Keoladeo National Park
Location : Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Area : 29 sq. kms
Prime Attractions : Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Boar, Migratory Birds
How to Reach : Nearest Airport is Agra (56 kms), Bharatpur railway station is nearest railhead, which is 6 kms from the park. Bharatpur railway station is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and other parts of the country. Bharatpur is well-connected by roads with Jaipur, Agra and other important places of Rajasthan.
Where to Stay : Accommodation is not a problem in Bharatpur. The town is dotted with several luxury hotels, guest houses and economic hotels. Besides, accommodation is also available within the park in forest lodges.
Ideal Time To Visit : Keoladeo National Park is open throughout the year for visitors, still winter is the best season, when migratory birds arrive at the park. October to March is the ideal time to visit the park.
Keoladeo National Park - the Bird's Paradise
Keoladeo National Park, also known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, is counted among finest bird sanctuaries in the world. Designated as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, the park is famous for water-birds as well as migratory birds. Situated on the border of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the park is mainly a marshy area. Keoladeo Ghana was created by the Maharaja (king) of Bharatpur in the 19th century. In fact, the King went to Britain on invitation for duck shooting and created his own reserve after returning to India. The existing marshland was deepened and extended to attract water birds. Since then Keoladeo became a favourite hunting preserve of Maharajas and one of the best duck - shooting wetlands in the world. In March 1956, the duck shooting forest was declared a bird sanctuary and upgraded to a national park in 1982.
Prime Attractions of the Park
Fauna of the Park
The park is home to around 375 species of birds, 27 species of mammals, 50 species of fishes , 5 species of amphibians, 8 species of lizards, 13 species of snakes and 7 species of turtles. With the start of winters migratory birds from all over world visit the park. Migratory birds which visiting the park include Siberian Crane, Spanish Sparrow, Coot Snipes, Red Crested Porhard, Rosy Pelican, Flamingo, Geese, Ducks, Eagles, Hawks, Shanks, Stints, Wagtails, Warblers, Wheatears, Flycatchers, Buntings, Larks and Pipits etc. The park also houses wild animals like Spotted Deer, Blue Bull, Black Buck, Sambhars, Jackals, Fishing Cats, Otters, Monitor Lizards and Pythons etc.
Flora of the Park
The park spreads over an area of 29 sq.kms of which 11 sq.kms is covered by marshes, rest of the area is covered by scrublands, grasslands and more than 44,000 trees. The vegetation of the park is varied in density and diversity. The marshy terrain is covered with kadam forests, grasslands and shallow lakes.
Other Attractions
Government Museum
Situated close to the park, the museum displays the royal grandeur of Bharatpur Maharajas.
Bharatpur Palace
The architectural masterpiece is the blend of the Mughal and the Rajput architecture. |
