Bharatpur Fort

Lohagarh Fort (Iron fort) is situated at Bharatpur in Rajasthan, India. It was constructed by Bharatpur Jat rulers. Maharaja Suraj Mal used all his power and wealth to a good cause, and built numerous forts and palaces across his kingdom, one of them being the Lohagarh Fort (Iron fort), which was one of the strongest ever built in Indian history.

 

The inaccessible Bharatpur Fort could withstand repeated attacks of British forces led by Lord Lake in 1805 when they laid siege for over six weeks. Having lost over 3000 soldiers, the British forces had to retreat and strike a compromise with the Bharatpur ruler. Of the two gates in the fort, one in the north is known as Ashtdhaatu (eight metalled) gate while the one facing the south is called Chowburja (four-pillared) gate.

 

t is very different from the other forts in Rajasthan state, there is no flamboyance associated to fort but it generates an aura of strength and magnificence. The fort is surrounded with moat which was previously filled with water to ward off the enemy attacks. The sandy ramparts were strengthened by sandy battlements, thus the enemy guns proved of no avail.

Some interesting monuments in the fort are Kishori Mahal, Mahal Khas and Kothi Khas. Moti Mahal and towers like Jawahar Burj and Fateh Burj were erected to commemorate the victory over the Mughals and the British army. The Gateway has paintings of huge elephants.

The Lohagarh Fort, constructed by Bharatpur Jat rulers, true to its name stood solidly in front of many British attacks, and frustrated them to ends. Lohagarh Fort means 'Fort of Iron', and the fort was what its name suggested; virtually impregnable. Protected by deep moats on all sides, it was said that it could fall "only when a crocodile swallowed up all the water of the moat. It's obvious that the Jats did not believe in laxity. So, while lesser forts gave way more easily, Lohargarh stood firm, giving Bharatpur the security it needed.

Travel Blog by :- Easy Tours of India

Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary

The park was established as a national park on 10 March 1982. Previously the private duck shooting preserve of the Maharaja of Bharatpur since the 1850s, the area was designated as a bird sanctuary on 13 March 1976 and a Ramsar site under the Wetland Convention in October 1981.The last big shoot was held in 1964 but the Maharajah retained shooting rights until 1972. In 1985, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site under the world Heritage Convention.

It is a reserve forest under the Rajasthan Forest Act, 1953 and therefore, is the property of the State of Rajasthan of the Indian Union. In 1982, grazing was banned in the park, leading to violent clashes between local farmers and the government.

The Keoladeo National Park or Keoladeo Ghana National Park formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India is a famous avifauna sanctuary that plays host to thousands of birds especially during the winter season. Over 230 species of birds are known to have made the National Park their home. It is also a major tourist centre with scores of ornithologists arriving here in the hibernal season. It was declared a protected sanctuary in 1971. It is also a declared World Heritage Site.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park is a man-made and man-managed wetland and one of the national parks of India. The reserve protects Bharatpur from frequent floods, provides grazing grounds for village cattle and earlier was primarily used as a waterfowl hunting ground. The 29 km (18 mi) reserve is locally known as Ghana, and is a mosaic of dry grasslands, woodlands, woodland swamps, and wetlands. These diverse habitats are home to 366 bird species, 379 floral species, 50 species of fish, 13 species of snakes, 5 species of lizards, 7 amphibian species,7 turtle species, and a variety of other invertebrates.

Every year thousands of migratory waterfowl visit the park for wintering breeding etc. The Sanctuary is one of the richest bird areas in the world. It is known for nesting of its resident birds and visiting migratory birds including water birds. The rare Siberian cranes used to winter in this park but this central population of Siberian Cranes is now extinct. According to Sir Peter Scott Keoladeo Sanctuary is the world’s best bird area.

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Bandhavgarh National Park

Bandhavgarh National Park is one of the popular national parks in India located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was declared a national park in 1968, with an area of 105 km. The buffer is spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni and totals 437 km. The park derives its name from the most prominent hillock of the area, which is said to be given by Hindu Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch on Lanka (Ceylon). Hence the name Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit Brother's Fort).

This park has a large biodiversity. The density of the tiger population at Bandhavgarh is one of the highest known in India. The park has a large breeding population of Leopards, and various species of deer. Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa captured the first white tiger in this region in 1951. This white tiger, Mohan, is now stuffed and on display in the palace of the Maharajas of Rewa.

