Other attractions of Bharatpur apart from the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary include the Bharatpur Palace and museum, a number of temples and the Lohargarh Fort. Apart from these, there are a number of other places also to see around Bharatpur as well.

Bharatpur has a very rich history. In the 50th century BC, Matsya kingdom blossomed at this place. Matsyas were the ones who helped the Pandavas during the epic war of Mahabharata. It is also believed that Bharatpur was named after Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama, whose other brother Laxman’s name also appears in the state seals and coat of arms as well. Maharaja Suraj Mal founded Bharatpur, also called the city of birds, in 1733 A.D. Once an unassailable city, it was literally carved out of the Mewat region. Suraj Mal seized the fort of Bharatpur from Khemkaran, the rival chief. He was the state’s greatest ruler and he made Bharatpur a formidable force to reckon with. He built a number of other forts and palaces throughout the territory.

Climate of Bharatpur

From being very hot in summers to cold in winters, Bharatpur weather experiences quite a few of variations. In the summer season, the temperature can soar to an unbearable 47 degrees Celsius while fog is a normal feature of the climate of Bharatpur during the winter season.

Summers - 37 degrees celsius to 46 degrees celsius.
Winters - 7 degrees celsius to 15 degrees celsius.

How to reach Bharatpur

Air: The nearest airport is situated at Agra, about 50kms from Bharatpur.

Rail: Regular rail services connect Bharatpur with all major cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Agra.

Road: An excellent network of road service connects Bharatpur to all the major cities of Rajasthan and its neighboring states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

Best time to visit Bharatpur

October to March is the ideal time to visit Bharatpur, since the temperature remains very pleasant; between 20-25 degrees Celsius.

Places to visit

1.Bharatpur (Keoladeo Ghana) National Park: Perhaps the most famous and well-known tourist attraction of Bharatpur is the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. This beautiful bird sanctuary came into existence when Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur transformed the depression formed by River Gambhir and River Bangana into a reservoir by storing the rain water in the monsoons. This flooding of rain water created a wetland, resulting in a perfect habitat for a variety of birds. The name ‘Keoladeo’ is derived from a Hindu temple situated at the center of the park, dedicated to Lord Shiva, whereas the word ‘Ghana’ means dense, and refers to the thick forests that used to cover the park at some point of time.

The park is also home to an amazing 375 species of birds, both resident as well as migratory. The migratory birds arrive not only from different parts of India, but also from as far as Europe, Siberia, China and Tibet. Not only birds, Bharatpur also serves as a habitat to animals like the Sambhar, Cheetal, Nilgai, Boar, etc.

Though the habitat of Keoladeo supports many species of birds, the most important ‘visitor’ to the park though, is the ‘Siberian Crane’. During the monsoon season, the bird sanctuary becomes home to some of the most exquisite species of birds, which include storks, moorhens, herons, flamingos, pelicans, geese, egrets and cormorants.

2. Bharatpur Government Museum: The Government museum in Bharatpur has some rich collection of artifacts, some of which date back to the 2nd century. It is a beautiful mix of Mughal and Rajput architecture. The various apartments in the museum are decorated with patterned floors and some exquisite tiles. The huge building, ‘Kachahan Kalan’, once the administrative block of the Bharatpur rulers was converted into a museum in the year 1944, and later ‘Kamra - Khas’, the first floor of the building, was added to the museum as well. There are specimen miniature paintings on leaves of peepal tree, along with paintings of Maharaja of Bharatpur, in the art gallery.

The museum has been divided into five parts, namely Archaeology, Armory, Arts, Crafts and Industries, and Children gallery. On the upper storey of the museum, one finds many types of guns and miniature cannons, which were used during the 18th century A.D known as ‘Chaddra’.

3. Lohagarh Fort: Built in the early 18th century, it took its name from the supposedly invincible defenses, which is said to be inspired by Ramayana. Maharaja Suraj Mal, apart from building this fort also built two other towers in the surrounding - the Jawahar Burj and the Fateh Burj to commemorate his victories over the British and the Mughals. It stood strong against many attacks by the British, frustrating them to no end. The fort faced the British onslaught four times and each time it stood strong. Some magnificent monuments present inside the fort are - Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas, Moti Mahal and the Kochi Khas. There is also an Ashtadhatu gateway, having paintings of some huge elephants.

