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B h a r a t p u r
B i r d S a n c t u a r y
 Location
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Bharatpur, Rajasthan |
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Nearest
Access : |
Bharatpur |
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Main
Wildlife Found : |
Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Boar,
Migratory Birds |
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Coverage
Area : |
29-sq-kms |
 About
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
One of the finest bird parks in the world, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
(Keoladeo Ghana Natiuonal Park) is a reserve that offers protection to
faunal species as well. Nesting indigenous water- birds as well as migratory
water birds and waterside birds, this sanctuary is also inhabited by Sambar,
Chital, Nilgai and Boar.
Flora
in Bharatpur
More than 300 species of birds are found in this small wildlife park of
29-sq-kms of which 11-sq-kms are marshes and the rest scrubland and
grassland. Keoladeo, the name derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted
to Lord Shiva, which stands at the centre of the park. 'Ghana' means dense,
referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area.
A Man Made Natural World
While many of India's parks have been developed from the hunting preserves
of princely India, Keoladeo, popularly known as Bharatpur Wildlife
Sanctuary, is perhaps the only case where the habitat has been created by a
maharaja. In earlier times, Bharatpur town used to be flooded regularly
every monsoon. In 1760, an earthen dam (Ajan Dam) was constructed, to save
the town, from this annual vagary of nature. The depression created by
extraction of soil for the dam was cleared and this became the Bharatpur
Lake. At the beginning of this century, this lake was developed, and
was divided into several portions. A system of small dams, dykes, sluice
gates, etc., was created to control water level in different sections. This
became the hunting preserve of the Bharatpur royalty, and one of the best
duck - shooting wetlands in the world. Hunting was prohibited by mid-60s.
The area was declared a national park on 10 March 1982, and accepted as a
World Heritage Site in December 1985.
Major Wildlife Attractions
The major attractions of tourists visiting the park are the numerous
migratory birds, who come from as far away as Siberia and Central Asia and
spend their winters in Bharatpur, before returning to their breeding
grounds. Migratory birds at Bharatpur bird sanctuary include, several
species of Cranes, Pelicans, Geese, Ducks, Eagles, Hawks, Shanks, Stints,
Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks and Pipits, etc.
Other
Travel Attractions
Bharatpur Govenment Museum :
One of the major attention grabber after the Bharatpur sanctuary is
Government Museum of Bharatpur, which provides a glimpse of the past royal
splendour of Bharatpur.
Bharatpur Palace : Not
far from the museum is the Bharatpur Palace, an marvellous structural blend
of Mughal and Rajput architecture.
Lohagarh Fort : The
invincible Lohagarh Fort, which remained unconquered despite several attacks
by the British regime.
Deeg Palace : Situated
just 32-kms away from Bharatpur is the Deeg Palace. A strong and massive
fortress, Deeg Palace was the summer resort of the rulers of Bharatpur and
houses numerous beautiful palaces and gardens.
Best Time to Visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary is open throughout the year, still the ideal
visiting months are from August-November for resident breeding birds and
October- February for migrant birds.
Trips within Bharatpur Wildlife Sanctuary
There are well-defined forest trails, which can easily be covered on foot or
on a cycle or you can also hire a rickshaw that are available on hire.
Rickshaw pullers have been trained by the park management in bird watching
and are quite knowledgeable. Boats are also available on hire. A early
morning boat trip or a late evening one is quite a rewarding experience to
check out the hidden surprises of Bharatpur.
How to
Get there
Air : The nearest
airport is situated at Agra, which is 56-kms from Bharatpur.
Rail : Regular rail
services connect Bharatpur with all the major cities of India such as Delhi,
Mumbai, Jaipur and Agra. The Bharatpur railway station is 6-kms from the
park
Road : An excellent
network of roadway services connects Bharatpur to all the major cities of
the Rajasthan and its neighbouring states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana.
Bharatpur is well connected by road from Agra (56-kms, 5 hours), Delhi
(176-kms, 5 hours) and Jaipur (176-kms, 6 hours), all of which have airport
facilities too.
General Info / Tips
Note : Do not forget to
carry a binoculars for watching the birds. Bird watching depend greatly on
season, timing, and patience, so its better to visit the sanctuary during
the visiting period.
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