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 Located
just about 200 kms from Delhi, Bharatpur is also known as the
eastern gateway to Rajasthan. Bharatpur has one of the first bird
sanctuaries in the whole of Asia – the Keoladeo Ghana National Park
or more commonly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Situated
just about 50kms. from the city of Agra, it is also the
administrative headquarters of the Bharatpur district. Bharatpur,
located in the Mewat region, was once a vulnerable but very well
fortified city. The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and Dholpur has played
an very important part in the history of Rajasthan. Other
attractions of Bharatpur apart from the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary
include the Bharatpur Palace and Museum, a number of temples and the
Lohargarh Fort. Apart from these, there are a number of other places
also to see around Bharatpur as well.
Bharatpur has a very rich history. In the 50th century BC, Matsya
kingdom blossomed at this place. Matsyas were the ones who helped
the Pandavas during the epic war of Mahabharata. It is also believed
that Bharatpur was named after Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama,
whose other brother Laxman’s name also appears in the state seals
and coat of arms as well. Maharaja Suraj Mal founded Bharatpur, also
called the city of birds, in 1733 A.D. Once an unassailable city, it
was literally carved out of the Mewat region. Suraj Mal seized the
fort of Bharatpur from Khemkaran, the rival chief. He was the
state’s greatest ruler and he made Bharatpur a formidable force to
reckon with. He built a number of other forts and palaces throughout
the territory.
Climate of Bharatpur
Before thinking for spending vacations in Baharatpur you must know
about its climate. From being very hot in summers to cold in
winters, Bharatpur weather experiences quite a few of variations. In
the summer season, the temperature can soar to an unbearable 47
degrees celsius while fog is a normal feature of the climate of
Bharatpur during the winter season.
Summers – 37 degrees celsius to 46 degrees celsius.
Winters – 7 degrees celsius to 15 degrees celsius.
How to reach Bharatpur
Air: The nearest airport is situated at Agra, about 50kms
from Bharatpur.
Rail: Regular rail services connect Bharatpur with all major
cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Agra.
Road: An excellent network of road service connects Bharatpur
to all the major cities of Rajasthan and its neighboring states like
Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Best time to visit Bharatpur
October to March is the ideal time to visit Bharatpur, since the
temperature remains very pleasant; between 20-25 degrees celsius.
PLACES TO SEE
Bharatpur (Keoladeo Ghana) National Park
Perhaps the most famous and well-known tourist attraction of
Bharatpur is the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. This beautiful bird
sanctuary came into existence when Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur
transformed the depression formed by River Gambhir and River Bangana
into a reservoir by storing the rain water in the monsoons. This
flooding of rain water created a wetland, resulting in a perfect
habitat for a variety of birds. The name ‘Keoladeo’ is derived from
a Hindu temple situated at the centre of the park, dedicated to Lord
Shiva, whereas the word ‘Ghana’ means dense, and refers to the thick
forests that used to cover the park at some point of time.
The park is also home to an amazing 375 species of birds, both
resident as well as migratory. The migratory birds arrive not only
from different parts of India, but also from as far as Europe,
Siberia, China and Tibet. Not only birds, Bharatpur also serves as a
habitat to animals like the Sambhar, Cheetal, Nilgai, Boar, etc.
Though the habitat of Keoladeo supports many species of birds, the
most important ‘visitor’ to the park though, is the ‘Siberian
Crane’. During the monsoon season, the bird sanctuary becomes home
to some of the most exquisite species of birds, which include
storks, moorhens, herons, flamingos, pelicans, geese, egrets and
cormorants.
Bharatpur Government Museum
The Government Museum in Bharatpur has some rich collection of
artifacts, some of which date back to the 2nd century. It is a
beautiful mix of Mughal and Rajput architecture. The various
apartments in the museum are decorated with patterned floors and
some exquisite tiles. The huge building, “Kachahan Kalan”, once the
administrative block of the Bharatpur rulers was converted into a
museum in the year 1944, and later “Kamra – Khas”, the first floor
of the building, was added to the Museum as well. There are specimen
miniature paintings on leaves of peepal tree, along with paintings
of Maharaja of Bharatpur, in the art gallery.
The Museum has been divided into five parts, namely Archaeology,
Armory, Arts, Crafts and Industries, and Children gallery. On the
upper storey of the museum, one finds many types of guns and
miniature cannons, which were used during the 18th century A.D known
as “Chaddra”.
Lohagarh Fort
Exploring Lohagarh Fort in vacations will prove to be great.
Lohagarh Fort built in the early 18th century, it took its name from
the supposedly invincible defences, which is said to be inspired by
Ramayana. Maharaja Suraj Mal, apart from building this fort also
built two other towers in the surrounding – the Jawahar Burj and the
Fateh Burj to commemorate his victories over the British and the
Mughals. It stood strong against many attacks by the British,
frustrating them to no end. The fort faced the British onslaught
four times and each time it stood strong. Some magnificient
monuments present inside the fort are – Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas,
Moti Mahal and the Kochi Khas. There is also an Ashtadhatu gateway,
having paintings of some huge elephants.
It is very different from all the other forts found in the state of
Rajasthan. There is no panache attached to this fort, but the
strength and magnificence of the fort surely shows. It is surrounded
by a barrier, which was filled with water to ward off the enemies. A
part of the fort is now converted into a museum called the “Fort
Museum”.
Deeg Fort
The Deeg Fort stands majestically over an elevated point. Built by
Raja Suraj Mal, it is surrounded by some impressive barriers and
gateways. Deeg, in the 18th century was the capital of the Jat
rulers of Rajasthan. Although the interiors of the fort are in ruins
now, the watchtower still stands tall. The 8km protective wall
pierced by 10 gateways and studded with 72 bastions or support
towers makes the Deeg Fort almost invincible.
The most impressive feature of the fort though are the huge towers
piercing the skies. Moreover, the towers are fitted with cannons, to
take a shot at any enemy approaching the fort. Inside it, one also
finds the Suraj Mal Haveli with “Bangaldar” style, which is typical
of the Bengali bamboo roof, which was imported to Rajasthan by a
Bengali architect – Vidyadhar Bhattacharya. In fact, roofs like
these can be seen all around the Deeg Palace.
HOTELS
Bharatpur offers a range of hotels for every type
of visitor. It has both luxurious as well as budget hotels.
Luxury Hotels
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The Bagh Resort.
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Chandra Mahal Haveli.
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Laxmi Vila.
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Hotel Udai Vila Palace.
Budget Hotels
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Hotel Saras.
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Hotel Pratap Palace.
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Hotel Eagle’s nest.
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Hotel Park Palace
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