The state of Rewa owes its origins to the foundation of a state dating to 1234 by Vyaghra Dev, a descendant of the Vaghelas of Gujarat. He married the daughter of the Raja of Pirhawan and conquered the territory between Kalpi and Chandalgarh. Karan Dev, son of Vyaghra Dev married the daughter of the Raja of Ratanpur, bringing Bandhogarh (now known as Bandhavgarh) into the family as her dowry. The legendary fortress of Bandhogarh fell into Mughal hands in 1597, almost by accident. 

Bandhavgarh National Park has the highest density of Bengal tigers known in the world, and is home to some famous named individual tigers. Charger, an animal so named because of his habit of charging at elephants and tourists (whom he nonetheless did not harm), was the first healthy male known to be living in Bandhavgarh since the 1990s.

A female known as Sita, who once appeared on the cover of National Geographic and is considered the most photographed tiger in the world, was also to be found in Bandhavgarh for many years. Almost all the tigers of Bandhavgarh today are descendants of Sita and Charger. Their daughter Mohini, son Langru and B2 also maintained their tradition for frequent sighting and moving close to tourist jeeps.

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Rajasthan Camel City Of Bikner

Bikaner is popularly referred to as the 'Camel City of Rajasthan'. Bikaner lies on the ancient caravan routes that linked Western/Central Asia and North India with the seaports of Gujarat. Bikaner thus flourished as a major trade center during the medieval period. The kingdom of Bikaner was established by a Rathore Prince, Rao Bikaji, son of the founder of Jodhpur, Rao Jodhaji in 1488 A.D. He was able to carve out a state named after him after hardship of 30 years.

Tours to Bikaner comprises of visit to some of the major attractions of the city. Lal Garh Fort is 3 km from the city. It houses the Shri Sadul Museum in the first floor established in 1076 AD. The rich treasure house of the artifacts and personal possessions of the Maharajas of Bikaner will impress you. Most remarkable artifact in the museum is the brass vessel known as a tokna, which was used to collect revenue and then transported to the Bikaner State Treasury by camel. The Royal Train of the Maharaja looks elegant in the front of the palace.

Junagarh Museum cannot be missed while on Tour to Bikaner. Raja Jai Singh, a General in the Mughal Army of the Emperor Akbar constructed the Junagarh Fort. It was started in 1588 AD and was completed by 1593 AD. The huge fort has a 986 m-long wall with 37 ramparts, a moat and two entrances of which the Surajpol or the Sun Gate is the main entrance.

Shiva Bari Temple is at a distance of 6 km from Bikaner. You must visit the beautiful temple with carvings and perfect finishing while on tour of the city. The bronze statue of Nandi and a Shiva lingam are noteworthy.

Sisodia Rani ka Bagh is 8 km from Bikaner on the Bikaner - Agra road. It is a garden palace constructed for the second wife of Jai Singh. The pyramidal gardens looks beautiful over the small hillock with watercourses. There are pavilions also in the garden ornamented with wall paintings.

Camel Research Farm is a government-run camel station nearly 8 km from Bikaner. It is probably one of its kind of a farm in whole of Asia. There are about 230 camels at the research farm and three different breeds are reared here. Enjoy the camel ride, look at the baby camels and explore the small museum.

Tours Bikaner is more enjoyable at the time of the much-famed Camel Festival. The Department of Tourism, Art and Culture of the Government of Rajasthan organize the festival every year in the month of January. It is an exclusive camel festival where sale and purchase of camels takes place. The festival is made entertaining by the song and dance festivals and other competitions.

 

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Amritsar

Amritsar About this sound pronunciation (Punjabi historically also known as Ramdaspur and colloquially as Ambarsar) is a city in the north-western part of India. It is the spiritual center for the Sikh religion and the administrative headquarters of the Amritsar district in the state of Punjab.

It is home to the Harmandir Sahib (referred to as the "Golden Temple" in the western media), the spiritual and cultural center for the Sikh religion. This important Sikh shrine attracts more visitors than the Taj Mahal with more than 100,000 visitors on week days alone and is the most popular destination for Non-resident Indians (NRI) in the whole of India. The city also houses the Sikh temporal and political authority, Akal Takht, as well as the Sikh Parliament.

The main commercial activities include tourism, carpets and fabrics, farm produce, handicrafts, service trades, and light engineering. The city is known for its rich cuisine and culture and for the tragic incident of Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919 under British Rule. Amritsar is home to Central Khalsa Orphanage, which was once a home to Udham Singh, a prominent figure in the Indian independence movement.

