Off The Beaten Path

Though bitten off the well-trodden tourist trails to Rajasthan, Alwar still makes a good getaway from Delhi. Stuck half way between the capital and Jaipur, it's played a cameo role in the affairs of this region. The Pandavas, according to legend spent their 13th year of exile here- but in Mughal times it was used as a base for launching attacks on the fort of Ranthambhor. It was an excellent stopover for the emperors as well when they were traipsing between Agra and Ajmer- so you're following some real historical trails here.

BET YOU DON'T KNOW

Alwar once an important rajput state emerged in the 18th century under Pratap Singh

HOW TO REACH

Air : Delhi 163 km. is the nearest airport

Rail : Good connection from prominient locations in and around the state. Some important trains
connections are: Shatabdi express (New delhi-Alwar-Ajmer),

Superfast Express (Newdelhi-Alwar-Ajmer), Intercity Express(Jodhpur-Jaipur-Alwar-Delhi) Marudhar Express(Jodhpur-Alwer-Varanasi), Mandore Express(Jodhpur-Alwar-Delhi) Road : Alwar is linked by road to major cities of rajasthan and to Delhi.

GETTING AROUND
Cycle rickshaws,auto rcksgawstempos and tongas

WHERE TO SHACK UP
Alwar has a few decent hotels as well as the stately Lake Palace:
Meenal,
near Circuit House, tel # 0144-22852:
Two air conditioned double rooms are available for Rs 600 per night. Four air-cooled (by cooler) double rooms are available for Rs 400 per night. The hotel has an inhouse restaurant.
Aravali,
near the station. Air-cooled (by cooler) rooms are available. Basic amenities only. Lake Palace,
Rajasthan Tourism, Siliserh, tel # 0144-86322, 86331. Just 10 rooms. Simple but elegant hotel on the lake, 14 km from Alwar town. Rs 800 for an AC double room. Rs 600 for air cooled (by cooler) double rooms.

WHERE TO EAST AND DRINK

At the Hotels

THINGS TO DO
A driving tour to Alwar is perfect for following the fortunes of this tiny Rajput bastion. The Alwar Fort looks down the city from its height of on the hilltop. There are six entrances to the fort, which was successively captured by the Mughals, the Marathas, the Jats and then the Kachhwaha Rajputs

. The City Palace- it's a pity that many of these old forts and important buildings of historical worth are inhabited by some form of a government office- its kills the soul of the building. The City Palace of Alwar also contains a museum and is stocked with old paintings, archaeological finds, weaponry and ancient books in Sanskrit and Persian. Maharaja Vinay Singh who built this palace in the 18th century was a great patron of the arts and patronised artisans and painters of great skill. Behind the palace is a delightful tank surrounded by 12 chattris.

Jai Samand Lake. Completed in 1920, after Maharaja Jai Singh commissioned it, this pretty lake is surrounded by lush gardens and lawns and was a popular hang out joint for parties. The Vijay Mandir Palace, just 10km from Alwar, was also the vision of Maharaja Jai Singh.

You can drive up to the lovely Siliserh Lake (13km) and Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary (40km) from Alwar. Makes for a nice circuit.

WHERE TO SHOP
Main market but few variety.

GENERAL INFO:STD CODE 0144
Area 44.76 sq. km.
Climate Mean Max. Mean Min.
Summer 37.0 degree C 24.0 degree C
Winter 31.0 degree C 11.0 degree C
Rainfall 62 cms.
Best Season September-February
Clothing Summer Light Tropical
Winter Light wollen
Languages Rajasthani, Hindi, English

Introduction

Roughly 140km northeast from Jaipur towards Delhi, ALWAR rests peacefully in a valley, overlooked by a fortress that stretches along a high craggy ridge to the northwest. Alwar was not always so calm; its strategic position on the Rajput border resulted in incessant warfare between the Jats of Bharatpur and the Kuchwahas of Amber, from the tenth to seventeenth centuries. It later fell to the Marathas and then the British, before Pratap Singh, the shrewd Rana of Mewar, brought it under Hindu control. The fort, now a radio station, can only be visited with police permission; the buildings within are in any case unspectacular, though the views make the climb worthwhile.