It is very different from all the other forts found in the state of Rajasthan. There is no panache attached to this fort, but the strength and magnificence of the fort surely shows. It is surrounded by a barrier, which was filled with water to ward off the enemies. A part of the fort is now converted into a museum called the ‘Fort Museum’.

4.Deeg Fort: The Deeg Fort stands majestically over an elevated point. Built by Raja Suraj Mal, it is surrounded by some impressive barriers and gateways. Deeg, in the 18th century was the capital of the Jat rulers of Rajasthan. Although the interiors of the fort are in ruins now, the watchtower still stands tall. The 8km. protective wall pierced by 10 gateways and studded with 72 bastions or support towers makes the Deeg Fort almost invincible.

The most impressive feature of the fort though are the huge towers piercing the skies. Moreover, the towers are filled with cannons, to take a shot at any enemy approaching the fort. Inside it, one also finds the Suraj Mal Haveli with ‘Bangaldar’ style, which is typical of the Bengali bamboo roof, which was imported to Rajasthan by a Bengali architect - Vidyadhar Bhattacharya. In fact, roofs like these can be seen all around the Deeg Palace.

Hotels in Bharatpur

Bharatpur offers a range of hotels for every type of visitor. It has both luxurious as well as budget hotels.

Luxury Hotels

1. The Bagh Resort
2. Chandra Mahal Haveli
3. Laxmi Vila
4. Hotel Udai Vila Palace

Budget Hotels

1. Hotel Saras
2. Hotel Pratap Palace
3. Hotel Eagle’s nest
4. Hotel Park Palace

Also known as “city of the Taj”, it is famous as being home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Agra was once the capital of the Mughal Empire and even today it lives in its beautiful past. Located at about 204 kms. south of Delhi, Agra is one of the most famous tourist destinations of India. Situated on the west bank of River Yamuna, it is a part of the great Northern Indian plains. Agra is also the gateway to the wonderful city of Fatehpur Sikri.

There are very few cities in the world that can match the history and heritage of Agra. During the 16th and 17th century, Agra witnessed a colossal building activity and it was during this period that the symbol of love – Taj Mahal, was built. Badal Singh established Agra in the year 1475 and it finds mention even in the Mahabharata as “Agraban”. The Lodhis chose Agra as their capital, but Babar defeated the Lodhis to capture Agra and the whole of Mughal Empire as well.

Climate

Agra is situated in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Being a part of the great Northern Plain, the climate of Agra is extreme. Summers are extremely hot with the maximum temperature going as high as 46 degree celsius, while winters are cold and foggy as well. Monsoons bring some heavy rains and high humidity.

How to Reach:

Air: There are regular flights from other cities of India especially Delhi, its closest metropolis.

Rail: There are many trains from Delhi that connects Agra.

Road: There are plenty of AC and non-AC coaches and cars available for Agra. Driving time is about 4 hours.

When to visit Agra:

Though Agra can be visited throughout the year, but the extreme heat during the summers makes it almost unbearable. The most suitable time to visit Agra is during the winters.

Places to Visit

1.Taj Mahal: One of the seven wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal is situated in Agra. This architectural beauty stands proof of the ultimate realisation of Emperor Shahjahan’s dream. The work on Taj Mahal started from 1631 AD and it took 22 years to complete this awe-inspiring structure. An estimated 20,000 people worked to complete this mausoleum, which stands proudly on the banks of river Yamuna. It is the most important tourist destination of Agra. Emperor Shah Jahan created Taj Mahal in memory of his beloved wife, Arjumand Bano Begum or more popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1630 AD. As her last wish, she wanted her husband, emperor Shah Jahan to build a tomb in her memory.

Thus, began the work on Taj Mahal. The material, which was used to build the Taj, was brought in from all over India and even central Asia. Red sandstone was brought from Fatehpur Sikri, Jasper from Punjab, Jade and Crystal from China, Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis Lazuli and Sapphire from Sri Lanka, Coal and Cornelian from Arabia and diamonds from Panna. The chief building material, the white marbles were bought from Nagaur, Rajasthan.