Amritsar is one of the largest cities of the Punjab state in India. The city origin lays in the village of Tung, and was named after the lake founded by the fourth Sikh Guru Ram Das in 1574 on land bought by him for 700 rupees from the owners of the village of Tung. Earlier Guru Ram Das had begun building Santokhsar Sarovar, near the village of Sultanwind in 1564 (according to one source in 1570). It could not be completed before 1588. In 1574, Guru Ram Das built his residence and moved to this place. At that time, it was known as Guru Da Chakk. (Later, it came to be known as Chakk Ram Das.)

Amritsar is sacred to both Hindus and Sikhs. The reference of the city is found in the ramayna as well. It is believed that Lord Rama left his wife Sita here (Ram tirath) after rescuing her back from Lanka. Sage Valmiki gave her shelter. Soon after, Sita gave birth to her sons - Luv and Kush. The twins grew up under the guidance of Valmiki.The Ram Tirath Temple is one of the prime attractions in Amritsar. Beautifully sculptured statues depicting scenes from the ancient Sanskrit epic is the principal attraction. A dip in the crystal clear tank is also part of the ritual for devotees.

Amritsar's central walled city has narrow streets mostly developed in the 17th and 18th century. The city is a peculiar example of an introverted planning system with unique areas called Katras. The Katras are self-styled residential units that provided unique defence system during attacks on the city.

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Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal in Agra is without any doubt the finest monument in the country. The remarkable white marble mausoleum was built on the bank of River Yamuna by Emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. A mere sight of Taj Mahal Agra will hold you spellbound. Feel the charm of yesteryear while touring the magnificent white marble monument. Taj Mahal is described as a symbol of eternal love and beauty.

Agra is home to the marble wonder called Taj Mahal. A tours to Agra allows travelers to experience the architectural glory of the past. While touring the city of the Taj, you must visit its three UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri.

Taj Mahal It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Taj Mahal “the essence of love”. A monument of beauty beyond measurement. The beauty of this outstanding monument is such that it is beyond the extent of words. Located royally on the banks of River Yamuna, the Taj Mahal Tours is synonymous with love and affection. It is supposed that the name “Taj Mahal” was derived from the name of Shah Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal and it means “Crown Palace”.

The purity of the white marble, the superb embellishment, expensive gemstones used and its charming location, all make Taj Mahal Travel add a place amongst the most admired ones. However, unless and until, one knows the love story behind the Taj Mahal of India Tours, Taj Mahal will come up as just a gorgeous building. But, the affection and love behind this terrific memorial is what has given a life to this monument.

As one passes through a high wall, he suddenly comes upon the Taj – raised upon a marble platform, and framed on each side by striking mosques and grand minarets. In the forefront large gardens surround a pool in whose waters the upturned palace becomes a trembling dream. Every section of the composition is of white marble, valuable metals, or expensive stones. The structure is a multifaceted stature of twelve sides, four of which are portals. A slender and lean minaret rises at each corner, and the crown is a gigantic spire dome. 

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Mehtab Bagh - Agra

Taj Mahotsav, a 10 days annual festival organized in the month of February (but this year Its organized from 16 March to 25 March due to election in Uttar Pradesh) at Shilpgram, near Taj Mahal. This mega event invokes the memories of the old Mughal period which was prevalent in the 18th and the 19th centuries in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Festival highlights the rich culture, arts, crafts, cuisine, music and dance of Uttar Pradesh. It is also known as Taj Mahal Utsav. The festival is a golden chance for the renowned artisans to display their magnificent works of art.  

Taj Mahotsav commences with a splendid procession inspired by the Mughal rulers. The procession comprises of beautifully ornamented camels and elephants, folk artists, drummers and master craftsmen. The handicrafts exhibited during the festival include silk of Banares, handmade carpets of Badohi, woodcarvings of Saharanpur, chikan work of Lucknow, and blue pottery of Khurja. One of the major attractions of Taj Mahotsav consists of amazing performances by the folk artists of different states of India.

Mehtab Bagh grew just across the northern waterfront of Yamuna when the Taj Mahal was built on its south bank. This place was once a heavenly garden with shaded pavilions, fountain jets, fragrant flowers and fantastic pools. But gradually the site became desolate. This site has now turned in to an epicenter for the project to establish protective green around the Taj Mahal.

The interest in Mehtab Bagh has developed again recently due to the increasing concern for the Taj Mahal. Its grounds are facing a great threat due to too many tourists.

Air pollution is causing decay to the shrine's marble exterior. As this 25 acre plot is being reclaimed, historians and geographers from around the world are gathering here to learn more about this magnificent Mehtab Bagh which once existed beside near the wonderful Taj. A modern technology inspired from Iran has been applied to bring this Mehtab Bagh of Agra back to life again.

