Bharatpur is well-known for it world heritage listed bird sanctuary Keoladeo Ghanna National Park. This is one of the few places in the world where you can hope to sight hundred of different species of birds in just a few days. Over 400 species different birds have been identified in the park and you see them all over the place.
Many tourists travelling to this destination have rate it as the highlight of their visit. It is just 55 kilometres from Agra and 176 kilometres from Jaipur.
The history of Bharatpur goes back to the epic age of Mahabharta when the Matsya kingdom flourished in the 5th century BC. Some archaeological remains of this period can be seen in the Bharatpur Museum. The city is supposed to be named after Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama. Bharatpur was the stronghold of the Jats in the 17th and 18th century.
They maintained considerable autonomy though they were allied to the Mughals; this was largely due to their prowess in the battle and their marriage alliances with the Rajputs. Their fort in Bharatpur even withstood attacks from the British in 1805 and 1825 but later they signed a treaty of friendship with the East India Company. It merged with the union of India at independence.
The legends say that the place was named
as Bharatpur after the name of Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama, whose other brother Laxman was worshipped as the family deity of the Bharatpur rulers, Laxman's name is engraved onthe state arms and the seals. The city and the fort have been believed to be founded by Rustam, a Jat of Sogariya clan. Maharaja Surajmal took over from Khemkaran, the son of Rustam and established the empire. He fortified the city by building a massive wall around the city.
The interesting aspect of the Bharatpur history is the domination of Jats in the region since 17th century, leader like Churaman and Badan Singh brought the Jats together to mould them into a force to reckon with. Suraj Mal has been the greatest ruler who made them a formidable force and played a very important role in the Indian history during 19th century.
Today Bharatpur is better known for the Keoladeo Natinal Park, a unique bird place, delight of ornithologists.
How to Reach Bharatpur
Air:
Nearest airport Agra (54 kms) fromBharatpur, Agra has daily flights for Delhi,Bombay,Varanasi (via Khajuraho) and Lucknow
Rail:
Bharatpur is on the main Delhi - Bombay line with regular connections to Mathura, Sawai Madhopur and Kota on the same route. It is also connected with Agra.
Road:
Bharatpur is well connected by road with Agra, Mathura, Delhi and Jaipur. Regular bus services operate for all major cities. Road distance to important places from Bharatpur : Agra 55 kms Fatehpur Sikri 22kms Mathura 39kms Delhi 184 kms Jaipur 176 kms Alwar 117 kms.
