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India Tours 5-7d
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Golden Triangle Tour 7d
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Taj Mahal & Tigers Tour 7d
»
Best of Kerala Tour 7d
»
Best of Karnataka Tour 7d
»
Best of Tamilnadu Tour 7d
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India Tours 8-10d
»
Classic Triangle Tour 9d
»
Best of Rajasthan Tour 10d
»
Taj Mahal and Rishikesh 8d
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India Tours 15-17d
»
Rajasthan and Goa 15d
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The Land of Buddha 15d
»
Best of North India 15d
»
Rajasthan, Tajmahal and Tigers 16d
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India Tours 11-14d
»
Tigers, Tigers and Tigers 14d
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Rajasthan and Taj Mahal 14d
»
Rural Rajasthan 12d
»
Forts and Palaces 14d
»
Tamilnadu and Kerala 14d
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India Tours 18-21d
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Grand North India Tour 21d
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Grand South India Tour 21d
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Rajasthan & Varanasi Tour 18d
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Himalayas & Temples Tour 18d
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Grand India & Nepal Tour 21d
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Bharatpur
Introduction to Bharatpur :
Bharatpur is well-known for it world heritage listed bird sanctuary Keoladeo Ghanna National Park. This is one of the few places in the world where you can hope to sight hundred of different species of birds in just a few days. Over 400 species different birds have been identified in the park and you see them all over the place. Many tourists travelling to this destination have rate it as the highlight of their visit. It is just 55 kilometres from Agra and 176 kilometres from Jaipur. The history of Bharatpur goes back to the epic age of Mahabharta when the Matsya kingdom flourished in the 5th century BC. Some archaeological remains of this period can be seen in the Bharatpur Museum. The city is supposed to be named after Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama. Bharatpur was the stronghold of the Jats in the 17th and 18th century. They maintained considerable autonomy though they were allied to the Mughals; this was largely due to their prowess in the battle and their marriage alliances with the Rajputs. Their fort in Bharatpur even withstood attacks from the British in 1805 and 1825 but later they signed a treaty of friendship with the East India Company. It merged with the union of India at independence. The walled city of Bharatpur has typical medieval period and characterizes the security concern of that period. The walled city is irregular in shape and elongated in the northeast to southwest direction. The street pattern in the walled city is curvilinear typical of medieval townships. Religious building like the Ganga Mandir, Laxman Mandir and Jama Masjid are located on the town central spine between Mathura Gate and Kumher Gate. The hotels are mainly located in a cluster near the Park in the south of the town. The Keoladeo Ghanna National Park is about 5 kilometres from the town and approachable by cycle rickshaw. Only cycle rickshaws are permitted inside the park for maintaining ecological harmony.
Bharatpur - The Eastern Gateway to Rajasthan :
It was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733 AD, it was once an impregnable well fortified city, carved out of the region formerly known as Mewat. The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and Dholpur has played an important part in the history of Rajasthan. The legends say that the place was named as Bharatpur after the name of Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama, whose 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 interesting aspect of the Bharatpur history is the domination of Jats in the region since 17th century, leader like Churaman and Badan Singh brought the Jats together to mould them into a force to reckon with. Suraj Mal has been the greatest ruler who made them a formidable force and played a very important role in the Indian history during 19th century. Today Bharatpur is better known for the Keoladeo Natinal Park, a unique bird place, delight of ornithologists.
Keoladeo Ghana National Park :
This magnificent bird haven in actual came into being paradoxically as a duck shooting preserve for Maharaja Suraj Mull of Bharatpur. He transformed the shallow depression formed by the confluence of River Gambhir and River Banganga into a reservoir by damming the rainwater in monsoons. Flooding of water created shallow wetland ecosystem causing it to be a perfect habitat for an astounding variety of birds. The park that was a hunting preserve 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 followed. However the ecosystem at the Park continues to be fragile due to pressures of tourism and need for water from surrounding villages. However the environmentalists won the day in 1985 when UNESCO listed it as World Heritage site and earlier in 1982 it was declared as National Park. And, today the Park is recognised as the most important breeding and feed grounds for the birds in the world. Some species are still endangered and especially the Siberian crane. Visitors are advised to maintain 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 visitor and Rs 25 for Indian visitor. Vehicles are permitted upto Shanti Kutir about 1.7 kilometres inside at Rs 50 per vehicle. After this you can choose to walk, bicycle, or go by cycle rickshaw, Tonga or boat when the water level is high. The cycle rickshaw wallah's displaying yellow plate meaning authorised double up as guides also carry binoculars. Hotels do supply packed lunches and you can get a bite at a canteen on the second gate and even at Forest Lodge.
Lohagarh Fort :
The massive iron fort structure built in the early 18th century. With its impregnable defences its sustained itself even after a number of British attacks . The fort was conceived and designed by Maharaja Suraj Mal, The founder of Bharatpur.The fort has three palaces within its precincts- kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas, Kothi Khas.
