Bharatpur

Most people come here to go to Keoladeo (Bharatpur) National Park (7km south of town), which is a famous bird sanctuary. There is also a large fort that is not particularly interesting but is worth a quick visit. Originally an 11km-long wall surrounded the entire city, but little remains of the wall now.

Suraj Mal, the Jat Maharaja, founded Bharatpur. During the 17th and 18th centuries Bharatpur was a powerful Jat fort. While Badan Singh ruled Bharatpur the Jats ruled a large area between Delhi and Agra. Suraj Mal took Agra and attacked Delhi in 1763.

This town is 150km east of Jaipur and just 18km west of Fatehpur Sikri. It is often visited when traveling between Jaipur and Fatehpur Sikri or Agra.

Information
The Tourist Office (22542) in the RDTC Hotel Saras is open 10 am to 5 pm.

You can change cash and travelers checks at the State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, near Binarayan Gate, or at the Ashok Forest Lodge.

Lohagarh Fort and City
The Jat Maharaja Suraj Mal built this almost impregnable fort in 1732. The British under Lord Lake tried for four months in 1805 to take the fort, but were unable to do so. The fort also withstood a long British siege in 1825.

The original moat, 15m deep and 45m wide, still surrounds the old city. Near Assaldati Gate there are three palaces built by the Jats between 1730 and 1850. All the palaces are in poor repair. The Kamra Palace, in the west section of the fort, is now the government museum. It has Jain sculptures, a 1st century BC carving of a yaksha, a weapons collection, and manuscripts in Arabic and Sanskrit. There is a good view of the area from the palace roof. Open daily except Fri 10.30 am to 5 pm; admission Rs 3.

The Maharaja’s Palace has painted walls, stone lattice windows, and hammams (sunken baths).
Jama Masjid is south of the fort in the main market area. It has an outstanding arched portal. Near it is the large sandstone Ganga Mandir temple.

Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary)
The Sanctuary was once used as a hunting ground by the royal family. Maharaja Brajendra Singh turned it into a sanctuary in 1956, and it became a national park in 1982. The park consists of 29 sq km of woodlands, marshes, and meadows. The wetlands attract many species of birds. The park is named after the Keoladeo Siva temple in its center.

Over 400 species of birds come here including the rare Siberian crane, flamingos, pelicans, widgeons, painted storks, and purple, gray, and night herons. There are also ducks, storks, spotted eagles, falcons, Pallas eagles, kingfishers, and others birds. Over 100 species migrate here from as far away as Siberia and China. There are also animals such as spotted deer, jackals, hyenas, sambars, wild boar, pythons, and reptiles, including giant lizards that may suddenly scramble across the path at any time. Python Point is where the pythons live and you may be able to see them there.
The park was originally established as hunting grounds. Hunting was stopped in the park in 1972.

The best time to visit is between October and February, when along with the native birds, other species have migrated to this area. September to October is breeding season. Over 120 species of birds are known to breed here and over 10,000 nests are made. The weather can be very hot in the summer, and rainy during the monsoon season. Usually the early morning or evening is the best time to come to the park to view the birds, but any time is worthwhile.

Visitors entering the park are given a good map for free, which includes other park information. Inside the visitors’ center you can get a colored map of the park. Nests and eggs are also exhibited. A book containing English and scientific names of the various species to be found in the park (Rs 10) is available.

Admission for non-Indians is Rs 100, to bring in a bicycle Rs 3, camera Rs 10, video camera Rs 100. Admission is charged upon each entry into the park, so if you leave and return, you have to pay again, even on the same day.

The park is open daily from dawn to sunset during the season. There are strict rules against smoking and making noise in the park. In the winter the park can be foggy and very cold 2°C (35°F), and in the summer, temperatures can rise to 48°C (118°F). The park is 6km from the railway station and 4km from the bus station. There is a snack and drink counter in the middle of the park near the Keoladeo Temple.

This was the first bird sanctuary I ever visited, and I very much enjoyed the place. Even if you have no particular interest in birds, this is a good place to relax and just wander around. I recommend it to anyone who wants a nice, peaceful day.

Bird Viewing
When you enter the park, for the first two kilometers there are hardly any birds. About 100m past the gate where your ticket is checked you will start seeing a lot of birds. Along Ram Bund Trail (2.5km long) is the best place to see the birds breeding. You can walk on paths off the main road and see wild animals such as black buck, blue bulls, wild boars and spotted deer.
There are many birds in the southwest section of the park near the end of the road. This area is where the Siberian Cranes stay while in the park. Renting a boat is a good way to view the birds. Boats can be hired for Rs 60 to Rs 120 per hour, available Oct 15 to March. Boatmen know where to find the birds and can be helpful.

Motor vehicles are not permitted into the park. You can rent a bicycle or rickshaw to get around the park. Bicycles can be rented (Rs 10, Rs 1000 or a passport as deposit) at the main office next to the gate or at one of the hotels for Rs 20 to Rs 30. Riding a bicycle through the park is a pleasant way to get around.

