Barmer

Vibrant colors, cordial warmth and a rich tradition - if that sums up Rajasthan, you would find a miniature of Rajasthan in Barmer. Located close to the land where the Great Indian Desert starts, the sandy terrain of Barmer is a small town, but a lively one. 

Barmer has its share of rugged forts, huge palaces and of course temples. See the camels trudging across the barren land, the artisans busy in crafting out potteries, saris, woodcarvings. 

While on a travel to Barmer the one thing that you notice is the mud-walled houses decorated with delicate folk motifs and the colorfully attired people. Being a barren wasteland, the people of Barmer have learnt the hard way that they need to develop exceptional skills in order to survive. So it is but natural that they channelised their creative skills into intricate weaving and pottery. 

Barmer is now known for its rich crafts, dances and music. Barmer is a tiny yet lively town in Rajasthan, which reflects the typical color, warmth and tradition of Rajasthan. 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.Bharatpur Tourism

Bharatpur travel is one of the high points of the Rajasthan tourist circuit. The place is regarded as a gateway to the western Indian state of Rajasthan. The principal attraction of traveling to Bharatpur is undoubtedly the Keoladeo National Park. The National Park is a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. The geographical location of Bharatpur is 27.22° North latitude and 77.48° East longitude.

Maharaja Suraj Mal founded Bharatpur in 1733 AD as a fortified city. Bharatpur was carved out of the region formerly known as Mewat. According to a popular legend, the city got its name from the name Bharat, who was the brother of Lord Rama. Bharat is also known as Laxman in the Indian epic. Laxman was worshiped by the Bharatpur rulers as the family deity. This is evident from the fact that Laxman's name is engraved on the former Princely state's arms and seals. 

The visitor on a travel to Bharatpur is presented with a surfeit of transportation options. The Rajasthan city is well linked by the Indian railway network. Bharatpur is an intermediate station in the Delhi to Mumbai line. The nearest airport is located at Agra, which is 50 kilometers distant from Bharatpur. There are regular and scheduled public bus services from all major West Indian cities. The Rajasthan capital city of Jaipur is 117 kilometers away from Bharatpur. Winter is considered to be the best time to visit the place. 

The principal attraction of Bharatpur is Keoladeo Ghana National Park. The former name of the park was Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. The Keoladeo National Park was initially a Royal hunting ground. The 29 square kilometers area of the park formed a favorite bird hunting place during the British Raj. In 1956, it was declared as a reserve for birds and later was upgraded to a national park. The Keoladeo Ghana National Park not only attracts birds from all over India but also from international places like Europe, China, Siberia and Tibet. 

The Keoladeo Ghana National Park or-as many people prefer to call it-the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary lies between two of India's most historic cities, Agra and Jaipur.It is easy to reach Bharatpur by air, rail or road.

By Air

The nearest airport is Agra, which is about 54 kms from Bharatpur. Agra has daily flights for Delhi, Bombay, Varanasi (via Khajuraho) and Lucknow. 

By Train

Bharatpur is on the main Delhi - Bombay line with regular connections to Mathura, Sawai Madhopur and Kota on the same route. It is also connected with Agra. 

By Road

Bharatpur is well connected by road with Agra, Mathura, Delhi and Jaipur. Regular bus services operate for all major cities. The road distance to important places from Bharatpur are: Agra 55 kms Fatehpur Sikri 22kms Mathura 39kms Delhi 184 kms Jaipur 176 kms Alwar 117 kms.