WEEKEND GATEWAYS FROM DELHI: Bharatpur(Rajasthan)
Overview: Bharatpur Tourism
“The Bird Haven”
Often referred to as the ‘Eastern Gate of Rajasthan’, Bharatpur is located in the Braj region of state Rajasthan. The city is drenched by its culture, chivalry, and romance woven into ballads and folklore can be heard from miles. An exotic offbeat destination that serves tourists with authentic Rajasthani traditions, religious occasions mark devotion of the state people. Also known as Lohagarh, it is a part of the golden tourism triangle of Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra, this place attracts a considerable number of national and international tourists every year. It is also the home of Keoladeo National Park, which habitats over 370 species of animals and birds. It is recognized as one of the most popular birds feeding and breeding grounds. In 1982 the park was marked as a National Park, and later in 1985, it came on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
The Bharatpur National Park, better known as Keoladeo National Park, is a beautiful bird sanctuary. Named after the Keoladeo temple located in its enclosure, the place was set up as a national park on 10th March 1982. It is a wetland, made, and managed to protect the Bharatpur region from frequent floods. Declared a World Heritage Site of UNESCO, this national park is home to over 230 different species of birds, over 200 different species of various amphibians and reptiles like fish, turtles, snakes, lizards, etcetera, and over 350 floral species can be found here on the Bharatpur Tourism. This National Park, locally known as Ghana, has been a winter home for the Siberian Crane; a species on the verge of extinction (considered an endangered bird today). 5km away from the Bharatpur Junction (railway station) and approximately 192km from Delhi by car (a 1-day journey).
“Bharatpur Tourism is the Best Place for you Visit in Weekend Gateway in Bharatpur”.
Places to Visit:
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Bharatpur National Park:
Now known as the Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur National Park is a famous bird-watching paradise and is listed among UNESCO’s World Heritage sites as well. The 29 km reserve is locally known as Ghana and is a mosaic of dry grasslands, woodlands, woodland swamps, and wetlands. These diverse habitats are home to 366 bird species, 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 amphibian species,7 turtle species, and a variety of other invertebrates. Every year thousands of migratory waterfowl visit the park for winter breeding.
The sanctuary is one of the richest bird areas in the world. It is known for nesting its resident birds and visiting migratory birds including water birds. What is interesting note is that this place was once the hunting ground for the royalty and the British, but was converted into an asylum for birds and other wildlife as well in the year 1971. Activities such as Elephant Back Safari, Jeep Rides, or Rickshaw Safari are available as well where you can spot a number of birds and a few animals that inhabit the jungle as well. Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is easily a bird lover’s paradise, and photographers will find this place to be delightful as well. Bharatpur National Park is the Best Place to Visit on the Bharatpur Tourism.
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Ganga Mandir:
One of the most beautiful temples of Bharatpur, the Ganga Mandir is considered to be a great architectural piece, and owing to its central location within the city many tourists are able to appreciate its beauty.
It is dedicated to Goddess Ganga and is a beautiful blend of Rajputana, Mughal, and South Indian architecture. The walls and pillars have intricate carvings and this temple is definitely worth a watch.
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Laxman Temple:
There are two Laxman Temples in the heart of the city, one of them is almost 4 centuries old which is. The other, about 300 years old was made by the founder of Bharatpur, Maharaja Baldev Singh.
It is beautifully made of sandstone and marble. Both these temples are easy to reach from anywhere in the city by cycle rickshaw or tonga.
- Lohagarh Fort:
Located at Bharatpur in Rajasthan, the Lohagarh Fort indeed stands true to its name and has survived solidly and battled the attacks of military forces as well as the ravages of time for centuries. The fort was constructed by the BharatpurJat rulers. Maharaja Suraj Mal used all his power and wealth to a good cause and built numerous forts and palaces across his kingdom, one of them being the famous Lohagarh Fort. The monument is an architectural marvel that has especially captured the interests of architecture students and historians.
The Lohagarh Fort is one of its kind monument. ‘Lohagad’ means ‘fort of iron’, and the fort, as its name suggests, is virtually impenetrable. It is protected by deep moats on all sides, and it was widely believed in earlier times that the fort could fall “only when a crocodile swallowed up all the water in the moat.” Originally built in the 1730s, most of the fort today is occupied by government offices and a museum. What strikes the tourist immediately about the architecture of the fort is the lack of pretense; it is simple as far as carvings, paintings, and other frills go. There’s almost no room for unnecessary ornamentation with its emphasis being on security and security only. Simply put, the fort is modest and functional. In Bharatpur, Lohargarh Fort can be the Best Place to Visit.
Inside the mighty fort are three palaces, MahalKhas, Kamra Palace, and the Palace of Badan Singh. Some impressive monuments in the fort also include KishoriMahal, MahalKhas, and Kothi Khas. Between the museum and the main entrance, known as the Ashtadhatu Gate, is the Nehru Park. It is a pleasant place to sit and enjoy the breeze. The Lohargarh fort makes it quite glaring that the Jats did not believe in carelessness and negligence. Hence, while other weaker forts gave way quickly, the Lohargarh always stood firm to provide the town of Bharatpur the security it needed. If this is not reason enough to go and view the fort, then what is?
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Bharatpur Palace & Museum:
Dating back to the 2nd Century, Bharatpur Palace speaks volumes about the grandeur and opulence of the Mughal – Rajput architectural designs. Made complete in white marble, the splendid palace has been converted into a heritage hotel. A tiny section of the palace called •KamraKhasê has been converted into a museum.
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Others:
- City Shopping
- Government Museum
- Deeg
- Dholpur Palace.
“These are the Best Places for you to Visit in Weekend Gateway in Bharatpur”.
Events in Bharatpur:
Bird Watching Season at Keoladeo National Park November – February
The best time to visit Keoladeo National Park is during the winter season when it plays host to thousands of migratory birds.
Best time to visit Bharatpur:
- October to March is a good time to Visit Bharatpur in Winter
- July to September is a good time to Visit Bharatpur in Monsoon
- April to June is a good time to Visit Bharatpur in Summer.
“These are the best time for you to Visit Weekend Gateway in Bharatpur”.
How to Reach:
How to Reach Bharatpur by Flight
There is no direct flight connectivity to Bharatpur. The nearest airport is in Agra (50kms), but Agra airport is serviced by very few flights. Jaipur International Airport (180 km) and Delhi Airport (200kms) might be much more well-connected and cheaper than the one at Agra, and just a few hours away (2-3 hours) more than Agra.
Nearest Airport: Agra Airport (AGR) – 47 km from Bharatpur
How to Reach Bharatpur by Road
Bharatpur is not very far off from the Delhi – Agra – Lucknow Expressway, about an hour’s drive from Mathura. If you are planning to drive from the eastern side then the easiest way to reach Bharatpur. Even from Jaipur, Bharatpur is connected via a national highway, so reaching here by car is easy and fast.
Rajasthan State Transport runs a very frequent bus service from Jaipur and Delhi to Bharatpur, you should be able to find a number of state-run and private buses to take you to Bharatpur.
How to Reach Bharatpur by Train
Bharatpur is conveniently located on the Delhi-Agra and Delhi-Mumbai train route, and is lucky to have a number of trains stopping here. There are over 50 trains connecting Delhi to Bharatpur on a daily basis, and plenty of them from Jaipur and Agra as well. There are quite a few long-distance trains that stop here as well, so you should be able to find a train route from the far away cities like Mumbai or Kolkata.
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