Keoladeo Ghana National Park

The famous Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is now adorned with a new name, the Keoladeo National Park.But its enticing synopsis remains unblemished and glistening. Declared a world heritage site,post its recognition as a protected sanctuary in 1971, the Keoladeo National Park is a sanctum for the birds where they rejoice in their joie de vivre. The rich avifauna of the sanctuary is renowned world over, as one of the most illustrious places hosting one of the largest bird population, common and rare species alike.

Amidst the severe and arid climatic conditions, the park is the only region which has significant vegetation in its vicinity. Spanning over an expanse of 29 sq.km, the reserve acts as a shield to Bharatpur, protecting it against frequent floods. The park is an abode of numerous bird, floral, lizard ,snake, amphibian, turtle and a variety of other species. As already mentioned, the sanctuary is one of the richest zones for all species of migratory birds, its resident birds and also some of the endangered avian species. Every winter, thousands of migratory birds flock the sanctuary, making the place an alluring destination for ornithologists and tourists alike.

The region receives scarce to moderate precipitation and hence, the vegetation of the region mainly comprises of tropical,dry deciduous forests and small shrubs and trees. The trees that particularly dominate the region include Kadam, Jamun, Babul,Kandi,Ber and Kair. The highlight of the park for which it assumes a highfalutin status lies in the facts that it is a staging ground for the migratory waterfowl and also winter habitat for the critically endangered Siberian Crane.

If you are on a visit to this park, you are likely to encounter some of our beautiful avian folks that include Common Teal, Gadwar, Shoveler, Tufted Duck, Cotton Teal,Indian Shag, Ruff, Painted, so on and so forth, the list seeming to stretch upto ad-infinitum.

Moving forth to the mammal count, the park flaunts its mammalian assets with pride. The 27 species of mammals,comprising of the Blue Bull,Feral Cattle, Spotted Dear, Wild Boar, Porcupine, Common White Sambhar and many more, present a luculent picture of biodiversity.

Concluding on a synopsis,the Keoladeo National Park welcomes you to its province with open arms and an experience that will leave an indelible impression in your minds.

Bharatpur Government Museum

Bharatpur – The land of exotic birds and jaw-dropping landscapes; it is the magnificence of Bharatpur that makes it one of the most famous tourist destinations of Rajasthan.

The glimpses of serene beauty and the solace that pervades through the air amplifies the pleasure of the trip. Our description of the Bharatpur Palace might have already triggered you to grab your packs and embark upon a trip of a lifetime to Bharatpur, and obviously whole of Rajasthan. But we haven’t really discovered the history within Bharatpur Palace.

All history is enclosed in an intriguing section of the palace- the Government Museum. The Kamra Khas- as it was known then- is a storehouse of the artifacts, literature, and culture of that era. Inscriptions, writings, and antiques speak eloquently about the golden era. The inscriptions and works of literature also give insight into the royal family’s lineage and background.

Deeg Palace

Historically momentous, the Deeg palace of Bharatpur district, is a potential site demanding tourist attraction. Although little forgotten, this strategic location of the past, in propinquity to Mathura and Agra links itself to the Hindu mythology, where Deeg comes under the parikrama path of Krishna which was started from Goverdhan , just 12 kilometres far from Deeg. Identified by some as the ancient town of ‘Dirgha’ or ‘Dirghapur’, mentioned in Skanda Purana and Bhagawat Mahatmya, Deeg became a throttlehold of the Jat rulers during the 18th and 19th century. The architecture of Deeg is epitomized by the beautiful mansions called ‘Bhawans’ popularly known as Gopal Bhawan, Suraj Bhawan, Kishan Bhawan, Nand Bhawan, Keshav Bhawan, Hardev Bhawan.

Badan Singh (1772-56 AD), the formal founder of the princely state of Bharatpur, constructed the Royal Palace and Gardens at Deeg. He built the Purana Mahal, with an interior consisting of two separate courts, arcades indented with small concave curves and points and the Rup Sagar reservoir on the east and Gopal Sagar on the west. Two oblong vault storeys were constructed as summer resorts on the water front of Gopal Bhawan. It consists of a central hall flanked by wings of two storeyed seizures on either side. A room in the northern wing contains a black marble throne- platform believed to be spoils of war brought by Jawahar Singh from the imperial palaces of Delhi. The Gopal Bhawan is bordered by two small pavilions known as Sawan and Bhadon Bhawans to its north and south respectively.

Next to Rup Sagar tank stands Keshav Bhawan, the monsoon pavilion, which is a single-storeyed baradari and an octagonal base. An arcade runs around the interior of the pavilion over a canal with hundreds of fountains. Minute water jets perforate through the walls of the canals, beautifying the palace view. Deeg was a site of legendary battle between the Jats and a combined Mughal and Maratha army of 80,000 men. As a consequence, the traces of both Hindu and Muslim taste of architecture is found here. The design of the gardens has been motivated by the Mughal Charbagh.

The hushed forts of Deeg still clutch on to the cacophony of ancient whispers. In the month of September a three day fair is held here, when Deeg is mottled to life. The palace is open from 9 am to 5 pm, except on Fridays. You can catch up this enchanting spot from the nearest airports at Agra and Delhi, or railhead in Bharatpur junction. The aesthetic garden, multiple fountains, quadrangle form, large moats, decorative beams and rustic surrounding, calls you. Do pay a visit and redefine the experience of Deeg sightseeing in your own prodigy.

Lohagarh Fort

‘Lohagarh’ the literal translation of which means “Iron Fort” is located in the Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. The 17th century was a tumultuous time in Indian history with the British slogging their guts out to expand their dominance on the whole of India, need was felt by the then king of Bharatpur, Maharaja Surajmal to put in place a structure which will repel any untoward attack on the security of his land.This exigency of safety was met with the construction of the Lohagarh Fort.

The Lohagarh Fort is in every way as strong as the Maharaja intended it to be. This fort, according to the historians, has witnessed and successfully dodged the onslaught of the British, not once or twice or thrice but four times. Finally, the British had to give in and never dared to launch another attack on this land as they became aware that to fire their way past this structure of strength was a Herculean task. Such is the strength and magnificence of the Lohagarh Fort.

The Jats lived their life by a very simple creed. The functionality and purpose of the structures they built were more dear to them than any superficial outward appearance (something quite not in line with the Mughals, don`t you think?). As such they rarely indulged in ostentations display of architectural dexterity, and the same goes with the Lohagarh Fort. This however does not mean that the Lohagarh Fort has very little to offer. While it is true that from the outside it is an impregnable structure of strength. But on the inside expect to find palaces (of which, the Mahal Khas, Kamara palace and the palace of Badan Singh, need special mention), towers that bear testimony of their victory over the mighty Mughals and the British (Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj come to mind), museums capturing the lives and times of the then kings, art galleries, parks and of course, temples.

So, if you want to run your fingers through the soul of the Lohagarh Fort and feel the cool of its structure, we invite you to put the Lohagarh Fort on your ‘To visit’ List. See you there!