Day 68 - Bharatpur

Bharatpur, referred to as the 'Eastern Gateway to Rajasthan', is a well known tourist attraction in the state of Rajasthan.Founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733 AD, the destination is carved out of the ancient kingdom of Mewar ruled by the Rajputs.Maharaja Suraj Mal took over from Khemkaran, the son of Rustam and established the empire. He fortified the city by building a massive wall around the city. He also built the Lohagarh Fort or the Iron Fort in the year 1732. This fort took about 60 years to be completed and is still the focal point of the town. This fort shaped the history of Bharatpur. The township of Bharatpur is named after Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama. One of the chief characters of the Hindu Epic Ramayana, Laxman was worshipped as the family deity of the royal family of Bharatpur.Bharatpur is known as a birdwatcher's paradise, providing habitat to a large variety of birds.The former Prince Bhamji of Morvi (Gujarat) was the first to implement the idea of converting the region into a wildlife reserve. It also served Viceroy Lord Curzon as a venue to host Duck Shoots.


How to reach here:

By Air : The nearest airport is Agra which is about 55 km.

By Rail: Bharatpur being in the central railway zone, is well connected to Jaipur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Delhi and other major cities of India.


Best time to visit: October to March.


Languages spoken: Hindi, Rajasthani, English.


Must eat: Makkhan-bada, Sukhdi, Papad ki sabji, Khad khargosh.


Famous Restaurants: Ravia poolside and rooftop restaurant, Gulmohar, Sunbird, Udail Vilas Palace


Places you must visit: 


Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary commonly known as Keoladeo Ghana National Park is one of the finest bird parks in the world. The Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is the famous and easily accessible bird sanctuary in India. This is the largest bird sanctuary in Asia.The sanctuary is a quiet and serene place to watch rare Indian and foreign birds. This bird sanctuary was established in 1956. The area was declared a national park on 10 March 1982. Every year this sanctuary is visited by over 400 species of water birds including the exotic migratory birds from Afghanistan, Central Asia and Tibet and the rare Siberian cranes from Siberia. The name Keoladeo is derived from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, which stands at the centre of the park. 'Ghana' means dense, referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area. Keoladeo is the only place where the habitat has been created by a Maharaja. In earlier times, Bharatpur town used to be flooded regularly every monsoon. In 1760, an earthen dam (Ajan Dam) was constructed, to save the town, from the floods. Later the depression created by extraction of soil for the dam was cleared and this became the Bharatpur Lake. The Keoladeo Ghana National park was the royal hunting preserve of the royal Bharatpur family and one of the best duck shooting wetlands in the world. The hunting was prohibited by mid 60s.













Lohagarh Fort (Iron fort) is situated at Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. It was constructed by Bharatpur Jat rulers. Maharaja Surajmal used all his power and wealth to a good cause, and built numerous forts and palaces across his kingdom, one of them being the Lohagarh Fort (Iron fort), which was one of the strongest ever built in Indian history. The inaccessible Lohagarh fort could withstand repeated attacks of British forces led by Lord Lake in 1805 when they laid siege for over six weeks. Having lost over 3000 soldiers, the British forces had to retreat and strike a compromise with the Bharatpur ruler. Of the two gates in the fort, one in the north is known as Ashtdhaatu (eight metalled) gate while the one facing the south is called Chowburja (four-pillared) gate.It is very different from the other forts in Rajasthan state, there is no flamboyance associated to fort but it generates an aura of strength and magnificence. The fort is surrounded with moat which was previously filled with water to ward off the enemy attacks. The sandy ramparts were strengthened by sandy battlements, thus the enemy guns proved of no avail.Some interesting monuments in the fort are Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas. Moti Mahal and towers like Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj were erected to commemorate the victory over the Mughals and the British army . The Gateway has paintings of huge elephants.The fort sits on an artificial island in the middle of the town, with a somewhat forlorn look about it. Yet it is the focal point of Bharatpur today, just as it was of the town's history in the past. Begun by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1732, it was completed only 60 years later. The strong point of this once-formidable fort were its thick outer mud walls, which lovingly absorbed all the firing from the Mughal and British armies. The cannon balls would sink into the mud, only to be collected later and fired back at the enemy.







