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Bharatpur
Bharatpur is a city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded by
Maharaja Suraj Mal in 1733. Located in Mewat region, Bharatpur was once
an impregnable, well-fortified city, and the capital of a kingdom ruled
by Jat maharajas. The trio of Bharatpur, Deeg and Dholpur has played an
important part in the Jat history of Rajasthan. Located 50 km west of the
city of Agra (the city of the Taj Mahal), it is also the administrative
headquarters of Bharatpur District.The town was named Bharatpur after Bharata, a brother of Lord Rama, whose other brother Laxman is the family deity of the erstwhile royal family of Bharatpur. The name 'Laxman' was engraved on the arms, seals and other emblems of the state.
The city and the fort of Bharatpur have been believed to be founded by Lord Aditya Consul in the early 17th century, the majesty established a state in the Mewat region south of Delhi, with its capital at Deeg. Leaders like Gokula, Raja Ram, Churaman and Badan Singh brought the Jats together and moulded them into a force to be reckoned with.
Maharaja Suraj Mal was the state's greatest ruler; he made the state a formidable force in the region. Suraj Mal took over the site of Bharatpur from Khemkaran, a son of Rustam, and established it as the capital of his state. He fortified the city by building a massive wall around it.
During the British Raj, the state covered an area of 5,123 km².; its rulers enjoyed a salute of 17 guns. The state acceded unto the dominion of India in 1947. It was merged with three nearby princely states to form the 'Matsya Union', which in turn was merged with other adjoining territories to create the present-day state of Rajasthan.
Chronology of Bharatpur rulers
Coat of arms of Bharatpur rulers The Royal House of Bharatpur traces their history to the 11th century AD. They claim descent from Yadav Vanshi Sind Pal, common ancestor with the House of Karauli. Than Pal, twelfth in descent from Sind Pal, left several sons, including Dharam Pal, the eldest son and progenitor of Karauli. Madan Pal, the third son of Than Pal, being ancestor of Bharatpur. His descendant, Bal Chand or Balchandra of Sinsini, having no issue by his wife, took a Jat lady as a concubine, by whom he had two sons named Birad (Bijji) and Surad (Sijji). Birad was the ancestor of Thakur Khanu Chand, with whom we treat. The descendants of Khanu Chand became leaders of the Jat race and rose to considerable power during the Mughal decline in the late seventeenth century.
The Jat rulers of Bharatpur were from Sinsinwar clan. Before the formation of Bharatpur state the capital of Sinsinwars was at Sinsini.
Sinsini earlier was known as 'Shoor saini' and its inhabitants were known
as 'Saur Sen'. The influence of Saur Sen people can be judged from the fact
that the dialect of the entire north India at one time was known as 'Saursaini'.Shoor Sain people were Chandra Vanshi kshatriyas. Lord Krishna was also born in vrishni branch of Chandravansh. A group of Yadavas was follower of Shiv and Vedic God in Sindh. Some inscriptions and coins of these people have been found in 'Mohenjo Daro'. ' Shiv Shani Sevi' words have been found engraved on one inscription. Yajur Veda mentions 'Shinay Swah'. 'Sini Isar' was found on one gold coin. Atharva Veda mentions 'Sinwali' for Sini God.
The above group of Yadavas came back from Sindh to Brij area and occupied Bayana in Bharatpur district. After some struggle the 'Balai' inhabitants were forced by Shodeo and Saini rulers to move out of Brij land and thus they occupied large areas. 'Saur Saini' was changed to 'ShinShoor' or 'Sinsini' after their God 'Shin'. These people of Sinsini were called Sinsinwar. The chronology of Sinsinwar Jat clan rulers of Bharastpur is as under:
Gokula,? - 1670
Raja Ram, 1670 - 1688
Churaman, 1695 - 1721
Badan Singh, 1722 - 1756
Maharaja Suraj Mal, 1756 - 1767
Maharaja Jawahar Singh, 1767 - 1768
Maharaja Ratan Singh, 1768 - 1769
Maharaja Kehri Singh, 1769 - 1771
Maharaja Nawal Singh, 1771 - 1776
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1776 - 1805
Maharaja Randhir Singh, 1805 - 1823
Maharaja Baldeo Singh, 1823 - 1825
Maharaja Balwant Singh, 1825 - 1853
Maharaja Jashwant Singh, 1853 - 1893
Maharaja Ram Singh, 1893 - 1900 (Exiled)
Maharani Girraj Kaur, regent 1900-1918
Maharaja Kishan Singh, 1900 - 1929
Maharaja Brijendra Singh, 1929-1947 (Joined the Indian Union)
Reaching BharatpurBy Air: Agra is the nearest airport to this ornithologist's paradise and is just 56km by road.
