INTRODUCTION
 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.
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.
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, am ateurs 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.
HOW
TO REACH BHARATPUR
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.
OUTSIDE LINKS
Communication (post, phone, fax, telegraph) and
medical (hospitals, chemists) facilities are easily available at
Bharatpur. Recently Internet cafés have also come up.
EXCURSIONS
The city center is a mere 3 km from the park and
has its own fare share of oddities, bazaars and night markets that
are definitely worth a visit. Also worth visiting is the Laxmi Vilas
Palace that houses a museum. The city of Agra, which is just 55 km
from Bharatpur, has one of the most magnificent monuments ever
built. the romantic Taj Mahal, a veritable poem in stone built by
the Mughal emperor Shahjahan.
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. |
