Introduction

Located inside Ratan Bihari Park to the north of KEM Road, legend has it that the construction of the Raj Ratan Bihari and Rasik Shiromani Temple commenced on the third day of the bright half of Falgun Samvat in 1851 CE. Construction began under Maharaja Ratan Singh Ji, who embarked on the project upon being inspired by his queen, a Lord Krishna devotee. It took 20 years, and the temple finally saw the light of day during the reign of his son, Maharaja Surat Singh.

Built in red sandstone following the mansion style of architecture, the temple houses black and brown stone idols of Lord Krishna, Rukilometersani and Radha. Upon crossing a large garden, one approaches the main gate made of marble. The chiseled and polished marble pillars are adorned with engravings depicting coconuts and leaves. Strictly adhering to the tradition of the Ballabha sect, relevant padas (singable compositions) of poets are sung on a regular basis, while aartis are performed at different times of the day and evening in accordance to the time of the year and while observing festivals such as Krishna Janmashtami, Jhhoolan Poornima, etc.

Built to address the dearth of temples in Bikaner that were devoted to Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu, the Raj Ratan Bihari and Rasik Shiromani Temple has played a stellar role in promoting the Pushtimargi cult of worship of Lord Krishna in the region, in sync with the tenets laid down by Acharya Ballabhacharya.

Special Attributes

A temple devoted to Lord Krishna, which has the distinction of being the only one in Bikaner that follows the Ballabha sect's tenets of worship.

Nuisance

Beggars

Dressing restrictions

Dress appropriately. Avoid wearing short or revealing clothes.

Connectivity

Autos, Private Taxis

Enjoyed by

All

Exposure

Wear socks. Carry sunglasses and water.

Avoidable Season

Krishna Janmashtami (Aug-Sept), Jhhoolan (Mar)

Facilities

Basic, prepare accordingly.

Things Not Allowed

Food (especially non-vegetarian), Liquor, Drugs, Weapons

Tip

Try and catch one of the following rituals - Mangla Aarti, Shringar, Raj Bhog, Utthapana, Sandhya or Shyam Aarti.

Type of site

Temple