Marked
by the vim and vigor of Holi, the festival of colors, the Brij Festival
finds villagers full of zest and vitality. They dress in brightly hued
attires and sing songs and dance. The featured dance of the festival is the
Raslila dance, where the immortal love story of Radha and Krishna is
enacted. During the festival, young and old, men and women, ring with the
boisterous folk melodies and splash colors on everybody. The gaiety is
infectious enough to take a hold of everybody who is there to witness the
festivity.
All of Bharatpur echoes the sound of folk melodies on
this festival held on the eve of Holi. Men and women, young and old, rich
and poor-all are touched by the spirit of this festival. Boisterous
revellers spare no one during this festival and delight in splashing colour
on everyone around.
| » Major
Attractions of Bharatpur |
Keoladeo
National Park (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) : The Keoladeo Ghana
National Park or-as many people prefer to call it-the Bharatpur Bird
Sanctuary lies between two of India's most historic cities, Agra and Jaipur.
This north Indian sanctuary is situated in the country's northwestern state
of Rajasthan, about 190 km from the national capital of Delhi. The name
'Keoladeo' is derived from the name of an ancient Hindu temple devoted to
Lord Shiva in the sanctuary's central zone while the Hindi term 'Ghana'
implies dense, thick areas of forest cover.
Government
Museum : Located in the centre of the famous Lohagarh Fort, the
Bharatpur Museum houses a rich collection of archaeological wealth of the
nearby areas as well as from the old Bharatpur State. The huge palatial
building Kachahari Kalan, once the administrative block of the rulers of
Bharatpur state, was converted into a museum in 1944 AD. Later on, the Kamra
Khas (personal chamber) building on the first floor was added to the museum.
Lohargarh
Fort : The Fort was designed and constructed by Maharaja Suraj Mal in
the 18th century to withstand the attacks of the British powers at that
time. The fort encloses three palaces within its precincts - Kishori Mahal,
Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas. It is also known as the Iron Fort, and occupies
an entire small artificial island. The main entrance to the Fort is through
the Astadhatu gate.
Jawahar Burg and Fateh Burg :
These monuments inside the fort were built by Surajmal to commemorate
the victory over Mughals and British. The monuments reflecting in the glory
of past are worth visiting.
The Palace : It is a
fine blend of Mughal and Rajput architecture, built in various phases by
different Maharajas. The magnificent apartments are richly decorated with
patterened floor tiles with exquisite intricate designs. The museum occupies
the main central wing depicting sollections dating back to 2nd century,
which relflect the art and skill of the region.
| » Places to
Stay in Bharatpur |
There are plenty of accommodation options available from deluxe
heritage hotels to budget accommodation. There are forest rest houses and
PWD Dak bungalows also available.
| » Best time to
visit Bharatpur |
The temperature ranges from 38°C to a maximum of 45°C
during the summer which spreads from from April to June. In the winters,
after Christmas, temperature start falling below 10°C. The place can be
visited all round the year.
Air : Agra which is 56 kms away from Bharatpur
and is the nearest airport while the International Airport lies at Delhi.
Rail : Regular trains connect Bharatpur with
several cities on the Delhi-Mumbai trunk route, as well as to Jaipur and
Agra.
Road : A good network of bus services
links Bharatpur with several cities within and outside the state of
Rajasthan.
Brij Festival
