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CITY: BHARATPUR

Telephone extension: 05644
Population: 1,646,500

BHARATPUR

Bharatpur is renowned for its World Heritage-listed bird sanctuary, the Keoladeo Ghana National Park. This is one sanctuary which even non-ornithologists should visit. In fact, many travellers rate it as a highlight of their visit to India.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the town was an important Jat stronghold. Before the arrival of the Rajputs, the Jats inhabited this area and were able to retain a high degree of autonomy, both because of their prowess in battle and because of their chiefs' marriage alliances with Rajput nobility. They successfully opposed the Mughals on more than one occasion and their fort at Bharatpur, constructed in the 18th century, withstood an attack by the British in 1805 and a long siege in 1825. this siege eventually led to the signing of the first treaty of friendship between the Indian states of north-west India and the East India Company.

The town itself, which was once surrounded by an 11 km wall (now demolished), is of little interest. Bring mosquito repellent with you, as the mozzies can be bothersome.

Orientation & Information
The Keoladeo National Park lies 5 km to the south of the city centre, and is easily accessed by cycle-rickshaw.

The very helpful Tourist Reception Centre (( 22542) is at the RTDC's Hotel Saras, about 700m from the park entrance (although the office may have shifted across the road from the RTDC by now). It's open daily (except Sunday and every second Saturday of the month) from 10 am to 5 pm. A guidebook including a map is available at the park entrance. It contains a short history of the park and a seemingly endless list of bird species, but is otherwise of little help to anyone without an understanding of ornithology. Books on birdlife are also available at a bookshop inside the park, about 1.5 km from the main gate.

You can change money at the State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, near the Binaryan Gate.

Getting there & Away
Bus There are buses to a number of destinations including Agra (Rs 22, 1 1/2 hours), Fatehpur Sikri (Rs 10, one hour), Jaipur (Rs 70, 4 1/2) hours and Deeg (Rs 15, one hour)
Train The Firozpur Janta Express leaves New Delhi station at 2 pm and arrives in Bharatpur at 6.15 pm. The 175 km trip costs Rs 96/245 in 2nd/1st class. It leaves Bharatpur at 8 am, arriving in the capital at 12.30 pm. There are also rail connections to Sawai Madhopur (Rs 96/258, 182 km), which continue to Kota (Rs 72/361, 290 km) and Mumbai (Rs 200/1004, 1210 km). There's also a passenger train to Agra which takes 1 1/2 hours and costs Rs 11.

Getting Around
Bharatpur has auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws and tongas. A fantastic way of zipping around is by bicycle, which costs Rs 20 to Rs 50 per day (the more expensive ones are in better condition).

Places to Stay & Eat
The Paying Guest House Scheme operates in Bharatpur (contact the Tourist Reception Centre). Many hotels have bicycles and binoculars for hire and can organise a packed lunch for you to take into the bird park. The commission system has reared its ugly head in Bharatpur - don't be pressured by touts at the train station or bus stand.

Park Precincts The following places are all within easy walking distance of the main entrance to the bird sanctuary, making them the most popular with travellers.

RTDC's Hotel Saras(( 23700) is at the junction of Fatehpur Sikri and Bird Sanctuary Rds. Rather shabby singles/doubles start at Rs 300/350, while a bed in the musty dorm is Rs 50. There's a campfire. They hire out a bird spotter's guide for Rs 20 per day.

Spoonbill Hotel & Restaurant (( 23571), just behind the RTDC's Hotel Saras, is a popular choice with travellers. It has good singles/doubles with bath for Rs 150/200 and dorm beds for Rs 50. There's a restaurant and in the winter there's a campfire. They hire out a bird spotter's guide for Rs 20 per day.

Falcon guest House (( 23815), in the same area, is run by Mrs Rajni Singh and is a well-kept and homey place to stay. Good sized singles/doubles with bath for Rs 150/200 with bath; Rs 350/400 gets you a bigger room with a softer mattress and private balcony. There's a little garden restaurant; a veg thali is Rs 60. Nearby is another cheapie, the Evergreen Guest House (( 25917).

Jungle Lodge ((256220, also nearby, ahs small but comfortable rooms with attached bath from Rs 100/200. there's a lending library and a nice garden.

Hotel Sangam (( 25616), directly opposite the RTDC's Hotel Saras, has rooms with bath from Rs 150/200. The restaurant serves veg and nonveg fare, including banana paratha (Rs 12).

Hotel Eagle's Nest (( 25144, fax 23170), nearby, ha clean and comfortable rooms from Rs 250/350 with bath. Meals are available.

Hotel Pratap Palace (( 24245, fax 25093), also on Bird Sanctuary Rd, has rooms with common bath for Rs 100/150, or Rs 200/300 with attached bath.

Hotel Sunbird (( 25701) is farther along the road, and the rooms in this popular place fill up fast. Decent singles/doubles with attached bath start at Rs 150/250. The restaurant has a good range of dishes.

Hotel Pelican (( 24221), nearby, is another popular budget place. Tiny but airy rooms with common bath go for Rs 40/75; larger rooms are Rs 100/125 with bath.

