Bharatpur is one of the interesting destinations of Rajasthan. Quite unusual, as compared to the other tourist attractions in the state, Bharatpur is a blend of history, a delicious food specialty and an amazing bird sanctuary designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO under the Natural category.

An important colony of Rajasthan during the historical periods, Bharatpur was once an invulnerable and fortified town. Lohagarh Fort of Bharatpur, a sturdy structure surrounded by a moat, has been tested several times by enemies and most of the times stood tall. The British had to attack the fort four times and besiege it once only to withdraw later in failure before they could bring it down.

However, why Bharatpur is famous today is because of its exceptional bird sanctuary. Named as Keoladeo National Park, the Bharatpur bird sanctuary is situated within ten kilometers from the main town. For its modest spread of merely 29 square kilometers, the sanctuary is home to 365 bird species, of which nearly 130 breed inside the sanctuary. The number keeps growing every year. The park is visited every year by large numbers of migratory birds who arrive from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, China, Tibet and Siberia.

The sanctuary started developing before 250 years when Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur constructed Arjun Bund, the water reservoir on the confluence of River Gambhir and Banganga. As a result of a large water body attracting birds, Bharatpur became the biggest duck hunting place during the British rule. The museum at the sanctuary displays a picture of the day when a record 4000 ducks were shot on one day. In 1956 it was declared to be a bird reserve and in 1971 updated to be a national park.

Bharatpur bird sanctuary is famous for Saras Cranes, the tallest flight birds, which nest in the exposed areas of a marshy land, where they can be easily spotted. The migration of Siberian cranes, however, has been growing less in number every year since 2001. The last pair that had been recorded seen here was a few years ago. Apart from a wide range of duck species, the birds of prey such as tawny eagle, spotted eagle, imperial eagle, marsh harrier and laggar falcon can be frequently spotted. Along with the birds, the animals such as different kinds of deer including sambhar and spotted deer, blue bucks, jackals and even pythons can be seen.

Bharatpur is also famous for sweets. There are a lot of sweet shops in the town and one should taste the sweets here before moving on.

If you are entering Rajasthan after visiting Agra, it is highly recommended that you take your night stay at Bharatpur after spending a day at Taj Mahal and spend the earlier half of your day visiting this small but fascinating destination. If you are a bird lover, you might as well stay here for a number of days, till your heart’s content.

Quick Reference

Bharatpur is the place mainly for those interested in Bird Watching. It is famous for Koladeo National Park, which is a World Heritage Site falling in the natural category. It is famous for quick and easy sightings of Indian as well as exotic, migratory birds. It is one of the best bird watching places in the country. Another place of interest here is Lohagarh Fort.