The lovely calm city of Alwar lies just about 127kms from Gurgaon. Formerly the capital of the princely state of Alwar, Alwar district is now a part of Rajasthan. British pronounced the name as Ulwar but it was again renamed to Alwar later on!
Camels on the way
Alwar is renowned for the olive plantations. The beautiful place is scantily populated. The roads and alleys are not very crowded as compared to the rest of India. The place gives a distinct sense tranquility!
Typical village life
We selected Alwar as the place for our New Year celebrations! And there we hit the trail! We started at our own ease on the 31st and reached there by 12.30pm. We would have reached early hadn't our gps gone demented! Anyways, we were happy to be there. We had our lunch and got some power nap. And there we were, ready for the commemoration! In one word, Stunning!
Going back to Alwar, its as amazing as our start to 2016! But let me not write a long script here. And, just point out 10 places of interest.
1. Bhangarh Fort - The Bhangarh Fort is located around 87 kms from the main town of Alwar. Believed to be haunted, entry into the Bhangarh fort is restricted after sunset. Although in the ruins, the Bhangarh fort is still a major attraction in Alwar.
2. Sariska Tiger Reserve - Sariska Tiger reserve is a national park and wildlife refuge in Sariska. It is a part of the Aravalli Range. And hence supports scrub-thorn arid forests, rocky hills, very dry jungles and long shriveled grasses. Apart from the main attraction here of the Royal Bengal Tigers, we could also find leopard, hanuman langur, rhesus monkeys, Chinkara, Four horned-antelopes, Striped hyenas, Jungle cats, Golden jackle and caracal.
3. Alwar Fort - Alwar Fort or the Bala Quila is situated in the Aravalli too. Built by Hasan Khan Mewati in 1550 C.E. Later on it was overpowered by the Mughals, Marathas, Jats and Kachwaha Rajputs. The remants of the fort still reminds of the princely nature of this place.
4. Dehmi - The holy village of Dehmi has the Shri Mata Mansa Devi Mandir. It is dedicated to Shakti. Navratri fair is hold every year in full gaity here.
5. Tijara Jain Temple - Tijara Jain Temple is dedicated to Chandraprabhu, the eighth tirthankara of the present cosmic age. Located around 55 kms from the main town of Alwar, is also knows as Atishaya Kshetra which means Miracles happen. The temple was established in 1956.
6. Pandupole - Located near Sariska national Park, Pandupole has historical connections associated with it. It is believed that Bhima, one of the Pandavas, defeated the demon Hidimbb and hence married his sister, Hidimba. Its a beautiful place with springs flowing out of the hillocks. One can also have the privilege of enjoying the views of waterfalls, peacocks roaming about, langurs hovering about, and obviously the jungles.
7. Siliserh Lake - This artificial lake was built by Maharaja Vinay Singh in the year 1845. This lake is located just 13 kms from the Alwar town. It also has a reservoir which channels water into the Alwar city. The boundering Aravali hills provides a picturesque view.
8. Fairy Queen - The oldest working rail engine in the world, Fairy Queen is national treasure The engine was built in 1855 and acquired by the Eastern Indian Railways from a British firm. The train is still used for tourism purposes which runs between Delhi and Alwar!
9. Itarana - Itarana is a military cantonment. It lies in the outskirts of the small town of Alwar. For all the sweet lovers, you just cannot give Itarana a miss. Milkcakes made here are nowhere else to be found!
10. Moosi Maharani Ki Chhatri - Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri is a beautiful red sandstone and white marble cenotaph of the rulers of Alwar. The dome-shaped pavilions which are widely used in the Indian architecture are ideally known as Chhatris. These are commonly used to depict the elements of pride and honor in the Jat, Maratha and Rajput architecture.
Apart from getting a glimpse of the listed places, a visit to Alwar is peaceful tour. And if you are lucky you would see lots of peacocks. We were really fortunate to see 18 of them!! :) Above all, loved the gentleness of the people there and the calmness in the town!
Comments
Post a Comment