Rajasthan Travel Destinations - Alwar
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.
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.
Climate
The climate of Alwar is quite dry. The summer season is very hot, but a little less than the other cities of Rajasthan. The average temperature in the summers ranges between 41° C (maximum) to 28° C (minimum), approximately. Alwar weather experiences a cold winter. The winter temperature falls in the range of 23° C (maximum) to 8° C (minimum), approximately. Regarding more information about the climatic conditions of Alwar, the city experiences a short monsoon. The average annual rainfall is approximately 57.77 cm, with the average humidity being 70%.
How to Reach Alwar
Alwar is situated in a cluster of small hills of the Aravali range. Alwar is most famous for the Sariska wildlife sanctuary. The Sariska wildlife sanctuary is home to tigers, birds and a variety of animals. The Alwar city has a rich cultural and historical heritage. The main tourist attractions of Alwar are the Bala Quila and the City Palace Complex or Vinay Vilas Mahal. Alwar is well connected to other popular tourist destinations in Rajasthan by air, rail and road.
By Air: Delhi 163 km. is the nearest airport.
By Rail: Good connection from prominient locations in and around the state. Some important trains connections are: Shatabdi express (New delhi-Alwar-Ajmer),
By Road: Alwar is linked by road to major cities of rajasthan and to Delhi.
