Facts & Figures :
| Area |
: |
29 sq km |
| Languages |
: |
English,Hindi |
| Best Time to Visit |
: |
October to February |
About Bharatpur.... 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. This north Indian sanctuary is situated in the country. s
northwestern state of Rajasthan, about 190 km from the national capital of
Delhi. The name . Keoladeo. is derived from the name of an ancient Hindu
temple devoted to Lord Shiva in the sanctuary. s central zone while the
Hindi term 'Ghana' implies dense, thick areas of forest cover.
This
spectacular bird sanctuary is historical in its own way. The Maharaja of
Bharatpur is credited for its creation in 1890, though conservation was the
last thing on his mind. He got a large area enclosed with embankments and
further divided it with earthen dams called . bunds. creating a large number
of marshes and lakes. Thus, Bharatpur is mainly an artificial creation. The
government banned the indiscriminate shooting of birds in 1965. Conservation
efforts originally started by Dr. Salim Ali received a further impetus when
the area was deemed a national park in March 1982. In 1985,
Bharatpur
was accepted as a World Heritage Site.
Bharatpur hosts a
variety of bird species from across the globe. Close to 380 species of birds
are found in this 29 sq km stretch, approximately 10 sq km of which
comprises of marshes and bogs. Rest of the area comprises of scrublands,
grasslands and more than 44,000 trees that are used for nesting by birds
each year. This rather intriguing blend of marshes, woodland and flora found
here represents and, at the same time, substantiates the density and
diversity of the region. s forest cover.
Ornithologists
Delight Veteran ornithologist H. G. Alexander spent a full
day at the park compiling a list of over a hundred species of bird at
Bharatpur. This is an indication of the enjoyment that the sanctuary can
provide. Some 377 species have been spotted at Bharatpur Sanctuary, making
it one of the most inviting destinations in the world for ornithologists,
amateurs and nature lovers. Various species of indigenous water birds,
waterside birds, migratory water birds, land migratory birds, and domestic
land species are found here. There are approximately 56 different families
of birds, of which the Passeriformes (156 species) and Charadriformes (56
species) dominate. One-third of birds at Bharatpur are migrants, many of
whom spend their winters before returning to their breeding grounds in the
Arctic and Central Asia.
The bird most popular among
tourists and ornithologists is the Siberian crane. According to field
experts, this bird is known to travel distances of up to 6,500 km migrating
from the Ob River basin region (Aral mountains, Siberia). Conservationists
are working hard to protect the Siberian crane species as they are on the
verge of extinction. Apart from Feredunkenar in Iran, Bharatpur Sanctuary is
the only place where the Siberian crane migrates. The cranes arrive in
December and stay until early March. According to ornithologists, unlike its
Indian counterpart the Siberian crane feeds on Cypress Rotents grass (an
underground aquatic root). The intriguing fact is that Siberian cranes have
a mixed diet of vegetation, fish and other small creatures back home, but
they adopt a vegetarian diet during their stay in India.
Other guests at Bharatpur include huge birds like
Dalmatian pelicans, which are two meters in length, and minute ones like the
Siberian leaf warbler, which is merely the size of our index finger! Several
other species of cranes. corcomorants, egrets, darters, herons, storks,
geese, ducks, eagles, hawks, shanks, stints, wagtails, wheatears,
flycatchers, buntings, larks, spoonbills, kingfishers, owls and pipits. also
make Bharatpur their temporary abode.
Bharatpur heronry is
one of its kind and bustles with zealous activity. The production of chicks
during the breeding season is put at about 30,000. This avian kingdom also
hosts mammalian species like nilgai, sambhar, chital, black bucks, jungle
cat and the wild boar. The large rock python (which is spotted at Python
Point beyond Keoladeo temple) as well as its nemesis, the mongoose, are
found in appreciable numbers. However, spotting a duel between the two is
purely a matter of chance.
The mode of transport for
getting around the sanctuary is a bicycle. Cycle-rickshaws may also be
hired. Boats are available for hire from the ticket checkpoint. Boating is
an excellent idea for getting around the Keoladeo Lake and observing the
birds at close quarters.
Climate During
summers (April. June), the temperature ranges from 38°C to 45°C.
The onset of monsoon (July. August) lowers the temperature to about 27°C.
Winter (October. March) season peaks after Christmas with temperatures
falling below 10°C. Ground fog in the winter persists rather
erratically on unspecified periods in January.
Outside
World Communication (post, phone, fax, telegraph) and
medical (hospitals, chemists) facilities are easily available at Bharatpur.
Recently Internet cafés have also come up.
Getting
there Bharatpur is on the Agra. Jaipur highway, just a
two-hour journey by bus from Agra (55 km) and an hour from Fatehpur Sikri.
The nearest rail junction is Bharatpur, which is well connected to Delhi,
Bombay, Ahmedabad, Jaipur and many other parts of India. Private as well as
state transport buses link Bharatpur with other parts of Rajasthan.
Travel
Tips Light cotton clothing for summers and woolens for the
winters would be suitable. Vehicles are prohibited within park confines.
Bicycles may be hired for traveling in the park. Cycle-rickshaws that are
available for commuting have no fixed fares. Hence, it is advisable to fix
the fare with the rickshaw puller before using his services.
