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Bharatpur National Park
The
World Heritage listed
Bharatpur National Park as one of the finest
National Park in India. It houses more than 415 kinds of birds, out of
which 117 birds migrate from places as far away as Siberia and China.
This bird sanctuary also known as
Keoladeo Ghana National Park
even houses sambar, chital, nilgai and boar. The park covers an area of
29 sq. km. out of which 11 sq. km. are marshes and the rest is scrubland
and grassland.
Most of the parks of the ancient times were developed from the hunting
preserves of the princes. But this park's uniqueness is that it was the
only animal house created by a king (Maharaja) for hunting. 'Keoladeo'
is an ancient Hindu temple devoted to Lord Shiva in the centre of this
park and 'Ghana' means dense, which are in context to the thick forests
which covered this area. This is how Bharatpur National Park gets its
name Keoladeo Ghana.
An earthern dam called the Ajan Dam was constructed in 1760 to protect
Bharatpur from the constant floods during monsoon and the arid lands after
monsoon. The Keoladeo lake was born out of the depression created by extraction
of soil for the dam. A very fine system of small dams, dykes, sluice gates,
etc., was made so as to control the water level in different sections.
Until hunting and shooting was banned in 1964, this place of Bharatpur
royalty was one of the best duck-shooting wetlands in the world. On 10th
March 1982 this area was declared as a
National Park and in December
1985 it was accepted as a World Heritage site.
General information
Area : 22 sq.km.
Altitude : 250 metres
Best Season : October- February
Languages : Rajasthani, Hindi, English.
Keoladeo (Bharatpur) National Park
This park welcomes more than 415 species of birds every year to nestle
in its 29 sq. km. area covered with shallow lakes and stunted forest growth
and grasslands. These birds migrating from far away countries spend their
winters here before returning to their homes. The birds as small as the
Siberian dusky leaf warbler which is the size of a finger or as large
as the Dalmatian pelican, which is a little less than 2 mts. Many species
of cranes, geese, eagles, wheatears, wagtails, pelicans, warblers, shanks,
larks, pipits, flycatchers, buntings, etc. and other migrating birds are
found here.
The most popular amongst all the migrating birds is the Siberian crane
or the great white crane. It migrates every year during winter, covering
a distance of almost half the globe. The journey to this sanctuary is
6400 km. from their breeding grounds in Siberia. The stay lasts from December
to March. These fascinating birds are on the verge of extinction
and number only a few hundreds now. The birds from the western parts of
the globe migrate to Keoladeo, coming from the river basin region, in
the Aral mountains in Siberia via Afghanistan and Pakistan. The other
stop for them is Feredunkenar in Iran. The Siberian crane is different
from the Indian cranes in its eating habits. Siberian cranes are entirely
vegetarian. They feed on aquatic roots and tubers in loose flocks of five
or six.
The
heronry of Keoladeo is one of the finest in the world. This heronry is
a breeding ground for seventeen species of birds namely grey heron, purple
heron, night heron, large egret, median egret, little egret, cattle egret,
large cormorant, Indian shag, little cormorant, darter, painted stork,
open-billed stork, black-necked stork, white-necked stork, white ibis
and spoonbill. Each of the birds are specialist feeders like the Siberian
crane. Spoonbills rake the mud with their beaks for mollusks, tadpoles
and weed, white egrets and herons spear their prey, flamingoes sieve water
for plankton and geese and brahminy ducks graze at the water's edge.
This spectacular harmony also houses a range of mammals and reptiles -
Nilgai, sambar, chital, leopard and the wild bear are some of them. Large
rock pythons can also be spotted here, especially at Python point, beyond
the Keoladeo temple, an ideal place for reptile lovers. This fascinating
place, with woodlands and green tall grasses, with marshes and scrublands,
is endowed with a unique plethora of flora and fauna.
When to visit :
The park is open throughout the year although most visitors choose to
come between October and February, when wintering wildfowl assemble in
thousands on the lakes. The breeding season is between August and October.
How to get there :
The nearest railhead is Bharatpur (2 km) and the nearest airport is at
Agra (50 km).
Accomodation is available at the Forest Lodge (ITDC), Saras Tourist Bungalow
(RTDC), Shanti Kutir, Forest Rest House and private hotels near the park
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