The town of Bharatpur is the eastern gateway to the State of Rajasthan. In the 17th and 18th centuries, it was an important stronghold of the Jats, who inhabited this area before the arrival of the Rajputs. The Jats were able to retain a high degree of autonomy in the region, both because of their prowess in battle and because of their chiefs' marriage alliances with the Rajput nobility. They successfully opposed the Mughals on more than one occasion.

Places to See ...

Keoladeo Ghana National Park

Bharatpur is now renowned for its World Heritage listed Bird Sanctuary, the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. The sanctuary was formerly a vast semi-arid region filling with water during the monsoon only to dry up afterwards. To prevent this the Maharaja of Bharatpur diverted water from a nearby irrigation canal and within a few years birds began to settle in vast numbers. It is now one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world inundated with over 400 species of water birds. Exotic migratory birds from Afghanistan,

Central Asia, Tibet as well as Siberian cranes, and bareheaded geese from China, come here in July/August to spend the winters in warmer climate and they breed till October/November. Other common bird life to be seen are cormorants, spoonbills, storks, egrets, herons, pelicans, ibis and herons can be spotted all over the park. The raised paths camouflaged by babul trees make their viewing easier. The best time to visit the park is from October to late February when many migratory birds can be spotted.

Lohagarh

The Iron Fort was built by the founder of Bharatpur Maharaja Suraj Mahl in the early 18th century. The Fort occupies the entire small artificial island in the centre of the town. There are three palaces inside and one of them houses a museum exhibiting sculptures, paintings, weapons and animal trophies. Suraj Mahl built two towers within the ramparts, Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj to commemorate his victories over the Mughals and the British.

Around Bharatpur ...

Deeg

Located about 36km north of Bharatpur this small town was once the summer resort of the rulers of Bharatpur and served as the second capital of the region. Built by Maharaja Suraj Mahl in mid 18th century, it was also the site of a famous battle in which the Maharaja's forces successfully withstood a combined Mughal and Maratha army. This interesting town is strewn with massive fortifications, beautiful gardens and a stunning palace. Its buildings are set around a formal garden on the edge of a large lake. Its massive walls and bastions, some with their cannons still in palace are worth exploring.


Suraj Mahl's Palace

Also called Gopal Bhawan, is one of India's most beautiful and delicately proportioned buildings. It is also in an excellent state of repair and, as it was, used by the Maharajas until the early 1970's, most of the rooms still contain their original furnishings. Built in a combination of Rajput and Mughal architectural styles, the palace fronts onto a tank, the Gopal Sagar and is flanked by two exquisite pavilions. The tank and palace are surrounded by well-maintained gardens which also contain the Keshav Bhawan or Summer Pavilion, with its hundreds of fountains, many of which are still functional but usually only turned on for local festivals. In mid monsoon, there is a large fair, during which time the large network of fountains in the gardens and palaces are opened up for the public pleasure.