BIRD WATCHING Welcome to the Keoladeo Ghana National Park at Bharatpur in Rajasthan, the bird kingdom. A fantasy come true for bird watchers and nature lovers. Keoladeo Ghana National Park, one of the most spectacular bird sanctuaries in India, nesting indigenous water- birds as well as migratory water birds and waterside birds. The park is also inhabited by exotic wildlife, like Wild Boars, Spotted Dear, Swamp Dear and Indian Pythons. More than 400 species of birds are found in this small park of 28 sq. kms of which 11 sq. kms are marshes and the rest grassland. A third of them are migrants, many of whom spend their winters in Bharatpur, before returning to their breeding grounds, as far away as Siberia and Central Asia. Migratory birds at Keoladeo include, as large a bird as Dalmatian Pelican, which is slightly less than two meters, and as small a bird as Siberian Disky Leaf Warbler, which is the size of a finger. Keoladeo, the name derives from an ancient Hindu temple, devoted to Lord Shiva, which stands at the centre of the park. 'Ghana' means dense, referring to the thick forest, which used to cover the area. While many of India's parks have been developed from the hunting preserves of princely India States, Keoladeo Ghana is perhaps the only case where the habitat has been created by a Maharaja. In earlier times, Bharatpur town used to be flooded regularly every monsoon. In 1760, an earthern dam (Ajan Dam) was constructed, to protect the region, from this annual vagary of nature. The depression created by extraction of soil for the dam was cleared and this became the Keoladeo lake. At the beginning of this century, this lake was developed, and was divided into several portions. A system of small dams, sluice gates, etc., was created to control water level in different sections. This became the hunting preserve of the Bharatpur royalty, and one of the best Duck - Shooting wetlands in the world. Hunting was prohibited by mid-60s. The area was declared a national park on March 10th, 1982, and accepted as a World Heritage Site in December 1985. Monsoon is followed by the winters. This is season when the feathered guests arrive. From October to February, the park is full of migratory birds. The rare Siberian cranes used to be regular visitors to this place but their number has gone down drastically over the years. In addition to the magnetism of the Birds, the attraction are many at Keoladeo. Experience the unforgettable sight of the sunset over clear water of small lakes and the White Lilly covered lakes. more on this