2. Agra Fort: The great Agra Fort stands at 9 metres wide, 10 metres deep and an impressive 22 metres high. This monument, which stands proudly at 2 kms. northwest of the Taj Mahal was constructed by the Mughals during 1565 and 1571. The Mughal emperor Akbar laid down the foundation stones, though it was completed in 1571, during the time of Shah Jahan – Akbar’s grandson. Shah-Jahan replaced the structures of the Agra Fort extensively though some have survived. Among these are the Delhi Gate, the Amar Singh Gate, Akbari Mahal and the Jehangiri Mahal.

Some important buildings inside the fort are:

Diwan – I – Aam
Diwan – I – Aam or the hall of public audience is made of red sandstone. It was used by the emperor to listen to the petitions of the commoners. It lies just in front of “Machchi Bhawan” or the fish enclosure. It was constructed by Shah Jahan, who replaced an earlier wooden structure. The throne in the Diwan-I-Aam was completed after 7 years of extensive work and it was here that Shah Jahan had kept the famous “peacock throne”, which was shifted to Delhi by Aurangzeb and was finally taken away to Iran.

Diwan – I – Khas
Another, very important building situated inside the Agra Fort is the ‘Diwan-I-Khas’ or the hall for private audience, which was used to receive kings, dignitaries and ambassadors. Situated to the right of the ‘Sheesh-Mahal’ or the glass palace, the pillars inside it are constructed in a beautiful pattern with semi precious stones. Presently, entry is not allowed inside the Diwan-I-Khas.

Sheesh Mahal
Just below the Diwan-I-Khas, at the northeastern side of Khas Mahal courtyard is the Sheesh Mahal or the Glass palace. It was the royal dressing room, which has 2 large halls of equal size, each measuring 11.5m x 6.40m. The walls of the Sheesh Mahal are laid with tiny mirrors, which represent some of the best specimen of glasswork ever seen.

Jehangiri Mahal
Undoubtedly, the most noteworthy building in the Agra Fort, as one enters it, is the Jehangiri Mahal. Akbar built the Jehangir Palace as a residence for his son Jehangir, which was also used by the Rajput wives of Akbar. It is built of stone and is simply decorated on the exterior. However a beautiful gateway leads to an even beautiful interior, which is decorated in gold and blue. This is the most important building remaining from Akbar’s period as his successors demolished several of his other structures.

3. Itam – ud – Daula: It is the first tomb in India made entirely of marble. Built by empress Noor Jehan, this is a mausoleum overlooking the river Yamuna and is a tomb of Mir Ghiyas Beg, a minister in the court of Shah Jahan. We can see the fusion of both Indian and Persian architecture in it. The use of arched entrances and octagonal shaped flowers signify the Persian influence while the absence of a dome at the top and the use of canopies hints towards the Indian architecture.

4.Fatehpur Sikri: Situated about 40 kms. from Agra, Fatehpur Sikri is an imperial city built in honor of Sufi Saint Salim Chisti in the year 1571 by Mughal emperor Akbar. The numerous palaces, halls and mosques in Fatehpur Sikri are a pure work of art, typical of the Mughals. Though the general layout of the different buildings are of Islamic style, their arches, stairs etc. are of Indian style. It was also the capital of Akbar for 15 long years. If you are looking for something that shows the magnificence of the Mughals, Fatehpur Sikri is an absolute must see. Some of the other important buildings in Fatehpur Sikri are – Naubat Khana, Diwan-I-Aam, Diwan-I-Khas, Jodabai’s Palace, Panch Mahal and Buland Darwaza.

Hotels in Agra

Being one of the most important travel destinations in India, there are many hotels located in all parts of the city. There are a number of luxurious world-class hotels as well as budget and economy class city hotels in Agra.

Luxury Hotels
1. Taj View Hotel.
2. The Oberoi.
3. Hotel Mughal Sheraton.
4. Hotel Jaypee Palace.

Budget Hotels

1. Grand Hotel.
2. Hotel Atithi.
3. Hotel Ganga Ratan.