The lush garden that once lined the river bank of the Taj Mahal may be given new life in this scheme to protect it from the danger of any further degradation. Conservationists believe that the development of a buffer zone of greenery would help to save the place from local air, noise and water pollution. Much of the area for the greenbelt has already been acquired through an earlier initiative to establish a 340 acre national park around the Taj Mahal.

The most important attraction of India Tours Mehtab Bagh and the Taj Mahal itself. This is an unique spot as you can get a picturesque view of The Taj from here.

Amarnath India Tours

Amaranth cave is a famous shrine in Hinduism located in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is dedicated to Shiva. The cave is situated at an altitude of 3,888 m (12,756 ft) about 141 km (88 mi) from Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir and reached through Pahalgam town. 

The shrine forms an important part of Hinduism, and is considered to be one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. The cave is surrounded by snowy mountains. The cave itself is covered with snow most time of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims.

An annual pilgrimage is made to the Amaranth cave by laths of Hindu devotees on challenging mountainous terrain to see an ice stalagmite formed inside the cave. The Amaranth cave has been a place of worship since times immemorial. There are references to one Aryaraja (32BCE-17CE) who used to worship a lingam formed of ice in Kashmir. The book Rajatarangini (Book VII v.183) refers to Amareshwara or Amaranth.

It is believed that Queen Suryamathi in the 11th century AD gifted trishuls, banalingas and other sacred emblems to this temple. Rajavalipataka, begun by Prjayabhatta has detailed references to the pilgrimage to Amarnath Cave. 

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Itmad-ud-Daula's Tomb

Itmad-ud-Daula's Tomb is a Mughal mausoleum in the city of Agra in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Often described as 'jewel box', sometimes called the 'Baby Taj', the tomb of I'timad-ud-Daulah is often regarded as a draft of the Tajo Mahal.

Along with the main building, the structure consists of numerous outbuildings and gardens.The tomb, built between 1622 and 1628 represents a transition between the first phase of monumental Mughal architecture - primarily built from red sandstone with marble decorations, as in Humayun's Tomb in Delhi and Akbar's tomb in Sikandra - to its second phase, based on white marble and pietra dura inlay, most elegantly realized in the Taj Mahal.

The Empress Nur Jahan built I'timad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, sometimes called the Baby Taj, for her father, Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the Chief Minister of the Emperor Jahangir. Located on the left bank of the Yamuna river, the mausoleum is set in a large cruciform garden, criss-crossed by water courses and walkways. The are of the mausoleum itself is about 23 m2 (250 sq ft), and is built on a base that is about 50 m2 (540 sq ft) and about one meter high. On each corner are hexagonal towers, about thirteen meters tall. Small in comparison to many other Mughal-era tombs, it is sometimes described as a jewel box. Its garden layout and use of white marble, pietra dura, inlay designs and latticework presage many elements of the Taj Mahal.

The walls are white marble from Rajasthan encrusted with semi-precious stone decorations – cornelian, jasper, lapis lazuli, onyx, and topaz in images of cypress trees and wine bottles, or more elaborate decorations like cut fruit or vases containing bouquets. Light penetrates to the interior through delicate jali; screens of intricately carved white marble.Many of Nor Jahan's relatives are interred in the mausoleum. The only asymmetrical element of the entire complex is the tombs of her father and mother, which have been set side-by-side, a formation replicated in the Taj Mahal.

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Sikandra

The Tomb of Akbar the Great is an important Mughal architectural masterpiece, built 1605-1613, set in 48 Ha (119 acres) of grounds in Sikandra, a suburb of Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India.The third Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great himself commenced its construction in around 1600, according to Tartary tradition to commence the construction of one's tomb during one's lifetime. Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it. After his death, Akbar's son Jahangir completed the construction in 1605-1613. Akbar was one of the greatest emperors of his time. This was not known until later on because his burial chamber land on a 20 by 5 acre plot of land.

Sikandra, the last resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, is on the Delhi-Agra Highway, only 13 kilometers from the Agra Fort. Akbar's tomb reflects the completeness of his personality. The vast, beautifully carved, red-ochre sandstone tomb with deers, rabbits and languor’s is set amidst a lush garden. 

Akbar himself planned his own tomb and selected a suitable site for it. To construct a tomb in one's lifetime was a Turkic custom which the Mughal followed religiously. Akbar's son Jahangir completed construction of this pyramidal tomb in 1613. The 99 names of Allah have been inscribed on the tomb.

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