Keoladeo National Park formerly Bharatpur bird sanctuary is a vast bird sanctuary and former royal game reserve in Rajasthan. Located south of city of Bharatpur, the national park’s woods and man-made wetlands are a huge protect area that is home to over 370 species of migratory and resident birds, including herons, painted storks, cormorants and eagles. To the southeast of the national park is Fatehpur Sikri which is home to sandstone temples, mosque and the walled city built by Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century.
Keoladeo National Park is considered one of the world’s most important breeding and feeding ground for migratory birds. Starting off as a royal hunting reserve in the 1850s for Maharajas and the British, was declared a bird sanctuary on 13 March 1976, a Ramsar site under Wetland Convention in October 1981, a national park in 1982 and then a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. Besides birds the park is home various types of animals such as the basking python, sambar, chital, boar, deer, nilgai and more. It is also known as one of the breeding grounds for the rare Siberian crane. Noted Indian ornithologist and naturalist Dr. Salim Ali used his influence to garner government support to setup Keoladeo National Park.
Tourist visiting Keoladeo National Park can cover it on foot, cycle or rickshaws. In fact, park’s management has trained local rickshaw pullers in bird watching and they also act as knowledgeable guides at the park, thereby getting chance to supplement their income. Besides, that visitors can also go on elephant safari every afternoon. Though open throughout the year, perfect or best time to visit Bharatpur is between October to March.
The peak season is in winter when thousands of migratory birds descend to the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary for breeding. Birds start migrating from the park back to their home turf by mid-February onwards. It is the best time to visit the park since winter sees mild temperature, less intense sun, cool breeze and sufficient water all around in otherwise arid region rest of the year. There are numerous hotels, resort, and lodges that provide luxurious, mid-range and budget accommodation.
Well connected by air, road, and rail Bharatpur is closest to the cities of Jaipur, New Delhi, and Agra by air that are connected to all major cities across India and the world. Bharatour Bird Sanctuary, can be reached from there in a taxi. The closest railway station to the bird sanctuary is the Bharatpur Junctionthat is connected with all the major cities in India. NH-11 road connects Bharatpur with Agra which is 56 kms away. Bharatpur can also be reached by road from Delhi and Jaipur.
Considered amongst the finest bird sanctuaries in the world, full name Keoladeo Ghana National Park gets its name from an old Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located inside the national park. The word “Ghana” implies thick, alluding to the thick woods, which used to cover the region. History says in 1760, an earthen dam was constructed by Maharaja Suraj Mal, then the ruler of the princely state of Bharatpur, to save the town of the same name from yearly floods. The soil extracted for the dam turned into the Bharatpur Lake around which the birds started to settle thus creating the world-famous bird sanctuary.
Spread over 29 km2 the national park is a mosaic of dry grasslands, woodlands, woodland swamps and wetlands that is home to over 370 floral species, 50 fish species, 13 snake species, 5 lizard species, 7 amphibian species, 7 turtle species and variety of other invertebrates and hundreds of plant varieties. Entry fee into the park open from 6 am to 6 pm everyday is Rs. 50 for Indians and Rs. 400 for foreigners. The park is closed to visitors in the months of May and June. Perfect for a extended weekend visit, tourist can visit a number of nearby places namely Banke Bihari Temple, Government Museum, Lohagarh Fort, Agra Fort, Bharatpur Palace and Museum and Fatehpur Sikri. The park is must visit for nature lovers and birdwatchers.
