Built
around 1587, to protect 37 palaces, temples and pavilions within it,
Junagarh is one of its kinds, remaining unconquered till date except once.
The palaces within it are very well preserved, the most notable of which are
the Badal Mahal, Karan Mahal and Anup Mahal. Bikaner's Rathore rulers spared
no efforts to create and maintain splendor in their royal residences with
gold lacquer paintings preserved well because of the dry desert climate.
Ganga Mahal, the imposing halls added by Maharaj Ganga Singh,
now houses the Fort Museum. It contains a fine collection of antique Rajput
weaponry, jade handle dcaggers, camel hide dhals (shields) and inlaid
handguns and camel guns. Gold and silver howdahs, julas, palkis and a First
World War biplane are on view. Other important objects include a pair of
drums belonging to Jambhoji, the saint who predicted the foundation of the
dynasty by Rao Bika for 450 years. Photographs and items of personal used by
Maharaja Ganga Singh and miniatures are also on view.