By Rail: Bharatpur is connected to the major nearest railheads. It lies on Delhi-Mumbai trunk route and is at very convenient distance from Jaipur and Agra. Golden Temple Mail (Mumbai-Bharatpur-Jammu-Tawai); Intercity express (Hazrat Nizamuddin-Bharatpur) and Paschim Express (New Delhi-Bharatpur-Mumbai) are some express trains touching Bharatpur.
Local Transport: Visitors generally rely on Tongas and Cycle-rickshaws for travelling within the city.
Best season to visit:
The best time to visit Bharatpur is winter season between November to March as this is the time during which the migratory birds visit the swamps of the area.
Keoladeo Ghana National ParkOnce the royal hunting preserve of the princes of Bharatpur, it is one of the finest bird sanctuaries in the world inundated with over 400 species of water birds. This National park has given the area an international presence for its staggering number of birds from different parts of the globe within a single tract of land. Exotic migratory birds from Afghanistan, central .Asia, Tibet as well as Siberian cranes from the arctic, greyleg geese from Siberia and bareheaded geese from China, come here in July/Aug to spend the winters in warmer climate and they breed till Oct/Nov. Colonies of cormorants, spoonbills, storks, egrets, herons, pelicans, ebis and grey herons can be spotted all over the park. The raised paths camouflaged by babul trees make their viewing easier.
Lohagarh Fort :
The massive iron structure is built in the early 18th century. With its impregnable defense, it has sustained itself even after a number of British attacks.The fort was conceived and designed by Maharaja Suraj Mal, the founder of Bharatpur. The fort has three palaces within its precincts - Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas.
Government Museum :
A rich collection of artefacts, exquisitely carved sculptures and ancient inscriptions can be admired in the Government Museum located in the Palaces. All these items showcase about the rich heritage, art and crafts of the region.
Deeg Palace:
Deeg in the 18th century, was the capital of Jat rulers. The central citadel, set up in 1730 is square in layout and stands on a slightly raised ground.
The whole monument is encircled by a shallow wide moat. The protective walls are 8 km in circumference pierced by 10 gateways and studded with 72 bastions. The gateway to the fort is protected with anti-elephant strikes. The most impressive are huge towers haughtily piercing the sky. The towers are fitted with cannons to take a good shot at any approaching enemy. Within the fort, is the Suraj Mal Haveli with its typical bangaldar style - which is a typical Bengali curved bamboo roof, imported to Rajasthan by Bengali architect of Jaipur - Vidyadhar Bhattacharya.
Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj :
A few of the eight imposing towers still stand erect within the glorious ramparts of the Fort. Especially two of them - Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj are of special interest. These were built by Maharaja Suraj Mal to commemorate his victories over the Mughals and British respectively.The coronation ceremony of the Jat rulers of Bharatpur was also help at the Jawahar Burj.
