Bharatpur in Rajasthan is home to one of the world’s best-known bird watching destinations, Keoladeo Ghana National Park (KNP).
Do you know that the origin of the name Bharatpur is traced to Bharat, younger brother of Lord Ram. Laxman, the other brother, has also been given the most prestigious position in this once royal kingdom as that of the family deity of the ruling family of Bharatpur. His name also appears in the state seals and coat-of-arms.
The history of Bharatpur in fact dates back to 5th century BC, when the Matsya kingdom flourished here. The Matsyas were allies of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata war.
In the early 18th century, Maharaja Suraj Mal captured the fort of Bharatpur by vanquishing Khemkaran, the rival chieftain and laid the foundation for Bharatpur. Today, the city is proud to be known as home to one of the world’s best-known bird watching destinations, Keoladeo Ghana National Park (KNP). Let’s study about the five top places to be visited in this city:
Bharatpur Palace and Museum
Wanna see antiques, sculptures, local art and craft wares? Visit the Bharatpur Palace. Located within its premises is Kamra Khas, a museum containing a vast number of antiques, over 581 stone sculptures, 861 local art and craft wares and ancient scriptures that depict the art and culture typical of Bharatpur. The palace is a fine fusion of Mughal and Rajput architecture.
Ganga Mandir: Situated in the heart of the city, it is one amongst the most beautiful temples of Rajasthan which has magnificent deity of Ganga Maharaj made of pristine white marble. Maharaja Balwant Singh started constructing this temple in the mid-19th century.
Keoladeo Ghana National Park: This makes the world’s most fascinating and spectacular bird reserves as it is considered as one of the richest bird areas in the world today. Every year, thousands of migratory waterfowl birds such as green sandpiper and cranes visit the park during winter. You will be surprised to know that this park was created in mid 18th century as a small reservoir located 5 kilometres to the southeast of Bharatpur. The construction of the Ajan Bund (dam) and the subsequent flooding of this natural depression led to one of the world’s most fascinating and spectacular bird reserves.
Laxman Mandir: Dedicated to Laxman, brother of Lord Rama, this temple is famous for its typical Rajasthani style of architecture and beautiful pink stonework.
Lohagarh Fort: Lohagarh Fort stands by its names as it has withstood many attacks by the British, however was ultimately captured by Arthur Wellesley. The fort is surrounded by a moat which used to be filled with water to keep enemies out. Interesting monuments inside the fort are Kothi Khas, Mahal Khas, Moti Mahal and Kishori Mahal. Raja Suraj Mal built Jawahar Bhurj and Fateh Bhurj to commemorate victories over the Mughals and the British.