Tongas are Rs 50 and rickshaws Rs 25 per hour, and can be hired at the park’s gate. Only rickshaws with a yellow plate can enter the park. If the driver is good, a tip is advisable. It is a good idea to hire a rickshaw driver with binoculars, or to rent binoculars from somewhere (most likely your hotel). Some of the rickshaw drivers can act as guides and many are expert at sighting the birds. It might be better to hire a certified naturalist at the main office (where you buy your ticket) as they are expert at spotting birds and identifying bird calls (Rs 50 per hour, more for a group). I looked out into the fields and could not see any birds, but a guide immediately pointed out two different birds..

You can follow one of the walking tours mentioned in the guidebook that is available at the office.

Books
You may want to purchase Collins’ handguide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent, available at the Bird Sanctuary and other places. Pictorial Guide to the Birds of the Indian Sub-Continent by Salim Ali and S Dillion, and Bharatpur: Bird Paradise by Martin Ewans are both good.

Where to Stay
The entrance to the park is a few km south of the town of Bharatpur. Most people stay near the park as it is a nice, quiet area to stay at. There are also two places inside the park. The accommodation is fairly good in Bharatpur, but can be very busy between Christmas and New Years.

Lower and Middle
Hotel Welcome (23077), Golbagh Palace Rd, off Agra road, is a good place in the city of Bharatpur. It is convenient if you want to get an early morning bus.
Park Palace Hotel (23222), near Khumer Gate, is a well-managed, good place with clean rooms. It has a restaurant.
Tourist Lodge (23742), near Mathura Gate, is a friendly place with small rooms with common bath for Rs 75/100 and rooms with bath for Rs 100/125. They rent bikes (Rs 30 per day) and binoculars (Rs 30 per day).
Hotel Spoon Bill (23571), near the park, has some good rooms for Rs 150/200 and Rs 250 for a room with hot water. The restaurant here is fairly good and is popular. It has a general shop and they rent bikes and binoculars. The manager is an old army officer who is a nice guy. Recommended.
Nearby is the family-run Falcon Guest House (23815) that has rooms for Rs 150/200 for a fairly basic room with bath and better rooms for Rs 300/350. It is clean, quiet and the owners are very helpful and know their stuff. They rent bikes and binoculars. It is a good place.
Jungle Lodge (25622), next door, is also good. Room range from Rs 175/200 to Rs 200/250.
Hotel Pelican (24221), close to the park entrance, has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 90/125 and rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 250. They rent bikes for Rs 30 per day.
Hotel Sunbird (25701; fax 25147), nearby, has clean rooms with hot water for Rs 300/400. It has just four rooms.
RTDC Hotel Saras (23700), Fatehpur Sikri Rd, has normal government tourist bungalow rooms for Rs 350/450 and A/C rooms for Rs 550/650. Dorm beds for Rs 75. It is not a very good choice.
Hotel Eagle’s Nest (25144; fax 23170), across the street, has comfortable rooms for Rs 350/500.
Wilderness Tent Camp has tents for Rs 400/500. It is open from Oct to Feb. The mosquitoes are vicious.
Shanti Kutir inside the park (22265), near the boat jetty, has fairly basic rooms for Rs 800. The location is good, but the place is not so nice, especially considering the price, but is adequate.
Hotel Pratap Palace (24245; fax 24412) has nice, airy rooms for Rs 450/550 and Rs 1250 for an A/C rooms. It has a garden.

Where to Stay—High
Laxmi Vilas Palace, 2½ km outside Bharatpur, has good rooms and is well managed. It is a 19th century palace. It is a good place.
ITDC Bharatpur Forest Lodge (22760; fax 22864), inside the park, has a great location and the rooms are fairly good. Rooms, some with A/C, are Rs 1800/2600. Lunch and dinner buffets are Rs 300. It has exchange facilities. It is a nice place to stay. During the season (Nov to Feb), especially around Christmas, this place should be booked in advance.

Where to Eat
Most of the places to eat are inside the hotels. The Fairest Lodge inside the park does buffets. There is a snack stand near the Keoladeo Temple inside the park. The restaurant in the Spoonbill and the Falcon hotels are good.

Travel
Train Bharatpur is on the main lines between Delhi and Mumbai and Agra–Jaipur–Ahmedabad. Some trains on these lines do not stop at Bharatpur, so check for this. There are trains to Delhi, Mumbai, Sawai Madhopur, Agra (2 hr, 2 daily) and Amritsar (15 hr).
Delhi Paschin Exp #2925 (6.37 am, 3 hr); Frontier Mail #2903 (3.30 pm, 4 hr); Sawai Madhopur Paschim Exp #2926 (7.20 pm, 3 hr), Golden Temple Mail #2904 (10.50 am, 4 hr).

Bus There are several daily buses to Agra (2 hr, 52km), Fatehpur Sikri (1 hr), Jaipur (5 hr, 175km, Rs 70), and Mathura (1 hr, Rs 18). The buses coming from Fatehpur Sikri pass the Hotel Saras near the entrance to the park, and it is best to get off there and get a hotel in the area.

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