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Bharatpur: Beautiful Travel Attractions

by: SixSigma.

Bharatpur is a city located in the State of Rajasthan and is home to some of the famous wildlife sanctuaries and a major tourist attraction. The city is home to the Keoladeo national park and is the most famous Bird sanctuary in India. The city has many attractions on offer and it may take several days for a tourist to completely enjoy these attractions.

Getting there. Bharatpur can be reached by roads, air and by railroads. The Agra-Bharatpur Highway is the main road that links Bharatpur to Agra which is about thirty miles away. The drive takes about two hours. Bharatpur is about an hour’s journey from Fatehpur Sikri. Railways join Bharatpur with Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmadabad, Jaipur and many major cities of India. The well-known Palace on Wheels includes Bharatpur in its journey. The closest airport from Bharatpur is located in Agra.

Image credit: http://travelonthedollar.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/palace_on_wheels.jpg

Attractions. The city is renowned for its tourist attractions and is adorned with many places of interest for travelers and tourists. The place is popular since it is located almost thirty miles from the Taj Mahal and is an hour’s drive from Agra. This city is also abundant with many forts as is expected in the state of Rajasthan; however since the city lies on the border of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, it lacks the typical Rajasthani touch to its architecture and culture.

Image credit: http://cache.virtualtourist.com/1977666-Sarus_Crane-Bharatpur.jpg

Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary. The Keoladeo bird sanctuary, also called the Bharatpur bird sanctuary is one of the most frequented places by migratory birds from Russia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and China. The most famous among these being the Siberian crane that visits the Park during winter. However recent clashes and disputes over water shortages in nearby villages led to the diversion of water from the sanctuary for agricultural purposes. This has led to many problems and the number of birds has declined because of water shortages. Some of the species include ruddy shelducks, gulls, northern shovelers, northern pintails, coots, garganey, tufted ducks and common pochard.

Image credit: http://www.siliconeer.com/past_issues/2000/sept_00_bird.jpg

Lohagarh Fort. Lohagarh fort (iron fort) is one of the strongest forts built in the nineteenth century and the British soldiers tried in vain to capture the fort. The fort withstood the attack for more than six weeks after which the British government offered peace treaty with the rulers of the fort. The fort is not aesthetic but pragmatic in nature and does not offer elegance; it is also surrounded by a moat that was filled with water to discourage a siege.

Image credit: http://s3.amazonaws.com/readers/2009/09/03/30945912019aaf743b03_1.jpg

The government museum. The Government museum is one of the important attractions of the city and is an ideal location for a glimpse into the royal history of the place. Many antiques, artifacts, and ancient inscriptions can be found in the museum which is a mixture of Mughal and Rajput culture. Some artifacts even date back to the second century making the museum a historically important site. The museum itself is located at the center of the Lohagarh fort and is open for tourists all year long.

Image credit: http://www.tamarindtours.in/view/destinationImages/Bhartpur-Bharatpur%20Museum.gif

Jawahar Bhuj and the Fateh Bhuj. These are the two pillars built inside the Lohagarh fort and are among the eight pillars that still stand their ground. The two pillars were built in honor of Maharaja Suraj Mal in order to signify his victory over the British.

Image credit: http://www.mangalamtours.com/pics/jawahar2.jpg

The palace. Within the precincts of the fort are three palaces Kothi Khas that now serves as a museum while the Kishori Mahal and Mahal Khas, are in ruins. These are also a mixture of Mughal and Rajput architecture and are only found in some places in Rajasthan. The apartments are built with patterned floors and exquisitely carved designs that accentuate the beauty of the palace.

Image credit: http://www.travelindia-guide.com/tour-guides/images/deeg_palace-bharatpur.jpg

Temple of Ganges. This temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga and was inaugurated by Maharaja Balwant Singh in the year 1845. The temple was completed in 1937 by Maharaja Sawai and is a two story affair which is built of sandstone. The temple is the oldest in the city and is frequented by worshippers, pilgrims and tourists as well. The temple is easily reachable since it is located in the center of the city.

Image credit: http://braj.rajasthantourism.gov.in/prodimages/g_2.jpg

Hotels. Some of the popular hotels in Bharatpur include Bharatpur Forest Lodge, Udai Bilas Palace, Kadamb-Kunj, and The Bagh Bharatpur. These are not very luxurious but provide basic accommodations and a relatively comfortable stay. Some of the other luxurious hotels include the Laxmi Nivas Palace and Birder’s Inn. It is advisable to opt for hotels that are at least three star so that there is no discomfort or other issues regarding hygiene and food.

Image credit: http://www.incrediblerajasthantour.com/laxmi-vilas-palace.jpg