ALWAR

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.