Government Museum :
A rich collection of artefacts, exquisitely carved sculptures and ancient inscriptions can be admired in the government museum located in the palace. All these items speak volumes about the rich heritage, arts and crafts of the region.
The Palace :
This royal edifice is a fusion of the Mughal and Rajput architectural styles with magnificent apartments and intricately designed floors tiles having interesting patterns. One can marvel at the ancient exhibits displayed in the museum in the central part of the palace.
Deeg(34 km) :
North of Bharatpur is this beautiful garden town, the gardens have been laid with great care and precision, the sparkling foundtains and meticulous palaces add to the beauty of this idyllic retreat of the princes of Bharatpur. The tourist enjoy the charming settings of this agricultural town, along with the well preserved palace pavilions and gardens.
Gopal Bhavan :
Completed in 1760 , an imaginatively designed building complex with beautifully laid gardens at its entrance and the rear overlooks the Gopal Sagar which is flanked with smaller pavillioins Sawan and Bhadon The formal gardens face a raised terrace with an arch of lustrous marble installed on a padestal in the form of swing. This exquisite swing is a war trophy brought in by the famous Jat King Raja Suraj Mal from the Mughal court in Delhi The spacious and well proportioned Banquet Hall ahs a double row of graceful pillars. The rear of the chamber is further divided by a charming sunken pool with fountains. The Banquet hall houses a rich collection of curious, souvenirs and Victorian furniture. Staricases wind upstairs to the upper floors. One room contains a solid black marble bed from Delhi.
Bengal Chamber :
It houses the dining from, and has sloping arches, with comfortable cushions along the outer edges forming the seating area. The walls of the royal Chess Room has trellis design and are painted in soft red.
Deeg Fort :
The fort stands majestically over a slightly elevated point, built by Raja Duraj Mal. The fort is surrounded by impressive moats, ramparts and gateways , the interiors are mostly 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 captured from Agra fort. Another defunct cannon which was captured from Ahmad Shah Abdali (1761), who seized the fort for six months, guards a vantage point. Accommodation (Deeg) RTDC Midway, Near Bus Stand, Deeg Rooms and Restaurant Facility.
Dhaulpur :
The red sandstone from Dhaulpur is famous throughout the country and was used in the construction of the Red Fort of Delhi. Dhaulpur has witnessed many battles due to its proximity with Agra. Sikandar Lodi plundered it in 1501 AD. , uprooting all its gardens. Babu mentions that it ws surrendered to him in 1526. The oldest Mughal Garden built by Babur was discovered at JHOR 16 kms from Dhaulpur, the grandeur of the garden is still reflected by its ruins. The picturesque tomb of BIBI ZARinA, probabaly the daughter of a local officer is an excellent building. MACH KUND, (5kms) from Dhaulpur, a historical site, has a lake with over hundred temples on its embankment, it bustles with life once a year during the pilgrimage. BARI, is known for the VAN VIHAR WILDLIFE SANCTUARY. The TALAB-E-SHAHI LAKE,a nd FORT, were built by Firoz Shah in 1286 AD. Excursion points around Dhaulpur are : Damoh Waterfall Kanpur Mahal & Ram Sagar Sanctuary Laswari : Daulat Rao ScIndia was defeated here at the hands of Lord Lake, which was a major land mark in modern Indian History. Dhaulpur although a humble village, it is loaded with fascinating facts and history, and has a marked Mughal influence. A place worth visiting.
Brij Festival :
BRIJ FESTIVAL (Feb - March) Bharatpur lies close to the Brij - the birth place of Lord Krishna and childhood. Ras Leela depicting the life of Krishna is performed by the professionals selected by the Rai community during the festival.
Jaswant Exhibition :
JASWANT EXHIBITION (Sept-Oct). A big carnival is held during Dussehra. Bdussehra symbolises the victory of good over evil. Lord Ram defeated the demon king Ravana on these day.
Gangaur Festival :
GANGAUR FESTIVAL (Mar - Apr) Festival of maidens and married women, dedicated to Gauri, the incarnation of Goddess Parvati. A gracious procession is taken out, married women pray for the prosperity and long life of their husbands, while young girls seek blessings for a good life partner.
Teej :
TEEJ (July - Aug) Festival of swings marking the advent of monsoons. Swings are hung from the trees and decorated with flowers. Young girls sing songs of love and the rain.
How To Reach :
Air: Nearest airport Agra (54 kms) fromBharatpur, Agra has daily flights for Delhi,Bombay,Varanasi (via Khajuraho) and Lucknow Rail: Bharatpur is on the main Delhi - Bombay line with regular connections to Mathura, Sawai Madhopur and Kota on the same route. It is also connected with Agra Road: Bharatpur is well connected by road with Agra, Mathura, Delhi and Jaipur. Regular bus services operate for all major cities.Road distance to important places from Bharatpur : Agra 55 kms Fatehpur Sikri 22kms Mathura 39kms Delhi 184 kms Jaipur 176 kms Alwar 117 kms.
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