The complex of the palace is an assemblage of several buildings, some of which were renovated recently. The sight of the beautiful bougainvillea in the terraced lawns of the palace gives a sense of serenity. Another interesting sight which is common here is the dancing peacocks. The walls of the palace are dedicated to several hunting trophies, old photographs and paintings.

The peaceful library of Lalgarh Palace is a home to the largest and rare collection of original Sanskrit manuscripts on parchments, copper, gold and silver plaques. They belong to Harappan, Gupta and Kushan eras.