Sight Seeing in Bharatpur
Keoladeo
Ghana National Park
This magnificent bird haven in actual came into being paradoxically as
a duck shooting preserve for Maharaja Suraj Mull of Bharatpur. He transformed
the shallow depression formed by the confluence of River Gambhir and River Banganga
into a reservoir by damming the rainwater in monsoons.
Flooding of water created shallow wetland ecosystem causing it to be a perfect
habitat for an astounding variety of birds. The park that was a hunting preserve
for the Maharaja and the British continued to be so till 1964, after which the
hunting was banned. A forestation policy of planting acacias was vigorously
followed. However the ecosystem at the Park continues to be fragile due to pressures
of tourism and need for water from surrounding villages.
However the environmentalists won the day in 1985 when UNESCO listed it as World
Heritage site and earlier in 1982 it was declared as National Park. And, today
the Park is recognised as the most important breeding and feed grounds for the
birds in the world. Some species are still endangered and especially the Siberian
crane.
Visitors are advised to maintain low noise level and avoid littering the park.
The Park opens from sunrise to sunset around the year. The ticket is Rs 200
per foreign visitor and Rs 25 for Indian visitor. Vehicles are permitted upto
Shanti Kutir about 1.7 kilometres inside at Rs 50 per vehicle. After this you
can choose to walk, bicycle, or go by cycle rickshaw, Tonga or boat when the
water level is high. The cycle rickshaw wallah’s displaying yellow plate
meaning authorised double up as guides also carry binoculars. Hotels do supply
packed lunches and you can get a bite at a canteen on the second gate and even
at Forest Lodge.
Sight Seeing in Bharatpur:
Keoladeo
Ghana National Park » Lohagarh
Fort » Government
Museum » The Palace
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