Rajasthan State Archives, Bikaner

Overview

The Rajasthan State Archives, headquartered in Bikaner, is a state-level archival institution in India that preserves and provides access to the historical and administrative records of Rajasthan from the Mughal period onward. The archives hold one of the most distinctive collections of pre-modern administrative documentation in India, reflecting the indigenous character of its holdings from the former princely states of Rajasthan.

History and Founding

The Rajasthan State Archives was established in 1955, drawing on the record offices and general archives of the former covenanting states that merged to form Rajasthan after Indian independence. The institution's current headquarters in Bikaner serves as the central repository, with branch offices in Alwar, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Kota, and Udaipur. Records in the archives date from the 17th century onward, with the earliest surviving documents reflecting the limits of preservation through periods of warfare and neglect.

Collections and Holdings

The archives hold an extensive range of administrative records from the Mughal period, including Persian farmans, nishans, manshurs (royal grants), akbarat (news reports), vakil reports, arzdasht (petitions), and khatoot (correspondence). Holdings from the princely states of Rajasthan include bahiat, pattas (land grants), parwanas (orders), rukkas, and chithiat. The archives also maintain an oral history collection documenting the recollections of 246 freedom fighters of Rajasthan. Records from district archives cover Jaipur (1900–1948), Jodhpur (1744–1969), and Kota (1675–1948), in languages including Persian, Hindi, Urdu, and various Rajasthani dialects. The archives have also surveyed historical documents, manuscripts, and rare newspapers held by private individuals and institutions.

Access and Usage

The archives are open to researchers Monday through Saturday, from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM, excluding government holidays. Facilities include microfilming services, a reference library, and research rooms. An archival gallery is open to tourists and displays scanned copies of rare farmans, manshurs, and other significant documents. Reprography services are available.