Why I keep returning to Bikaner instead of ticking other places off my bucket list

But it’s not all history, lessons in resilience and possible celebrity sightings. Take a walk down the old city. You will find stores selling freshly made namkeens, malpuas and the famous Bikaneri bhujiya. My favourite, however, is the Chunnilal sherbet shop, which sells unique sherbets made from bela, mogra, white rose, khus and rose, amongst other desi flavours. Served over crushed ice with milk or water, you will catch stars and locals alike enjoying these cooling delights. My kitchen cabinets are always stocked with bela sherbet, but it doesn’t taste the same when I make it myself. I think it has something to do with the dry, arid Bikaner air that the guides talk about. Or maybe it’s just another reason for me to go back.

Rampuria Haveli. Getty Images

If you are a traveller eager for new experiences, the city might not satisfy you, but if you are looking for a place that will touch your soul and is simultaneously untouched by overtourism, go to Bikaner. Here, I have discovered a sanctuary that speaks to my soul. It has taught me resilience through the quiet strength of its history and the everyday life of its inhabitants. Every time I bid farewell to this enchanting city, I depart with a longing to return.