February 2020: Bharatpur
Just before Covid-19 burst into public consciousness, blissfully unaware of the impending pandemic, Abhijit and I set out on an impromptu trip to Bharatpur. We took the 1:15 PM Jan Shatabdi Express from Nizamuddin, and were in Bharatpur by 3.45 PM.
We took an autorickshaw to first see the Lohagarh fort located in the heart of the city. Crossing a moat that completely encircles the sturdy fort wall, we entered from the North Gate also known as the ‘Ashtadhatu’, literally, ‘eight metals’, gate. We then saw the Government Museum and the many historical structures attached to it, namely, Kachahri Kalan, Kamara Khas and Hamam (Persian Bath), followed by the Kishori Mahal, which was undergoing renovation, and the Surajmal memorial in front of it.
As darkness fell, we reached the road running in front of the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, along which lie numerous hotels and resorts, and booked a hotel room for the night.
The next morning at 8 AM, we simply walked down to the Bird Sanctuary, rented out a couple of bicycles, and a pair of binoculars and hired the services of a guide. We spotted coots, herons, storks, egrets, snake birds, ibises, warblers, owls, sandpipers, jacanas, bulbuls, pheasants and many more – just wish I was a serious bird-watcher, sometimes.
By 12, we reached the end of the sanctuary, and turned back, eventually reaching the bus-stop at 2.30 PM. Catching a 3.30 bus to Delhi, we were back home by 8 PM. A month later, the lockdown commenced.
November 2021: Fatehpur Sikri and Deeg
One morning in November 2021, when we were still wearing masks due to Covid-19 but travel had resumed, Mother and I just decided to drive to Fatehpur Sikri. Starting at 9 AM, we took the KMP Expressway from Manesar, turning eastwards towards Palwal. At Palwal, we joined the Mathura Road highway, and were at Sikri by 11.30 AM.
On our Agra trip from a decade back, we had to forego seeing Fatehpur Sikri due to paucity of time, so it was good to finally see the fortified city, built by Akbar in a village that already existed. ASI excavations have revealed structures, including, housing, temples and commercial centres from long before Akbar made the city his capital, with archaeological evidence pointing towards settlement of the region since the Painted Grey Ware period.
At Fatehpur Sikri, we saw the Buland Darwaza, Jama Masjid and the Tomb of Salim Chisti in the Jama Masjid Enclosure. Then moving over to the Fatehpur Sikri fort area, we saw the Diwan-i-Aam (Public Audience Hall), Diwan-i-Khas (Private Audience Hall), Ibadat Khana (House of Worship), Panch Mahal, Anup Talao etc.
From Fatehpur Sikri, we drove to Deeg, reaching the Deeg Fort around 4 PM. From Deeg Fort, we proceeded to the Deeg Palace – also known as Jal Mahal, as it is surrounded by aesthetically manicured water bodies and gardens having 900 fountains – serving as the summer palace for rulers of Bharatpur. Deeg is 60 km from Fatehpur Sikri and 35 km north of Bharatpur.
After sundown, in the dark, hurtling over some bad roads, we reached Alwar, to stay the night over. The next morning we drove up the Aravalli to check out the Bala Qila (Alwar fort), but learned that it was closed for renovation. Coaxing the gatekeeper, we managed to just get to the courtyard and climb up a roof to get a panoramic view of the lush green Aravallis.
After lunch, we went for a drive to the Sariska area, but at 4.30 PM turned back for Gurgaon, and were back home by 8 PM.
Update [December 2023]
November 2023: Khatoo, Abhaneri and Bharatpur
I would again visit Bharatpur in November 2023, this time with my parents, and as part of a longer impromptu journey. We first planned to visit Sariska Tiger Sanctuary, but upon reaching the Sariska gate, we learnt the sanctuary was closed for the day. Having a quick lunch, we decided to go to Bhartruhari temple located in the Sariska forest area.
Once we had seen the temple, we made a split-second decision to proceed to Khatoo, 150 km away, via Kushalgarh and Narayanpur. At Kushalgarh, I got down to check out a tiny fort perched on a hillock – a fort I had always spotted while going to Sariska from Alwar, and back.
We reached Khatoo around 7 PM and managed to get a quick darshan of Khatoo Shyam ji. Having our dinner by 9.30 PM, we proceeded to Jaipur to stay the night over. The next morning, we drove to Abhaneri to see the Chand Baori stepwell, and then proceeded to Bayana, by when it was already 4.30 PM (read about my Bayana fort adventure here: Barely Bright and Bovine Encounters at Bayana Fort).
Starting from Bayana at 6 PM, we reached Bharatpur, an hour away, and checked-in to a hotel at 7.30 PM. The next day, we saw the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, and proceeded through Goverdhan to Vrindavan, where my parents wanted to spend a few days. I drove back to Gurgaon solo.
The Timber Trawler 