Bharatpur

History Of Bharatpur
Bharatpur was founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733 AD, as an impregnable well fortified city, carved out of the region formerly known as Mewat. The place was named as Bharatpur after the name of Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama, whose other brother Laxman was worshiped as the family deity of the Bharatpur. Since long, Bharatpur has been dominated by Jats. Today Bharatpur is better known for the Keoladeo Natinal Park, a unique bird place, delight of ornithologists. Of the remnants of the royal past remain the marvelous Bharatpur Palace housing a rich repository of a large number of ancient exhibits that date back to the early 15th century.

Charming Birds

Bharatpur is popular for its bird sanctuary near the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, which is the finest in Asia with a rich avian variety. Every year, the rare Siberian cranes come to spend the winter in the warmer climate of Bharatpur. Some 377 species have been spotted at Bharatpur Sanctuary, making it one of the most inviting destinations in the world for ornithologists, amateurs and nature lovers. Various species of indigenous water birds, waterside birds, migratory water birds, land migratory birds, and domestic land species are found here.

Prime Attractions

Lohagarh Fort
The massive iron structure built in the early 18th century. With its impregnable defenses, it sustained itself even after a number of British attacks. The fort was conceived and designed by Maharaja Suraj Mal, the founder of Bharatpur.

Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj
A few of the eight imposing towers still stand erect within the glorious ramparts of the fort. Especially two of them - Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj are of special interest. These were built by Maharaja Suraj Mal to commemorate his victories over the Mughals and British respectively.

The Palace
This royal edifice is a fusion of the Mughal and Rajput architectural styles with magnificent apartments and intricately designed floor tiles having interesting patterns.

Government Museum
A rich collection of artifacts, exquisitely carved sculptures and ancient inscriptions can be admired in the Government Museum located in the palace. All these items speak volumes about the rich heritage and art and crafts of the region. more...

Keoladeo National Park
Once the royal hunting reserve of the princes of Bharatpur, it is one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world, inundated with over 400 species of water birds.