The Nightingale Hotel (( 27022, fax 24351), in a eucalyptus grove, offers small two-person tents for Rs 80 and larger tents for Rs 200 (available from round mid October to mid-February). The restaurant has cheap eats such as palak paneer (Rs 30). Come armed with mozzie repellent, as the little bloodsuckers here can be tenacious.

Bharatpur Forest Lodge (( 22760, fax 22864), run by the ITDC, is inside the park, 1km beyond the park entrance gate. It's comfortable enough, but is looking a little faded these days. Standard singles/doubles cost Rs 1700/2500. the restaurant is open to non-residents; the buffet lunch or dinner is Rs 250, or you can opt for a light snack. Not far away, there's the Forest Rest House (( 22777), which sometimes rents out simple double rooms for Rs 600, including meals.

Bharatpur Forest Lodge ((23742), near Mathura gate, is an unpretentious little budget place. Small singles/doubles with common bath go for Rs 50/80. or from Rs 75/100 with bath attached. Meals are available.

Shagun Guest House (( 29202), down a laneway just inside Mathura Gate, is a very basic but great if you're strapped for cash. The owner, Rajeev, is a friendly guy and has a wealth of knowledge on the bird park. Primitive grass huts cost just Rs 44/66, singles/doubles with common bath are Rs 56/76, and rooms with bath cost Rs 68/86.

Laxmi Vilas Palace Hotel (( 23523, fax 25259), Kakaji ki Kothi, on the old Agra road, is an upmarket hotel with singles/doubles from Rs 1195/1250.

Hotel Park Palace (( 23783) is not far from Khumer Gate. There are budget rooms with bath for Rs 200/250. Better rooms range from Rs 350/400 to Rs 800/875. This place is handy for catching early-morning buses, but some rooms cop a lot of traffic noise.

Lohargarh
Lohrgarh, or Iron Fort, was built in the early 18th century and took its name from its supposedly impregnable defences. Maharaja Suraj Mahl, the fort's constructor and founder of Bharatpur, built two towers within the ramparts, the Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj, to commemorate his victories over the Mughals and the British.
The fort occupies the entire small artificial island in the centre of the town, and the three palaces within its precincts are in an advanced state of decay. One of the palaces houses a museum exhibiting sculptures, paintings, weapons and dusty animal trophies. The museum is open daily except Friday 10 am to 4.30 pm. Entry is Rs 3 (free on Monday), and an additional Rs10/20 for camera/video.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park

The best time to visit the sanctuary is from October to late February when many migratory birds can be seen, including the highly endangered Siberian crane. According to recent reports, around 354 species of birds have been identified at the beautiful Keoladeo sanctuary. The sanctuary was formerly a vast semi-arid region, filling with water during the monsoon season only to rapidly dry up afterwards. To prevent this, the maharaja of Bharatpur diverted water from a nearby irrigation canal and, within a few years, birds began to settle in vast numbers. The maharaja was compelled not by conservationist motives, but by the desire to have a ready supply of waterfowl, affording fine shooting (and dining) possibilities. Indeed Keoladeo continued to supply the maharajas' tables until as late as 1965. An inscription on a pillar near the small temple in the park bears testimony to the maharajas' penchant for hunting. It reveals that on one day alone, over 5000 ducks were shot!
The park is open 6 am to 6 pm daily. Entry is Rs 20/100 for Indians/foreigners, which entitles you to enter the park as many times as you wish in one day. A still camera is free, but there's a whopping Rs 200 video charge. There's also an entry fee for bicycles (Rs 3) and cycle-rickshaws (Rs 5). A horse-drawn tonga costs Rs 60 per hour (maximum six people). Motorised vehicles are prohibited beyond the checkpoint, so the only way of getting around is by foot, bicycle or cycle-rickshaw.
Only those cycle-rickshaws authorised by the government (recognisable by the yellow plate bolted onto the front) are allowed inside the park - beware of anyone who tells you otherwise! Although you don't pay entry fees for the drivers of these cycle-rickshaws, you'll be up for Rs 30 per hour if you take one and they'll expect a tip on top of that. Some of the drivers actually know a lot about the birds you'll see and experienced ornithologist guide, this will cost around Rs 35 per hour (maximum five people), Rs 75 (more than five people). Guides can be hired at the park entrance.
An excellent way to see the park is to hire a bicycle. There are bikes for hire at the park entrance for Rs 20 per day. Some hotels rent bicycles as well. This allows you to easily avoid the bottlenecks which inevitably occur at the nesting sites of the larger birds. It's just about the only way you'll be able to watch the numerous king fishers at close quarters - noise or human activity frightens them away. A bicycle also enables you to avoid clocking up a large bill with a rickshaw driver. If you plan to visit the sanctuary at dawn (one of the best times to see the birds), you should hire your bicycle the day before. The southern reaches of the park are virtually devoid of tourists, and so are much better than the northern part for serious bird watching.
Boats can be hired for Rs 80 per hour (maximum four people). They are a very good way of getting close to the wild life.
A small display of photos, stuffed birds, nests and aquatic species found in the park's lakes is at the main entrance to the park (free entry). There's a small snack bar about halfway through the park, next to the Keoladeo Temple.