Construction of Alwar's Indo-Islamic Vinay Vilas Palace began under Bhaktawar Singh, Pratap Singh's successor. Although time has worn away much of its glory, it remains flamboyant, with domed roofs, lavish verandahs decorated in gold leaf, and delicate balconies facing a huge tank flanked by symmetrical ghats and pavilions. The stately sandstone and marble Moosi Maharani Chhatri here was built in memory of Bhaktawar Singh's mistress, who sacrificed her life on his funeral pyre. A museum on the top floor of the palace (daily except Fri 10am-5pm; Rs1) houses a collection of courtly memorabilia, including remarkable Arabic and Sanskrit manuscripts, tenth-century statues, ivory ornaments, fine embroidery and the inevitable weapons and stuffed animals.

Much of the palace is now taken up with government offices; in the main courtyard, used as the venue for the local courts, typists, lawyers and advisors huddle round rickety tables under banyan trees, drinking tea and filing through endless piles of paper

Practicalities

The bus stand in the west of Alwar sees services to and from Deeg and Bharatpur (every 15min), and Sariska (every 30min or so). Frequent buses also run north to Delhi and south to Jaipur (both 2-3hr). Several food stalls at the bus stand sell drinks and fiery curries, and there's a bike rental shop near the exit. The railway station, receiving trains from Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Deeg and Ajmer, is a few kilometres away on the east side of town, and has retiring rooms.

The tourist office on Raghu Marg opposite Company Bagh (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; 0144/21868) has dusty piles of aged leaflets about Rajasthan, and information on Alwar's hotels. Near the bus stand on Manu Marg, the best for your money is Ashoka Hotel (0144/21780; up to Rs100-500), which has basic rooms with or without bath, and better rooms upstairs. Within spitting distance are the noisy, dull but large Imperial (0144/21430; Rs100-150), and the Alankar (0144/20027; Rs150-225), with acceptable spacious rooms. Two hundred metres from the station, the much smarter Aravali Hotel (0144/332883; Rs150-1200) offers dorm beds, basic rooms and more expensive doubles. Its bar and good restaurant are useful, as Alwar has little else to offer a hungry traveller.

Around 20km west - either by rickshaw, or on a Sariska-bound bus which can drop you off at a turning 3km short - the RTDC Lake Palace Hotel in Siliserh (0144/22991; Rs350-750, dorm up to Rs100), is housed in a former palace beside a lake. It's very relaxing, with a restaurant, bar and boating facilities

Alwar

At Siliserh, just 14 km from Alwar, along the lake front, is a beautiful palace built by Maharaja Vinay Singh, in the 19th century, for his queen. The mahal has been converted into a hotel and is run by Rajasthan's state tourism department. A weekend in this palace is reason enough to visit Alwar.

This town is located in a forested valley, not very far from the border between New Delhi and Rajasthan, in the Aravalli hills. And on the border of Rajputana, positioning it at the crossroads of history.

Alwar has had a tumultous past and the keepers of the keys of the kingdom have warded off enemies as varied as Jats, Mughals, the British, the Marathas and fellow Rajputs.

Alwar's huge Bal Quila fort -- where Babar and Jehangir have each spent a night or two -- is strategically situated on a cliff overlooking the town. Its statistics: 65 towers, 446 musketry openings and eight towers encircling it. Today, it is a radio station.

The Vinay Vilas Palace is situated in the heart of the walled town, which can be entered by five gates. As palaces go it is a sumptuous one, sporting umpteen curly-cued embellishments. The attached museum (closed on Friday), with its hundreds of royal artefacts, including some very valuable manuscripts, rare Rajput art and weapons, gives some insight into court life. Be warned: much of the palace has been taken over by government offices who have populated it with their files, typewriters and army of clerks.