Government Museum, positioned in the centre of the famous Lohagarh Fort, exhibits a rich collection of archaeological wealth of Bharatpur as well as other areas in the vicinity. The administrative block of the rulers of the Bharatpur state, known as Kachahari Kalan, was converted into a museum in 1944 AD. Later, the Kamra Khas on the first floor was also added to the museum, displaying a collection of antiquities, sculptures and inscriptions.The central wing of the museum displays collections from the 2nd century that demonstrate the art and skill of the region. Main exhibits at the museum include sculptures, dating back to 1st to 19th century AD, which were found during the excavation of old villages. Weapons used by the Jat rulers in battles of medieval age, paintings, manuscripts and zoological specimens are other exhibits. The art gallery showcases miniature paintings on leaves of peepal tree, mica and old lithopapers, along with paintings of the Maharajas of Bharatpur.




Deeg Water Palace  is one of the most well-preserved and superbly proportioned palace complex.Raja Surajmal commissioned the Deeg Water Palace to ward off the heat during the treacherous summer months. As a result, the quadrangle-shaped palace is surrounded by numerous fountains, gardens, shrubs, trees and two large water tanks called Gopal Sagar and Rup Sagar which help to lower the temperature.One of the most intriguing buildings in the palace complex is Keshav Bhawan, the monsoon pavilion. A single-storied baradari placed on an octagonal base, it stands right next to the Rup Sagar tank. The structure has five arches along each side with an arcade running around the pavilion's interior over a canal with hundreds of fountains. The canal's walls are pierced with hundreds of minute jets that spew coloured water.The water spray from the fountains and the jets creates a monsoon-like ambience which is enhanced further by a unique technique that produces thunder-like sound all around the pavilion. Hundreds of metal balls placed strategically on the channel surrounding the roof are set rolling with the water pressure which results in a thunderous effect.









Deeg Fort, built by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1730 AD, is situated in the Deeg town that served as the capital of Jat rulers in the 18th century. Square in layout, this central citadel stands over a slightly elevated point and is encircled by a shallow wide moat. The walls that run along 8 km in circumference are pierced by 10 gateways and studded with 72 bastions. A gateway protected with anti-elephant strikes serves as the entrance to the fort.Though the interiors are almost in ruins now, a watch tower still stands erect keeping an eye over the city and the palace. In all, there are 12 towers within the fort, the largest one being Lakha Burj in the northwest corner. The Suraj Mal Haveli, built in a typical bangaldar style, is also a major part of the Deeg Fort. The fort is flanked by a number of beautiful palaces including Gopal Bhavan, Suraj Bhavan, Nand Bhavan, Kishan Bhavan, Keshav Bhavan, Purana Mahal and Sheesh Mahal. All these palaces are collectively termed as the Deeg Palace, which is yet another popular attraction among tourists.



Ganga Temple is one of the most beautiful temples in the state of Rajasthan. The construction of this temple was commenced by Maharaja Balwant Singh in 1845; however, it took almost 90 years to complete it. After completion, an idol of deity Ganga was placed in the temple by Brijendra Singh, who was the fifth descendant of Balwant Singh. The temple thus came to be known as Ganga Temple.Architecture of this temple depicts a confluence of Rajput, Mughal and South Indian styles. The walls and pillars of this temple are adorned with beautiful carvings, while the entrance is marked with the statues of Lord Krishna, Laxmi Narayanji and Shiva Parvati. Inside the temple sits the beautifully decorated idol of Goddess Ganga with a massive image of a crocodile. Devotees visiting the temple are offered holy water from the river Ganga.

Laxman Temple is known to be one of the most prominent temples in Bharatpur. Almost 400 years old, this temple stands right in the middle of the main market area. It is said to have been established by Naaga Baba, a sage who worked for upliftment of the mankind. Displaying typical Rajasthan style of architecture, this beautiful temple is visited by a large number of devotees every year.In the neighbourhood of this temple is another Laxman Temple, which was built by Maharaja Baldev Singh in1870. Made up of sandstone and white marble, this Laxman Temple is home to Ashtadhatu idols of Laxmanji and Urmila. Smaller Ashtadhatu idols of Ram, Bharat, Shatrughan and Hanuman are also enshrined in this temple.

Gopal Bhavan is an imaginatively designed building complex that was completely built in the year 1760. The entrance of this building is marked with beautifully laid gardens, while the rear overlooks the Gopal Sagar flanked with smaller pavilions Sawan and Bhadon. Facing the formal gardens is a raised terrace that features a marble arch. This arch is installed on a pedestal, which is actually a war trophy brought by Maharaja Suraj Mal.Inside the Gopal Bhavan is a banquet hall that is characteristic of double row of graceful pillars. This hall is home to a rich collection of curios, souvenirs and Victorian furniture. At the rear of the chamber is a charming sunken pool with fountains. The staircase winding upstairs to the next floors opens into a room containing a solid black marble bed.