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{{Short description|Heritage hotel in Bikaner}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox Historic building
| name = Gajner Palace
| pushpin_map = India Rajasthan
| map_caption = Location in Rajasthan, India
| coordinates = {{coord|27.9453|N|73.0527|E|display=inline}}
| pushpin_label = Gajner Palace
| image = {{Photo montage
| photo1a = Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary-MBP-20131009.jpg
| photo2a =Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary-Courtyard-20131009.jpg
| size = 250
| color = #FFFFFF
| border = 3
| color_border = #808080
| text =
| text_background = #F5F5F5
}}
| caption = '''Top''': Gajner Palace with lake in front<br/> '''Bottom''': Gajner Palace courtyard
| location = [[Bikaner]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]]
| operator = [[HRH Group of Hotels]]
| client = [[Ganga Singh]]
| architect = [[Samuel Swinton Jacob]]
| status = Adapted to a heritage hotel
}}
'''Gajner Palace''' in [[Bikaner]], [[Rajasthan]], [[India]], served as a hunting lodge for the [[maharaja]]s of [[Bikaner State|Bikaner]]. It now operates as a heritage hotel.

==History==
When [[Gaj Singh of Bikaner|Gaj Singh]], the [[Maharaja]] of [[Bikaner State|Bikaner]], was returning from [[Kingdom of Jaisalmer|Jaisalmer]] after his marriage with its princess, he and his entourage encamped at Chandasar.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Sugich |first=Michael |url=https://archive.org/details/palacesofindiatr0000sugi/ |title=Palaces of India : a traveller's companion featuring the palace hotels |date=1992 |publisher=London : Pavilion |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-1-85145-520-1 |pages=64–66}}</ref> His wife, who was missing her paternal home, told him that she saw [[Jaisalmer]] in Chandasar and requested him to create a [[pleasure garden]] there for her.<ref name=":0" /> In the group she brought from her hometown, there was a gardener skilled in [[desert farming]].<ref name=":0" /> Gaj commissioned him to landscape a low tract called Magra.<ref name=":0" /> He also built an artificial lake called Gaj Sagar to supply water to his wife’s garden.<ref name=":0" /> He also built a Jal Mahal for her and established a village named Gajsinghpura after himself there.<ref name=":0" /> Over the years, Gajsinghpura became Gajner.<ref name=":0" /> In 1808, the troops of [[Kingdom of Marwar|Jodhpur]], during a siege against [[Bikaner State|Bikaner]], destroyed the palace.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Goetz |first=Hermann |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.14228/ |title=Art and Architecture of Bikaner State |date=1950 |pages=68–69,75,80,82,95}}</ref> The later-day palaces and canal system at Gajner were the work of [[Sardar Singh of Bikaner|Sardar Singh]], [[Dungar Singh]], and [[Ganga Singh]].<ref name=":1" /> When the [[Indian famine of 1899–1900|famine of 1899]] left the Gaj Sagar empty, [[Ganga Singh]] deepened the lake and widened it so that two years of water supply could be held in it.<ref name=":0" /> Its capacity was 50 mcft (1,415,842,329.6 liters), and its catchment area was approximately 50 sq. miles (129.5 sq. km).<ref name=":3" />

Besides the Vallabh gardens, it was one of the two private [[Game reserve|game reserves]] of the [[Maharaja]]s of [[Bikaner State|Bikaner]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Sehgal |first=K. k |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.146804/ |title=Rajasthan Distict Gazetteers Bikaner |date=1962 |pages=12,126}}</ref> It was compared to being on par with British hunting estates such as [[Balmoral Castle|Balmoral]] and [[Sandringham House|Sandringham]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hughes |first=Julie E. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XyHkMlWnaicC |title=Animal Kingdoms |date=2013-03-01 |publisher=Harvard University Press |isbn=978-0-674-07478-1 |pages=142–144 |language=en |archive-date=20 January 2025 |access-date=31 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250120185750/https://books.google.com/books?id=XyHkMlWnaicC |url-status=live }}</ref> When important guests would visit [[Ganga Singh]], they were taken here to shoot the [[great Indian bustard]] or the [[sandgrouse]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=T. N. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=At8OAQAAMAAJ |title=Amber Jaipur: A Dream in the Desert |date=1994 |publisher=Classic Publishing House |isbn=978-81-7193-041-8 |pages=31 |language=en}}</ref> A record stands from the bygone days that 11,000 birds were shot in a day using as many as 40 guns.<ref name=":2" />

[[Ganga Singh]] commissioned [[Samuel Swinton Jacob]], who had designed [[Lalgarh Palace|Lalgarh]], to design a new palace for him.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RxFIAQAAMAAJ |title=The Sphere: An Illustrated Newspaper for the Home |date=1907 |pages=iv |language=en}}</ref> This palace, made of pink sandstone, was built around 1910-13.<ref name=":0" /> It was fully equipped with comforts and included a separate wing for visitors.<ref name=":4" /> It became known as Gajner Palace.<ref name=":0" /> [[Mumbai]] (then Bombay)-based John Roberts and Co. was commissioned to furnish it.<ref name=":0" /> [[Ganga Singh]]'s grandson, [[Karni Singh]], who rarely shot anything but [[Clay pigeon shooting|clay pigeons]] and was a strict [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]] due to the influence of his mother, who was also a [[Vegetarianism|vegetarian]] and did not herself shoot, was generally opposed to the taking of life.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Hooja |first=Rima |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cUluAAAAMAAJ |title=Prince, Patriot, Parliamentarian: Biography of Dr. Karni Singh, Maharaja of Bikaner |date=1997 |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers India |isbn=978-81-7223-260-3 |pages=36,173,183,230 |language=en}}</ref> He opened a portion of the palace for his private guests and disapproved of hunting on Gajner grounds.<ref name=":0" /> Now it is converted into a heritage hotel.<ref name=":0" /> It is managed by [[HRH Group of Hotels]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Desmond |first=Kevin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1O02DwAAQBAJ |title=Electric Boats and Ships: A History |date=2017-09-25 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-1-4766-2768-7 |pages=132 |language=en}}</ref>

== Features ==
Its compound stretches over 6000 acres.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Discover the Royal Gajner Palace in Bikaner |url=https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/rajasthan/bikaner/gajner-palace# |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Incredible India |language=en}}</ref> It is situated in a thick forest.<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |last=RajRAS |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bdbHDwAAQBAJ |title=Art Architecture & Culture of Rajasthan |date=2018-03-02 |publisher=RajRAS |pages=72 |language=en}}</ref> It is divided into four wings: Dungar Niwas, Mandir Chowk, Gulab Niwas, and Champa Niwas.<ref name=":5" /> Migratory birds flock in great numbers and can be viewed here.<ref name=":6" />

==References==
<references />
==External links==

* [https://hrhhotels.com/hotels/gajner_palace/about.php Fact Sheet - Gajner Palace]
[[Category:Royal residences in India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Bikaner]]
[[Category:Palaces in India]]
[[Category:Palaces in Rajasthan]]

Gajner Palace, Bikaner - Revision history

XuHzRuDLW: starting a pg - done