Next door, set in gardens of peacocks, is Bakhtawar Singh's sandstone and marble cenotaph. Some say it is a cenotaph to Singh's devoted mistress, who committed sati. Don't miss the ceremonious elephant carriage nearby.

Alwar has another palace -- Yeshwant Niwas -- which was created by Jai Singh in an odd unidentifiable style. And on a whim -- that only royalty are permitted to have -- Singh decided the mahal was inhabitable and unappealing and built a 100-room alternative, Vijay Mandir, a few kilometres away, where his descendents still live.

One of the advantages of holidaying in Alwar is the proximity of the Sariska Tiger Reserve (37 km away). Open all year round (this year it was closed for one month for tiger census but will reopen on June 6), the park was once the Alwar royal hunting grounds.

Sariska has a wealth of wildlife, though tigers can be rarely spotted. You may wander the 480 sq km on jeep safaris to view the nilgai, jackals, hyenas, porcupines, deer, boar, antelopes, langurs and a variety of birds.

Within the park are several interesting monuments like the Kankwari fort, the Neelkanth complex of temples, the Sariska hotel which was once a hunting lodge and a temple dedicated to monkeys.

Another interesting side trip from Alwar is to Deeg, a tiny, little visited hamlet that has some fascinating 18th century palaces. Deeg is two hours away from Alwar by train.

The best time to visit Alwar is in winter from November to early March. But the monsoon, from late June to September, is as good a time. It will afford a different view of the town.

Both Jet Airways and Indian Airlines fly into Jaipur daily from New Delhi and Bombay.
Indian Airlines CD 7491 departs from New Delhi daily at 1040 hours and arrives in Jaipur at 1140 hours.
The economy class one-way fare between New Delhi and Jaipur is Rs 1,170.
Indian Airlines CD 7492 departs from Bombay daily at 1710 hours and arrives in Jaipur at 2035 hours. The economy class one-way fare between Bombay and Jaipur is Rs 4,580. The business class one-way fare between Bombay and Jaipur is Rs 6,810.

Jet Airways 9W373 departs from Bombay daily at 0630 hours and arrives in Jaipur at 0805 hours. The economy class one-way fare between Bombay and Jaipur is Rs 4,600. The business class one-way fare between Bombay and Jaipur is Rs 7,060..

Jet Airways 9W371 departs from Bombay daily at 1715 hours and arrives in Jaipur at 1815 hours. The economy class one-way fare between Bombay and Jaipur is Rs 4,600. The business class one-way fare between Bombay and Jaipur is Rs 7,060..

Jet Airways 9W721 departs from New Delhi daily at 1630 hours and arrives in Jaipur at 1710 hours. The economy class one-way fare between New Delhi and Jaipur is Rs 1,770. The business class one-way fare between New Delhi and Jaipur is Rs 2,675..

The Shatabdi pulls into Alwar daily from New Delhi, except Thursdays. It is a 2 1/2 hour ride. Several other trains link Alwar with Delhi daily..

From Bombay it is possible to reach Alwar via Jaipur. Bombay-Ahmedabad Janata Express goes up to Jaipur. 9707 Dn will leave Bombay Central daily at 1935 hours and reach Jaipur the next day at 1930 hours.
A one way ticket by second AC would be approximately Rs 1,615. A one way ticket by third AC would be approximately Rs 1,004.
A one way ticket by second class would be approximately Rs 340.

