Bharatpur Tourism

History of Bharatpur

Bharatpur, referred to as the 'Eastern Gateway to Rajasthan', is a well-known tourist attraction in the state of Rajasthan. Situated 184 kilometres south-west of the national capital of India, the town provides passage to tourist attractions such as Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur. Bharatpur shares its borders with Gurgaon district of Haryana to the north, district Mathura of Uttar Pradesh towards the east and Agra district on the southern side.

People and Culture of Bharatpur

Founded by Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733 AD, the destination is carved out of the ancient kingdom of Mewat ruled by the Rajputs. 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.

Things To Do in Bharatpur

Some of the noteworthy sightseeing attractions of the location are the Lohagarh Fort, Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas. The township located in a close proximity to desert, experiences extreme climate. Due to extreme weather conditions in the summer and winter months, the ideal time to visit Bharatpur is during monsoons in June and July. During these months, the bird sanctuary is visited by numerous species of migratory birds from different parts of the world.

The dense forest reserve at Bharatpur, now a renowned national park, was declared as a reserve for birds in 1956, which was later listed as a National Park. The site also features the world heritage site of UNESCO. Spread over an area of 29 sq. km, the natural reserve houses 375 species of beautiful birds along with animals and reptiles. Apart from regional birds from India, the sanctuary attracts birds from Europe, Siberia, China and Tibet in various seasons. Bharatpur is known as a birdwatcher's paradise, providing habitat to a large variety of birds. Tourists throng to the destination to follow movements of the birds closely. The reserve is visited by thirsty birds and animals, which in search of water flock to this marshy region.

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. Served by Rajputs, Mughals and the British in the yesteryears, the location houses forts and palaces round the city, most distinguishing among these are the testaments put up by Rajputs.