Bharatpur - The Eastern Gateway to Rajasthan. Bharatpur is an important city located in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The city was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in the year of 1733. It was once an impregnable well fortified city, carved out of the region formerly known as Mewar. The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and Dholpur has played an important part in the history of Rajasthan. It is situated at the distance of just 50 km from Agra (the City of Taj Mahal), Uttar Pradesh. And 175 kms from Jaipur, Rajasthan.
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 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 Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, also called Keoladeo Ghana National Park. The sanctuary is declared as the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers from all over the world visit this sanctuary quite in good number. The sanctuary is paradise for avifauna and bird watchers. It is a very ideal destination for birding. It is one of the finest bird sanctuaries in India. The sanctuary is home to large population of various species of birds. During winter, the sanctuary sees thousands of migratory birds such as Siberian Cranes. Besides bird species, animals like Sambar, chital, deer, Nilgai, boar, etc also can be seen it the sanctuary.
The city of Bharatpur is also famous for historical monuments like Lohagarh Fort, the Bharatpur Palace, the Government Museum, the Jawahar Burj, and the Fateh Burj. Visitors can make excursion to historical places like the Deeg Fort & Palace and the Gopal Bhavan. Apart from these, there are a number of other places also to see around Bharatpur.
Best time to visit:
October to February.
Places of Interest:
Keoladeo Ghana Sanctuary, it is famous for rare avian species. Bharatpur Fort, Government Museum, Bharatpur Palace.
Reach:
By Air: The nearest airport, Agra is: 54 kms, Jaipur: 174 kms and Delhi: 182 kms.
By Rail: Well connected to all major towns.
By Road: Agra: 54 kms, Delhi: 182 kms, Fatehpur Sikri: 20 kms, Jaipur: 174 kms, Mathura: 36 kms and Sariska: 130 kms.
