Once a royal principality, Bharatpur is best known today for the spectacular bird sanctuary in its neighbourhood.

The 19^th Century wildfowl hunting preserve of the Maharajas of Bharatpur is now one of the finest water - bird sanctuaries in the world. Created out of arid scrubland by building small dams any dykes, the 29 sq. km lake and surrounding wetland today support over 350 species of birds.

Raised pathways camouflaged by trees and undergrowth make viewing easy. A boat ride in the early misty hours of the morning can be magical. The cacaphony is unbelievable as spoonbills, egrets, painted storks, white ibis and a variety of others tend to their young in the mixed heronries on the half submerged babul trees. Jacanas with their iridescent colours and the spectacular purple moorhen can be seen delicately treading over the floating vegetation. Migratory species including the occasional Siberian Crane arrive to swell the numbers in the winter months.

In the marginal forests around the lake are species of deer - sambhar, nilgai, chital and also the lesser predators like the fishing car as also jackal, hyena, mongoose and porcupine. Pythons are often seen sunning themselves at the water's edge or at Python Point.