Gajner Palace, a unit of HRH Group of Hotels is an incomparable jewel in the Thar Desert. This palace is built on the embankment of a lake by H.H. Maharaja Sir Ganga Singhji of Bikaner. Gajner Palace
is situated about 30 km from Bikaner in Gajner and spread over 6000 acres of land. Gajner is located near Kolayat, an old historic village with a holy lake (Kapil Sarovar) and numerous temples. Gajner attracts thousands of pilgrims especially during Kartik Purnima on full moon day between October and November Gajner Palace was earlier used by the former Maharajas as a hunting lodge and various British dignatories also visited during the British Raj System.
During the reign of Maharaja Ganga Singhji, this palace was used for duck and Imperial Sand Grouse shooting and lavish entertainment. Christmas season was often celebrated with great fun and frolic and both, national and international kings and other dignatories were invited on this grand occasion. Some dignatories who have visited Gajner Palace are the Governor General Lord Elgin, Lord Mountbatten of Burma, Prince of Wales (1905) and Lord lrwin (1927).
Gajner Palace is divided into five different wings which are Dungar Niwas, Mandir Chowk, Gulab Niwas, Champa Niwas and Sardar Niwas. The hotel offers 31 well appointed rooms and suites. Each suite has been meticulously restored to its original grandeur. In Gajner Palace, one can also view the photographs of the days of the British Raj System which have been meticulously arranged in the corridors. The tourists can also enjoy Camel Safari, Jeep Safari, Horse riding, billiards, tennis and boating at Gajner Palace.
About Gajner Palace
Junagarh Fort
Junagarh Fort in Bikaner is an impressive fort built by a Rajput ruler. Raja Rai SinghJunagarh Fort, Bikaner in 1587. A fort that has never been conquered, though it has been attacked many times, 
Junagarh Fort is an impressive monument, with huge towers and battlements for defence. Raja Rai Singh who lived in the times of the Mughal Emperors Jahangir and Akbar, was a famous military leader. He was rewarded for his bravery in battle by revenue from parts of Gujarat and Burhanpur. He used these funds in the construction of the Junagarh Fort. The ideas he absorbed during his travels across India after seeing many other forts and palaces were also applied in the construction of Junagarh Fort.
Junagarh Fort contains 37 palaces and many temples and pavilions. Many of the inner rooms of the palaces are beautifully decorated and painted in traditional style. The walls of the Badal Mahal or Palace of Clouds, are covered with fresco paintings of Krishna and his consort Radha in the midst of rain clouds. The Anup Mahal is a beautiful structure where the inner walls are covered with exquisite lacquer work of red and gold as well as inlay work in glass. Gold leaf has been used to decorate the pillars made of white plaster. The overall effect within the Anup Mahal Palace is very ornate.
About Karni Mata
Karni Mata was born on October 2, 1387 in the village of Suwap in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan. The seventh daughter of Mehoji Charan and his wife Deval Devi, her original name was Ridhubai. According to legend, she earned the honorific name Karni at age six by miraculously curing her aunt. Mata,” a term meaning “mother,” was commonly added to the names of those worshipped as mother goddesses. She married Dipoji Charan of the village of Sathika around AD 1415 but did not live a conventional “married life.”
Later on she herself arranged the marriage of her husband with her younger sister Gulab. She lived in her in-laws’ village for about two years before leaving with her followers and a herd of cattle to live a nomadic life, camping at sunset. One such a camp was made at village Jangloo, but a servent of Rao Kanha who was ruler of the place denied them access to water for people and cows. On this Karni Mata declared her follower Rao Ridmal of Chandasar as new ruler of the village. And moved on to the further journey. When she reached near Deshnok, Rao Kanha himself came to oppose her camping but he died. Karni mata stopped further wandering and started living there. Her husband Depoji died in AD 1454. Rats became sacred in her temple when Karni Mata’s stepson Laxman drowned in a tank he was attempting to drink from.
Karni mata implored Yama, the god of Death; though he at first refused, Yama eventually relented, permitting Laxman and all of Karnimata’s male children to be reincarnated as rats.[3] In AD 1453 she gave her blessing to Rao Jodha of Jodhpur in conquering Ajmer, Merta and Mandor. In 1457 she went to Jodhpur at Rao Jodha’s request to lay the cornerstone of the fort at Jodhpur.