Excursions:
Govardhan - A Pilgrimage Town
Distance :48km from Bharatpur, 15km east of Deeg
This quiet little spot with narrow winding lanes is closely linked with
Lord Krishna, the most loved deity in Hindu mythology. This mischievous
god is said to have lived in these areas, and as such worship and devotion
have a very tangible feel here. Govardhan is an important place of pilgrimage
too. According to legend, Krishna once protected the people of Govardhan
from the wrath of Indra, the God of Rain (also the great Warrior God). It
so happened that Indra hurled a terrible thunderbolt at these poor people
(for reasons quite unknown to us). So Krishna lifted a whole mountain, the
nearby Mount Giriraj, and held it on his little finger for seven days and
nights as an umbrella against the terrible rain and cyclone. Such were the
miracles Krishna is supposed to have performed.Later Indra had to fall at
Krishna's feet and ask for forgiveness, of course. Famous Temples
There are lots of temples in Govardhan. The most interesting one is the 16th century Harideva Temple. Near this is a complex of chhatris (cenotaphs) of the Jat maharajas of Bharatpur which have some really nice frescoes. Their curved cornices and multiple domes and pavilions make them somewhat similar to the Rajput architectural pieces. There is another chhatri dedicated to the most illustrious Jat ruler, Suraj Mal, about 3km north of here. The ceiling has frescoes showing episodes from the life of the maharaja.
Bayana Town
Distance: 45km from Bharatpur, 76km from Fatehpur Sikri
The ancient name of Bayana was Sripatha or Sriprastha. It became an important town under the Mughal emperors (early 16th-mid19th century). It was close to this place that Babur defeated Sangram Singh (aka Rana Sanga) of Chittor and it was after this major battle that the Rajput town of Sikri became the famous Fatehpur Sikri (which is situated in what is now Uttar Pradesh, very close to the border). Since then Bayana became a stronghold of the Mughals. The remains of some of their relics can be seen.
Chief Attractions of Bayana
The Old Fort The highpoint of a trip to Bayana is the old fort, Vijaygarh, perched on a low hill. A curious mixture of Hindu and Muslim relics, the fort has been the scene of many historical events. Much of this huge complex is in ruins, but the solid rounded outer walls and colossal watchtower speak volumes of its past glory. Scrubby growth fills the gaps in the edifice, and goats and cows are the only regular visitors to the place. Although most of this red sandstone fort might look like rubble from a distance, some portions like a darwaza (door) here and an arch there are intact. But the surprises are many. Some of the gateways and panels show extremely beautiful carving. A forgotten barrel lies somewhere in the bushes. There's also a pillar with inscriptions in Pali (an ancient language, of around the 4th-5th century BC). In other places are writings in Urdu, the language of the Muslims. Yet in another place is a carved slab showing the sacred footprints of a person, perhaps of a sadhu (Hindu saint) who passed that way.
The Barah Khambon ki Chhatri
The Barah Khambon ki Chhatri, is, as its name suggests, a pavilion of 12 pillars. It is a red sandstone monument lying at the foothills amidst dense bushes. There's another cenotaph in the surrounding, a double storeyed one, with an interesting circular pattern inside its dome. The place make for a perfect picnic spot. In fact, Bayana is full of such monuments. There's the Usa Masjid, built as an extension of an older mosque which has now been converted into the temple Usha Mandir. The old mosque was probably built in the 12th century by one Baha al-Din Tugral, who was the first Muslim governor of the region. These were the Ghori Sultans who were in Delhi for sometime, but did not have a very significant niche. The Usa Masjid was then added in about 1320-21 by one Kafur al-Sultani, a later Governor.
Lodi Minar
Another one worth seeing is the Lodi Minar, though incomplete, built in 1519-20 by Nizam Khan, the Governor under Ibrahim Shah Lodi. The Lodis were the rulers of Delhi in the 15th and 16th centuries until Babur came and set up the Mughal empire. The construction of this minaret in Bayana was, unfortunately, stalled by Babur. The Jijhri is a little structure which was built to house Akbar for just one night. It had a special cooling system, as it was supposedly built on a pond. The jali (latticed) windows were to let in maximum air. The Jahangiri Gate stands like a stray structure, dilapidated and aloof. However, there are traces of carving in the pillars and some inscriptions in Urdu. The gateway was built to welcome Jahangir, Akbar's son, who had come for a visit to Bayana.
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