With a connection (even though slight) to two famous Hindu epic of India, Ramayana and Mahabharata, Bharatpur could have been very well a religious site. Though it is not so. The city of Bharatpur has little to offer apart from a famous bird sanctuary and a historical fort.

The sanctuary has a magnetic effect on the bird lovers while the fort invariably draws the scholars and history lovers. For simple tourists, both these places are hugely delightful. Rambling around in the park and the fort, a feeling of oneness with nature and culture descends upon the tourists. Also, away from the hustle bustle of big cities, it is time to get connected to oneself and hear the voices of soul. The clear sky and cool breezes facilitates every effort in this direction. The tranquility felt is refreshing and the joy after that raises the spirit. The localites have their own interesting stories to narrate and listening to them is a good passtime.

Bharatpur's close proximity to the Taj City, Agra also makes it one of the most visited destinations in the country. The eastern gateway to Rajasthan opens up an entire state for visitors to explore - a state that is soaked in historical legends of courage and romance, colourful festivals and religious fervour.

Attractions : Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary : This is perhaps the best place to view the birds in India. 5 kms from the Bharatpur railway station leads to the main entrance of the park wherin 354 species of birds (both residents and migratory) can be seen. Though the park is open for visit throughout the year, winters are the best time to visit. This not only ensures a good weather but also provides glimpse of the migratory birds that flock to the park during this season.

Lohgarh : Lohgarh literally translates into Iron fort, a reference that catapults it into a fort that was invincible. The fort was built by Suraj Mal, a Jat ruler in the 18th century. The fort is in a state of dilapidation, yet there are some interesting things to view. For starters there are Jawahar Burj and the Fateh Burj that proudly narrates the story of victories over Mughals and British.

The Government Museum is housed in the erstwhile durbar hall of the Maharaja. Worth seeing in this museum are a 7th century carving of Shiva and Parvati as well as carving of Shiva in his Natraj form. Old photographs of Maharaja and his family along with weapons are also on display in this museum. Jawaharbij is a nice viewpoint to catch a magnificent sight of the surrounding areas.

Bharatpur Ganga Temple : The temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga was initiated by Maharaja Balwant Singh in 1845. However, its completion was done in 1937 by Maharaja Brijendra Sawai. The temple is a two storeyd structure built of sandstone. The chequered floors are painted in black and white. The terrace is best avoided as the edges are not stable and can be highly precarious.

How to Reach Bharatpur by Air : The nearest airport is Agra, which is about 54 kms from Bharatpur. Agra has daily flights for Delhi, Bombay, Varanasi (via Khajuraho) and Lucknow.

How to Reach Bharatpur by Rail : Bharatpur is on the main Delhi - Bombay line with regular connections to Mathura, Sawai Madhopur and Kota on the same route. It is also connected with Agra.

How to Reach Bharatpur by Road : Bharatpur is well connected by road with Agra, Mathura, Delhi and Jaipur. Regular bus services operate for all major cities. The road distance to important places from Bharatpur are: Agra 55 kms Fatehpur Sikri 22kms Mathura 39kms Delhi 184 kms Jaipur 176 kms Alwar 117 kms.