Alwar THE GATEWAY OF
RAJASTHAN
ABOUT-
Alwar city is
an administrative headquarters of Alwar District in Rajasthan State. It is
also a part of National Capital Region (NCR) and is located around
170 km south of Delhi and almost 165 km north of Jaipur (the capital of
Rajasthan State).
Alwar was formerly the capital of the princely
state of Alwar (old name is Ulwar). The princely state of Alwar
was founded by Pratap Singh, a Rajput of
the Kachwaha lineage, in 1770. Apart from its long history, the city
has a rich natural heritage with some beautiful lakes and picturesque valley
thickly wooded in parts. Some of the finest variety of birds and animals are
spotted here. Alwar has one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in Rajasthan,
that is Sariska, which is an excellent tiger park.
Vinay Vilas Mahal (the palace
complex)
The City Palace was built in 1793 A.D. by Raja Bakhtawar
Singh. It represents a intermingling of Rajput and Mughal stvles. It has
graceful marble pavilions set on lotus flower bases in the central
courtyard
Once this palace was part of the Maharajas ornate lifestyle
and housed, among other things, a drinking cup cut out of a single emerald in
its treasury and a mammoth, double storied four-elephant carriage in its
stables. Today however the palaces has been converted into the district's
collectorate, and its hall and chambers have a been turned into government
offices.
Bala Qila
The Bala Qila (young fort) is a towering spellbinding fort
that stands atop a hill. Amazing fortifications surround the Nikumbha Mahal
Palace at the top, which has graceful Bengal caned marble columns and delicate
latticed balconies. The fort is 595 mts. above the city, and extends about 5
Kms from north and south and 1.6 Kms from east and west. The fort has 15 large
and 51 small towers, which contains 446 loopholes for the musketry; its eight
towers all around are meant for its defence . The most magnificent were
3,599 kanguras, each containing two loopholes for musketry. The fort can be
entered through six gates, namely Jai Pol, Suraj Pol, Laxman Pol, Chand Pol,
Krishan Pol and Andherl Gate.
Purjan Vihar (Company
Garden)
The
beautiful garden was laid out during the reign of Maharaja Sheodan Singh. Built
in1868, the most picturesque place locally known as Shimla (the Summer House),
was added to the lush greenery of this garden which does not give the blazing
sun a chance to peep through. The garden was originally named Company Garden;
later Maharaja Jai Singh changed it to Purjan Vihar.
The Museum
The
palace Museum has a wonderful collection of exhibits of the personal wealth of
the Maharajas of Alwar and some rare manuscripts including an illustrated
Mahabharata on a 200 foot long scroll, Other prized pieces here are illustrated
manuscripts of Gulistan, Shahnama,
and on material Emperor Babur’s life. There are also some fine Ragamala
paintings and miniatures from the Alwar, Bundi and Mughal School. It has an
armory section, which has some historic swords belonging to the likes of Sultan
Muhammad Ghori, Emperor Akbar and Aurangzeb.
Sagar
Sagar lake was constructed in 1815 AD.
Formerly used as a holy bathing ghat, Sagar Lake has been able to withstand the
beatings of time. Over centuries, people have been following the sacred
tradition of feeding the pigeons. It is this lovely pond that separates the
City Palace from the surrounding pebbly hills. The local belief is that water
in the pond is bestowed with some therapeutic tendencies.
Vijay Mandir Palace
It
is the royal residence of Maharaja Jai Singh built in 1918. The largely
uninhabited palace is a window on the lifestyle of the royals. Migratory birds
and waterfalls can be observed in the small lake, beside the palace. Vijay
Mandir, a sprawling palace with 105 rooms and a beautifully laid out garden
lies 6 miles outside Alwar. Reflected picturesquely in the waters of Vijay
Sagar Lake, it is said to have been designed along the lines of a ship, like
all other ventures of its builder, the dazzling Maharaja Jai Singh.
The tomb of Fateh Jung
It was named after
Fateh Jung, the important official working in the court of Shah Jahan. The tomb
is an honor to him for his noble deeds. This
spectacular tomb has a massive dome, which is a fine blend of Hindu and Islamic
architectural styles. Fateh Jung was a minister of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
and related to the Khanzada rulers of Alwar.
Siliserh Lake
The water palace of Siliserh with a lake surrounded by low wooded hills is
route to Sariska. It lies12 Kms. southwest of Alwar. The tranquil lake is nestled
in the hills; the sparkling ripples of the lake cover an area of about
10.5 sq. Kms, surrounded by thick forest and magnificent cenotaphs on its
embankment. A royal hunting lodge /palace was built by Maharaja Vinay Singh for
his Queen Shila in 1845. It has been converted into a tourist bungalow and is
an attractive spot for a peaceful holiday.
Neelkanth
A
few miles west of Rajgarh town is the Neelkanth temple in the hills above Tehla
village. Archaeologically it is one of the most interesting places. Once
located on the plateau of the hills, this was a town adorned with temples and
statues. Its old name is Rajorgarh.
Bhangarh
It is 50 Kms.
away from Sariska sanctuary lays the splendid mined town of Bhangarh built in
17th century by Raja Madho Singh brother of Raja Man Singh of Amber. It has
medieval bazaars and the old palace. Someshwar and Gopinath Temples have some
fine carvings. According to legend, the town was cursed by an evil magician and
was abandoned. The evil effect of the curse is believed to be working
even now.
Sariska
This park is situated
only 200 km from Delhi and 107 kms from Jaipur. Although larger than
Ranthambhor, it is less commercialised and has less tigers but a similar
topography. It covers an area of 800 sq km in total, with a core area of
approximately 500 sq km. The Northern Aravali Hills dominate the skyline with
their mixture of sharp cliffs and long narrow valleys. The area was declared a
sanctuary in 1955 and became a National Park in 1979.
The landscape of Sariska comprises of hills and narrow valleys of the Aravali
hill range. The topography of Sariska supports scrub-thorn arid forests, dry
deciduous forests, rocks and grasses. The broad range of wildlife here is a
wonderful example of ecological adoption and tolerance, for the climate here is
variable as well as erratic.