Alwar is 150 Km from Jaipur and 170 Km. From Delhi. It is nested between a cluster of small hills of the Aravalli range. Perched on the most prominent of these hills is a massive ancient fort that whispers tales of the rich Delhi. The people of the state did not accept any external interference's and daringly resisted against foreign invasions.In the 12th and 13th centuries they formed a group and raided Delhi. But finally Sultan Bulban (1267 A.D - 1287 A.D) suppressed them, bringing the area under the Muslims rule. In 1771 A.D. Maharaja Pratap Singh, a Kuchhwaha Rajput belonging to the clan of Jaipur's rulers, won back Alwar and founded a principality of his own. Apart from its long history, the city has a rich natural heritage with some beautiful lakes and picturesque valleys thickly wooded in parts.

Some of the finest variety of birds and animals are spotted here. Alwar has one of the finest wild life sanctuaries in Rajasthan-Sarika, which is an excellent tiger country

Places to Visit The Bala Fort : This huge fort with its ramparts stretching 5 km from north to south and 1.6 km from east to west, stands 304 metres above the city and 595 metres above the sea level. Constructed before the rise of the Mughal empire. Babar had spent a night at this fort and took away the hidden treasures to gift to his son, Humayun. Akbar's son , Jahangir had also stayed here for some time during his exile. The place where he stayed is called Salim mahal. The fort was finally annexed by maharaja Pratap singh in 1775 A.D. It is a forbidding structure with 15 large and 51 small towers and 446 openings for musketry,along with 8 huge towers encompassing it. The fort has several gates-jai pole, Suraj pole, Laxman Pole, Chand Pole, Kishan Pole and Andheri Gate. Also there are remains of Jal Mahal, Nikumbh Mahal, Salim Sagar, Suraj Kund and many temples

City Palace or Vinay Vilas Mahal : An 18th century palace harmoniously blending the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture. While the ground floors have been converted into government offices and district courts , the upper apartment is presently a museum.

Government Museum : The museum has the finest collection of Mughal and Rajput painting dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries and some rare ancient manuscripts in Persian, Arabic, Urdu and Sanskrit. 'Gulistan' (the garden of roses), Waqiat-I-Babri ' (autobiography of Mughal emperor Babar) and Bostan (the garden of spring) are some of the notable ones amongst the collection. It also has the copy of the great epic 'Mahabharata' painted by the artists of the Alwar school. A rich collection of the Indian armoury are among other exhibits of the museum

Sagar : Behind the City Palace is an artificial lake built in 1815 A.D. by Maharaja Vinay Singh with few temples along its banks. A marvellous chhatri with unusual Bengali roof and arches, also known as the Moosi Maharani ki chhatri, is situated in this are Purjan

Vihar (Company Garden) : A picturesque garden,laid out during the reign of Maharaja Shiv Dan Singh in 1868 A.D. The garden has an enchanting settign called 'Shimla' which was built by Maharaja Mangal Singh in 1885 A.D. The lush surrounding and the cool shades make it the idyllic visiting spot during summers.

Excursions

Sariska (37 km)
The 765.80 sq. km. Thickly wooded reserve cradled in the picturesque valley of the Aravalis. Established in 1955, it is an excellent tiger sancturary under the Project Tiger. The dry decidous forests of the Reserve are noted for their population of tiger,nilgai,sambhar, cheetal, four horned antelope and wild boar.

Vijay Mandir Palace(10 km)
A splendid palace, built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1918 A. D. picturesque lake overlooking the palace makes it a fascinating sight. A fabulous Sita Ram Temple in the palace attracts number of devotees, especially during Ramnavami. One needs prior permission from the Secretary to visit the palace

Sariska Palace
A marvellous palace was built here by Maharaja Jai Singh in the honour of the Duke of Edinburgh during his visit to the sancturary.Presently, it has been converted into a hotel- Sariska Palace. RTDC Hotel Tiger Den also offers excellent accommodation at Sariska.The best time to drive in the sanctuary is from till sunset

Jai Samand Lake(6 km): A beautiful artificial lake constructed by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1910 A.D. is a popular spot for outing and picnics. During monsoons,sprawling greenery all around makes it a visual treat. Easily accessible by road from Alwar

Access

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