Alwar - Roaring Beauty of the Jungle

Picturesque of Alwar !!!
Alwar is a small city, nestling in the western sands of India in the princely state of Rajasthan, lying 150 km from Jaipur and 170 km to the south of Delhi. Alwar is surrounded by the cluster of huge sand hills of the Aravalli Ranges. It has a magnificent anciently build fort, which has a mega structure, thus posses a rich culture in the soil of Alwar. Apart from its history, Alwar has rich natural heritage with its beautiful lakes and picturesque valley thickly wooded in the parts. The people of the state did not like any external interference and did not kneel before the foreign powers. In the 12th and 13th centuries, denizen of Alwar planned to raid Delhi, but were finally supressed by the Siltan Balban, thus the area was brought under the influence of Muslim rulers.

Alwar, had enjoyed a high prestige and served as one of the important Rajput State in the prehistory of India. The Alwar state may be said to have been formed as a separate, independent state, at the time when Maharajah Pratap Singh (founder of the city), first raised his standard over the Alwar Fort on November 25th in the year 1775. During his rule the then districts of Thanagazi, Alwar, Ajabgharh, Baldeogarh, Kankwari, Ramgarh, Rajgarh, Malakhera, and other areas around Behror and Bansur, were finally structured to form a separate State. This alluring city gained immense popularity in the 18th century, when Maharajah Pratap Singh won back Alwar and founded a principality of its own. He successfully drove back the rulers of Jaipur to the south and the Jats of Bharatpur to the east. This beautiful surrounded valley of Ajmer is blessed with fabulous palaces, museums, temples, forts, wildlife sanctuary, hotels, theaters and other major institutions.

Getting There
Airways : The nearest airport to Alwar is "Jaipur Airport" at a distance of 143 km. From where the tourist can take RSTC buses or even hire taxis to access Alwar.

Railways : Alwar is the biggest railway station in the district, situated on Delhi-Jaipur broad gauge section of Western Railway. It has about 158 km of railway track in the district. The Alwar district is well connected by rail to Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mathura and other major towns of Rajasthan like Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer.

Roadways : Alwar is well connected to the National Highway No.8 that link various cities of Rajasthan and India. Tourist can also take the route of State Highway, that runs from Bharatpur to Alwar. There are frequent bus services from the various destinations that connects Alwar within a span of few hours. Some of the important distances from Alwar are Jaipur by150 km, Delhi by 163 km, Ahmedabad by 768 km, Mumbai by 1319 km, Bharatpur - 94 km, Udaipur- 566 km.

City Attractions !!!
Bala Quila - Colossal Fort
This delightful city is adored with the dazzling view of erstwhile princely city Alwar. Its impressive beauties have no boundaries to express. Try the Bala Quila fort, built on the edge of Aravalii Ranges, about 1960 feet above the sea level, stands the majestic fort Bala Quila. The fort was originally constructed by Hasan Khan Mewati in the year 1550. It passed from the Mughals, to the Marathas, to the Jats, till it was finally captured by the Kachhwaha Rajputs. From the north of the fort to the south, its around 5 km long and 1.5 km wide. There are only six entrances to the fort which are, Chand Pol, Suraj Pal, Jai Pol, Kishan Pol, Andheri pol and Laxman Pol. According to legends, it is said that Maharajah Pratap Singh (founder of Alwar) used to enter the fort from the Laxman Pol.

Alwar City Palace & Museum
Another most prominent place to visit for tourist is City Palace & Museum in Alwar, lying just below the Bala Quila fort. It has an enormous gate and a tank linked by a beautifully symmetrical chain of ghats and pavilions. An 18th century palace harmoniously blending the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. Today, most of the complex is occupied by government offices, but there is also an interesting Government Museum. Exhibits include Mughal and Rajput painting dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, rare manuscripts in Persian, Arabic, Urdu and Sanskrit, stunning weapons and musical instruments.

Leisure Gardens
Beside this if you love meadows than do visit the Pur Jan Vihar also known as the Company Garden. Its a beautifully maintained garden with its green vegetation and colorful flowers, that add brilliant colors to the eyes of visitors and tourists. It was originally laid out during the reign of Maharajah Shiv Dan Singh in the year 1868. This alluring garden is situated at the top of the Alwar valley, that makes the temperature really cool out here, it was once used by the royal families as the summer palace. The lush green surroundings and the cool shades make it the idyllic visiting spot during summers.

Famous Gateways From Alwar !!!
The Sariska Tiger Reserve -107 km
The Sariska Tiger Reserve is an Indian National Park located in the Alwar District of the state of Rajasthan. It is located 107 km north east of Jaipur and 200 km from Delhi. The park occupy huge area of 866 km and was originally build as the hunting preserve of the erstwhile Alwar state, the area was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955. It is a famous place for wildlife sanctuary, the Sariska Tiger Reserve include the tiger, leopard, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, chital, sambar, gaur, langur, wild boar and several species of birds. The tourists are allowed to spot the wildlife, it is possible to take private cars and jeeps inside the parks. Another attraction near Alwar include Siliserh, nearly falls 20 km in the south west of Alwar on the same road to Sariska Tiger Reserve. Here one can see restored palace, which is now converted into a luxury hotel, constructed in a dramatic location overlooking the a tranquil lake. It was originally build by the Maharajah of Alwar Vinay Singh.

Jaisamand Lake - 6 km
Another prime source of attraction for tourist in Alwar is Jaisamand Lake, lying 6 km far from Alwar. Its a beautiful artificial lake constructed by Maharajah Jai Singh in the the year 1910 A.D. It is one of the prime attraction for tourists to plan outings and picnics. As soon as the monsoon arrives, this whole beautiful arena becomes a home of greenery all around. One can access Jaisamand Lake by broad roads from Alwar.

Neemrana - 75 km
Another enthralling attraction is the Neemrana, renowned for its colorful village life and magnificent fortress palace, build in the year 1464. This delightful small village is located nearly 75 km in the north of Alwar on the main Delhi-Jaipur highway. It was the place from where the great Rajput warrior Prithviraj Chauhan III resigned. However this Neemrana Fort is now converted into a Luxury Hotel.