Keoladeo Ghana National Park - Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

Deriving its name from Bharat, the brother of Lord Rama of the Ramayana fame, Bharatpur is famous as the 'Eastern Gateway to Rajasthan'. Once a former princely state, it was founded by the great Jat ruler Maharaja Suraj Mal in the 18th century. One of the greatest statesmen, Maharaja Suraj Mal made a great contribution the making of the Jats a powerful clan. The virtually impregnable Lohagarh Fort in the heart of the town was built by him in 1732. The British suffered their biggest defeat in Rajasthan in 1805 while trying to besiege the fort. The fort can be approached through the Assaldati Gate. Three palaces within the fort built between 1730 and 1850 are worth visiting. South of the fort, in the main market area, lie the Jami Masjid, fronted by a magnificent arched portal, and Ganga Mandir, a large, elaborate temple of pure sandstone. Soon after its foundation, Bharatpur emerged as a business center.

Located in the eastern part of Rajasthan, Keoladeo Ghana National Park or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is 176 km away from Delhi, and 50 km west of Agra. One of the most impressive bird sanctuaries in the world, the park is noted for both indigenous birds and migratory birds, which travel to Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India, from as far away as Siberia and Central Asia.

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