Distance : 176km
from Jaipur, 184km from Delhi, 55km from Agra,
Area : 22 sq km
Population : 1,646,501
Altitude : 250 m
Temperature : Max 45 șC, Min 37 șC
(summer); Max 31 șC, Min 7 șC (winter)
Rainfall : 69 cm
Barmer is situated at a distance of 224km from Jodhpur
on the Luni-Munabao section of the Northern Railways.
Located atop a hill as so many of the cities of western
Rajasthan are, it houses the remains of an old fort
called Garh right on its peak. The name Barmer is
derived from the ruler Bahada Rao or Bar Rao who is
said to have founded the town in the 13th century.
Initially called 'Bahada-mer' it was later shortened
to Barmer. To the immediate west of the city lie the
remains of Juna or Juna Barmer and to the south are
the ruins of three Jain temples. There is an inscription
dated 1295AD on one of the pillars of the hall of
the largest temple at Juna. This mentions a Maharajakula
Sri Samanta Sinha Deva ruling Barmer at the time.
Being a barren wasteland, the people of Barmer have
learnt the hard way that they needed to develop exceptional
skills in order to survive. Thriving in this nothingness
lies the town of Barmer in Rajastan state, famous
for its only asset - the dexterous and creative human
skill, to create art, where none was.
Dance & Music
The Thar desert of Rajastan is nothing if not known
for its soulful melodies and dance. Like virtually
all other districts in the region, Barmer is known
for its folk music and dance. Like in Bikaner, the
Bhopas (priest singers) are found in Barmer, who compose
music in honour of the deities of the region and its
war heroes. The other folk musicians come from a community
called the Muslim Dholis (drummers) for most of whom
this is the only means of livelihood. They sing mainly
at festivals and other social occasions to the accompaniment
of the Kamayacha (a stringed instrument played with
a bow). The other musical instrument popular in Barmer
is the algoza (two flutes played together).
Fairs & Festivals
There are several major festivals held in Barmer,
the most famous of which is a cattle fair held every
year at Tilwara village situated on the banks of the
Luni river. The fair goes on for a fortnight in the
months of March April. The other major festival is
the Barmer Thar Festival of Rajastan, which was a
creation of the tourist office, started as a practice
to enhance the tourism potential of this town. This
festival too is held in early March every year. A
major yearly religious fair is held at Khed on every
Poornima (full moon) at the Ranchor Rai Mandir there.
Another fair is held at a village called Nagar Meva
which is about 8km from the town of Balotara. There
is a Jain temple there dedicated to the Jain prophet
Parasvanath, and the fair is held every year on Posh
Badi (Dec-Jan) to celebrate his birth.
Major Circuits
• Delhi - Jaipur - Ajmer - Pushkar - Udaipur
- Barmer - Jaisalmer - Delhi
• Delhi - Agra - Barmer - Bharatpur - Jaipur - Khajuraho
- Delhi
• Delhi - Jaipur - Jodhpur - Jaisalmer - Barmer -
Agra - Haridwar - Jim Corbett National Wildlife Park
- Delhi
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
One thing that comes to mind immediately at the mention
of Bharatpur is its bird sanctuary. The marshlands
in this region are just the place for numerous birds
to come flapping in and present the most spectacular
sight in the world. But Bharatpur has more to it than
just birds.
Bharatpur City
Bharatpur is an ancient city of eastern Rajasthan.
Its history dates from the era of the great Indian
epic Mahabharata (approximately 1500 BC). But more
interestingly, Bharatpur was the only kingdom in Rajasthan
that was ruled by the Jats, the peasant stock of Haryana.
The Jats rose into prominence in the 17th and 18th
centuries and proved to be quite a fighting force.
So for the first time in Rajput-ruled Rajasthan, we
get a taste of Jat architecture. The Lohargarh Fort
in Bharatpur is a superb example. So are the forts
at Kumher and Wiir.
Bharatpur Attractions
The capital city of Deeg (36km from Bharatpur) is
another name synonymous with Jat elegance. But Bharatpur
itself is a pretty small town; if you stretch your
legs a bit, you could go to many other beautiful places
around like Dholpur, Karauli, Govardhan and Bayana.
Noh and Mallah are two villages around Bharatpur where
some rare archaeological finds dating back to the
1st century AD were found.
Since the Jats were Jats, they were never really accepted
by the Rajputs. The Bharatpur coat of arms is understandably
a deviation from the usual Rajput ensigns which feature
either the sun or the moon. Bharatpur's emblem has
neither of these, for the Jats descended neither from
the sun nor the moon. Their coat of arms features
a shield flanked by a lion and an elephant. A bull
is engraves within the shield signifying Piety, with
two crossed daggers on either side. Crowning the shield
is the monkey god Hanuman's flag.
Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary
Today Bharatpur is best known for its bird sanctuary,
the Keoladeo Ghana National Park which spreads at
the confluence of the Banganga and Ruparel rivers.
In the bygone days, the rajas hosted famous (read
shocking) duck shoots in the marshes here which were
frequented by British dignitaries and fellow maharajas
(see Keoladeo Ghana National Park). Today this marshy
area has become the favourite haunt of hundreds of
species of birds, including the famous Siberian crane,
which comes to winter here. But sadly, the number
of cranes is reducing at an alarming rate, and very
soon Bharatpur might lose its most distinguished visitor.
Festivities
Apart from the vibrant Jat element, Bharatpur also
has an influence of Uttar Pradesh's cultural traditions.
The Brij Festival, which is celebrated on a massive
scale in UP, is an important socio-religious occasion
for Bharatpur. The festival celebrates the loves and
joys of Lord Krishna, and the Raslila (dances of Krishna
and the milkmaids of Braj) is performed here with
great enthusiasm. This is held sometime between February
and March. Gangaur and Teej are the other major festivals
of Bharatpur. See Religion of Rajasthan for more on
these.
Bhilwara Tourism
Bhilwara, synonymous with industries like cloth mills
and stone quarries, is the headquarter of a small
district of the same name in southern Rajasthan. Getting
to know Bhilwara by its industries is not very unusual,
as the town was developed mainly as a large-scale
industrial town. After having been ravished by many
invaders over the centuries, the British offered to
turn it into a successful mart in the 19th century.
So Bhilwara itself is not very attractive and might
not figure in the mainstream tourist itinerary, especially
when it is surrounded by a host of more glamourous
destinations like Chittaurgarh (54km), Rajsamand (87km)
and Udaipur (151km).
Nearby Attractions
But a trip to Bhilwara is not totally unprofitable;
some of the nearby places like Banera, Bijolia, Menal,
Shahpura, Gangapur and Mandal do offer good surprises
to one who likes to tread the offbeat track. and more
than anything else, this inconspicuous little town
has a very interesting past to boast of.
Major Circuits
• Delhi - Jaipur - Jaisalmer - Udaipur
- Bhilwara - Ranthambhore - Bharatpur - Delhi
• Delhi - Agra - Udaipur - Bhilwara
- Jaisalmer - Jodhpur - Jaipur - Bharatpur - Delhi
- Khajuraho
Heritage
Culture 
