Bharatpur is famous for it world heritage named bird sanctuary Keoladeo Ghanna National Park. This is one of the some places in the earth where you can hope to sight hundred of dissimilar species of birds in just a few days. Over 400 species unlike birds have been known in the park and you view them all over the place. Lots of tourists travelling to this destination have rated it as emphasize of their visit. It is just 55 kilometres from Agra and 176 kilometres from Jaipur.
Bharatpur is considered to the place where the Pandava brothers of well-known Hindu epic Mahabharata spent 13 years of their exile. The name Bharatpur derives from Bharat, Lord Rama's brother. Lord Rama's other brother; Laxman was once worshipped by the ruling clan of the place.
It was established by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733 AD when he constructed the fort. The Jat of the 17th and 18th century brought the place to limelight. The Jats had a distinct hold over the area primarily because of their accomplishments in war field as well as the marriage bonds of their chiefs with Rajputs. They put up firm resistance against the Mughal rulers often. The British were also repelled in 1805 and 1825. The attack of 1825 resulted in the initial treaty of friendship between the states of north west and the East India Company.
The myths say that the place was named as Bharatpur after the name of Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama, who’s other brother Laxman, was worshipped as the family deity of the Bharatpur rulers, Laxman's name is engraved onthe state arms and the seals. The city and the fort have been believed to be founded by Rustam, a Jat of Sogariya clan. Maharaja Surajmal took over from Khemkaran, the son of Rustam and established the empire. He fortified the city by building a massive wall around the city.
The appealing aspect of the Bharatpur history is the domination of Jats in the region since 17th century, head like Churaman and Badan Singh brought the Jats together to mould them into a force to reckon with. Suraj Mal has been the best ruler who made them a frightening force and played a very significant role in the Indian history during 19th century.
Nowadays Bharatpur is better known for the Keoladeo Natinal Park, a sole bird place, enjoyment of ornithologists.
Places to See:
Keoladeo Ghana National Park
This fabulous bird haven in actual came into individual paradoxically as a duck shooting protect for Maharaja Suraj Mull of Bharatpur. He transformed the thin depression formed by the meeting of River Gambhir and River Banganga into a reservoir by damming the rainwater in monsoons.
Flooding of water made shallow swamp ecosystem causing it to be an ideal habitat for an astounding diversity of birds. The park that was a hunting protect for the Maharaja and the British continued to be so till 1964, after which the hunting was banned. A forestation policy of planting acacias was vigorously adopted. However the ecology at the Park continues to be delicate due to pressures of tourism and need for water from nearby villages.
Visitors are suggested to keep low noise level and avoid littering the park. The Park opens from sunrise to sunset around the year. The ticket is Rs 200 per foreign tourist and Rs 25 for Indian tourist. Vehicles are allowed upto Shanti Kutir about 1.7 kilometres inside at Rs 50 per vehicle. After this you can opt to walk, bicycle, or go by cycle rickshaw, Tonga or boat when the water level is high. The cycle rickshaw wallah’s exhibiting yellow plate sense authorised double up as guides also carry binoculars. Hotels do supply packed lunches and you can obtain a bite at a canteen on the second gate and even at Forest Lodge.
Lohagarh Fort
The big iron fort structure constructed in the early 18th century. With its unassailable defences its affirmed itself even after a number of British attacks. The fort was believed and designed by Maharaja Suraj Mal; the creator of Bharatpur.The fort has three palaces within its precincts- kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas, Kothi Khas.
Government Museum
A rich assortment of artefacts, fine carved sculptures and ancient inscriptions can be well-liked in the government museum settled in the palace. All these items speak volumes about the rich heritage, arts and crafts of the area.
The Palace
This royal structure is a fusion of the Mughal and Rajput architectural styles with wonderful apartments and intricately designed floors tiles having interesting forms. One can wonder at the ancient exhibits exhibited in the museum in the middle part of the palace.
Ecursions in Bharatpur :
Deeg
Deeg(34 km) North of Bharatpur is this attractive garden town, the gardens have been placed with great care and precision, the luminous foundtains and scrupulous palaces add to the loveliness of this idyllic recoil of the princes of Bharatpur. The tourist enjoys the delightful settings of this rural town, along with the fine preserved palace pavilions and gardens.
Gopal Bhavan
Finished in 1760, a creatively designed building composite with wonderfully laid gardens at its entrance and the rear overtops the Gopal Sagar which is flanked with littler pavillioins Sawan and Bhadon the gardens face an advanced terrace with an arch of glossy marble installed on a padestal in the type of swing. This beautiful swing is a war trophy brought in by the well-known Jat King Raja Suraj Mal from the Mughal court in Delhi. The airy and well adjusted Banquet Hall ahs a double row of elegant pillars. The rear of the chamber is further separated by a delightful sunken pool with fountains. The Banquet hall houses a rich collection of wondering, souvenirs and Victorian furniture. Staricases wind upstairs to the upper floors. One room comprises a rock-hard black marble bed from Delhi.
Bengal Chamber
It houses the dining from, and has sloping arches, with relaxed cushions along the outer edges forming the seating region. The walls of the royal Chess Room have trellis plan and are painted in squashy red.
Deeg Fort
The fort stands royally over a vaguely lifted point, constructed by Raja Duraj Mal. The fort is surrounded by remarkable moats, ramparts and gateways, the insides are frequently in ruins now, but the watch tower still stands in the ruins keeping an eye over the City and Palace: over it is placed a gun charmed from Agra fort. Other defunct cannon which were charmed from Ahmad Shah Abdali (1761), who seized the fort for 6 months, guards a vantage point.
Getting There
By Air
The closest airport is at Agra which is at a distance of 56 km from Bharatpur.
By Rail
Bharatpur lies on Delhi Mumbai broad guage line and as such is well linked with all the cities lying on this way. A good train between Delhi and Bharatpur is Firozpur Janta Express which leaves Delhi at 2.00 pm and reaches Bharatpur at 6.15 pm. The train leaves Bharatpur at 8.00 am to reach Delhi by 12.30 pm.
By Road
Bharatpur is settled on Jaipur Agra Highway so driving down Bharatpur is a good choice. Agra is 56 km while Jaipur is 150 km away. Regular buses are also accessible from Jaipur, Agra and Delhi for Bharatpur
