Area : 232sq.km/2,873 hectares
Established : 1956 as a bird sanctuary,
1981 as a national park
Season :
The park is open throughout the year. Best months
are August-November for resident breeding birds
and November-March for migrant birds.
Description :
The marshes of Keoladeo, more popularly known as
Bharatpur, was the private hunting reserve of the
Maharajas of Bharatpur. It was developed in the
late 19th century by creating small dams and bunds
in an area of natural depression to collect rainwater
and by feeding it with an irrigation canal. Over
the years, the lakes attracted great numbers of
waterfowl and the Maharajas held grand shoots with
family, friends and visiting dignitaries. Two-thirds
of the park lies under water, the extent and volume
depending on the intensity of the rains. The remaining
one-third of the park is covered in dry deciduous
forests (with Acacia, Ber, Kadam and Khajur trees)
and extensive grasslands. On the raised ground outlining
the wetlands grow a profusion of Acacia trees, where
the resident water birds nest, often in large mixed
colonies, a spectacular sight during the monsoon.
Keoladeo is famous as one of Asia's finest birding
areas, with over 380 resident and migrant species,
including the Common, Demoiselle and the rare Siberian
Cranes. It is also an excellent place to watch mammals
like Golden Jackal, Striped Hyaena, Fishing Cat,
Jungle Cat, Nilgai, Sambar, Blackbuck and wild Boar.
The park derives its name from the temple of Keoladeo
(Shiva) and 'ghana' which locally means dense, implying
the nature of the vegetation. During the cool winter
months it is also possible to see large Indian Pythons
sunning themselves.
Access :
Bharatpur is well connected by road from Agra (56
km, 5 hours), Delhi (176 km, 5 hours) and Jaipur
(176 km , 6 hours), all of which have airports.
The Bharatpur railway station is 6 km from the park.
Park Population :
The park supports a population of 375 species of
birds, numerous mammals and reptiles. With the onset
of winter, migratory birds from all over world come
here. They arrive by August and leave in February.
Visitors include Coot Snipes, Spanish Sparrow, Red
Crested Porhard, Rosy Pelican and Flamingo. The
special attraction, however, remains the arrival
of the rare Siberian Crane. The park is also rich
in Pythons, Spotted Deer, Sambhars, Blue Bull, Black
Buck, Jackals, Otters, Fishing Cats, Monitor Lizards.
Nearby Attractions :
Nearby places of interest are the Government Museum,
Bharatpur which gives a glimpse of past splendour.
Not far from the museum is the Bharatpur Palace
which is an excellent blend of Mughal and Rajput
architecture. There is the Lohagarh Fort which remained
invincible despite several attacks by the British.
Just 32 km from Bharatpur, is the Deeg Palace. This
strong and massive fort was the summer resort of
the rulers of Bharatpur and has many palaces and
gardens.
Park visits :
The Keoladeo National Park is not very large being
29 sq km. There are well-defined treks which can
easily covered on foot or on a cycle or you can
hire a rickshaw (the best way). They are available
on hire. Rickshaw pullers have been trained by the
park management in bird watching and are quite knowledgeable.
Boats are also available on hire. A boat trip early
in the morning or late evening is quite a rewarding
experience. Do not forget to carry a binocular for
watching the birds.
Climate :
Bharatpur is located on the fringes of the Thar
desert. This marshy land has very warm climate.
Summers are invariably hot and winters are not very
cold. Carry light cottons during summers and woolens
during winters. Rainfall is less but sufficient.
Accommodation :
LAXMI VILAS PALACE
Standard Grade Heritage Hotel
Laxmi Vilas Palace is situated 55 kms from Agra
airport, 5 kms from Bharatpur railway station and
is near Bharatpur circuit house and bird sanctuary.
The hotel is partially air-conditioned. The hotel
offers Indian and Continental food.
A Government property maintained by the ITDC situtated
inside the Bird Sanctuary.
Also there are quite a few basic hotels in Bharatpur
situated outside the sanctuary.
Built in 1850 A.D. Chandra Mahal Haveli. The hotel
has 23 rooms with all modern amenities, billiards
room a library and multi-cuisine restaurant.
Heritage
Culture 
