Bharatpur City
| Bharatpur city is eclipsed by the Bharatpur or Keoladeo Ghana National Park. Tourists mainly come to explore this Asia’s finest bird sanctuary but are sadly ignorant of the plethora of architectural wonders the city preserves. Bharatpur is in east Rajasthan. It is located 50 kms west from the city of Taj, Agra. Maharaja Suraj Mal founded the city in 1733. Legend says that Bharatpur got its name from Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama. The area was under the dominion of the Jats in the17th century. Places to See in Bharatpur Keoladeo National Park: A former hunting preserve of the Bharatpur princes, Keoladeo is now one of the most famous bird sanctuaries in the world. About 400 varied species of birds both resident and migratory are found here. In the winter, exotic migratory birds from Afghanistan, Siberian cranes from the Arctic, Greyleg Geese from Siberia and Bareheaded Geese from China flock here. Threatened bird species also inhabit the park such as sociable lapwing, Indian courser, imperial, white-tailed, greater and Indian spot-ted eagles, darters, black-necked, painted and Asian openbill storks, common, sarus and demoiselle cranes, Dalmatian pelicans, black bittern, greater painted snipe, large-tailed, Indian and grey nightjars, dusky eagle owls, Marshall’s iora, siberian rubythroat and brook's leaf warblers. Lohagarh Fort: This is a massive iron edifice raised early 18th century by Maharaja Suraj Mal. Remarkably, the Fort is in a good state of preservation even after having wit-nessed numerous British attacks. It is less adorned compared to other forts of Rajasthan. Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj are two of the eight magnificent towers that should be vis-ited. The fort encloses three palaces - Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas - that are worth visiting. These imperial buildings are a fusion of Mughal and Rajpat archi-tectural styles. They are adorned with exquisitely designed floor tiles. There is a Gov-ernment Museum in the central wing. With a large repository of traditional artifacts, sculptures and ancient inscriptions, the Museum is a textbook on the cultural heritage of the region. Few of the exhibits date back to the 2nd century. Deeg (32 km): This town is the second capital of Bharatpur in the yesteryears. It is a summer retreat for the rulers of Bharatpur cluttered with massive fortifications, charming gardens with fountain, magnificent palaces and a colourful bazaar. Make it a point to see Gopal Bhavan and Suraj Bhavan. Places of Worship: Ganga Mandir, Laxmi Mandir, Jama Masjid, St. Luke's Church and Gurudwara. |
