[ Bikaner photo ]
Bikaner
Bikaner, founded in 1488, is one of Rajasthan's quieter gems. The 16th-century Junagarh Fort is unusual in sitting on flat ground rather than a hill, and its ornate interiors are among the best-preserved in India. The royal cenotaphs at Devi Kund, the havelis of the old town, and the National Camel Research Centre (visit in winter for the camel fair) give Bikaner its distinctive desert character.