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From Udaipur, the Palace on Wheels arrives in Bharatpur, the erstwhile capital of Maharaja Suraj Mal. Bharatpur is home to the world famous ornithologists' paradise - the Keoladeo Ghana National Park, also known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. Sandwiched between the historical cities of Agra and Jaipur, this 29 sq km park, approximately 10 sq km of which comprises of marshes and bogs, is one of the world's greatest heronries and historical in its own way.
The Maharaja of Bharatpur is credited for creating the national park in 1890, though conservation was the last thing on his mind. 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, Keoladeo Ghana in Bharatpur was accepted as a World Heritage Site.
Keoladeo Ghana or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary hosts a variety of bird species from across the globe. Close to 380 species of birds are found. Its shallow, fresh water marsh attracts thousands of migratory birds. Over 10,000 nests of egrets, darters, cormorants, grey herons and storks hatch nearly 20,000 to 30,000 chicks every year. There is an infinite variety of migratory birds, making it one of the most inviting destinations in the world for ornithologists, amateurs and nature lovers. Mammals like the sambhar, blackbuck, chital, nilgai, fishing cat, otter and mongoose also roam freely here.
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, Keoladeo Ghana 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 Keoladeo Ghana 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 Keoladeo Ghana 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.
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 while on holidays in Keoladeo Ghana National Park or Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan.
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