Alwar - Rajasthan

Tourism

Sariska Tiger Reserve

Sariska Tiger Reserve was created in 1978. The present area of the Reserve is 866 sq. km. In the pre-independence era the forests within the Reserve were a part of the erstwhile Alwar State and maintained as hunting preserve for the royalty. After independence, the wildlife parks come under Project Tiger Reserve. The tiger reserve is a home to some of the best known wildlife sanctuaries. Under the Project Tiger, Sarika is a great tiger sanctuary The dry areas in this city are reserved for tigers, sambhars, neelgai, cheetal and wild boars. Sariska National Park coveres 90% area with bushy scrub trees. This National Park includes many types of animals like leopard, wild bear, nilgai, chita, sambhar, antelope, rhesus macaque, hyena, langur, jungle cats etc. The tiger sadly remains elusive for the moment. On the corner of the park, Siliserh Lake has many crocodiles. Like many of India’s other wildlife reserves, Sariska too has its own set of issues relating to poaching, pollution and conservation. Despite these problems, however, Sariska has endured. Local forest protection societies have been set up in neighboring villages, and efforts by regional NGOs have helped generate a certain level of interest among the decision-makers as well as the local villagers.

The Fort

This fort is located 5km from north, from east to west at a distance of 1.6km and situated 595 m above the level of sea. Babbar and Jahangir, the great mughal kings had also lived here during their tenure. The new extension completed by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1775. It has a magnificent structure with 74 towers, 446 openings, 8 large gates and many poles like Jai, Suraj, Laxman, Chand, Andheri and Kishan pole. It also includes several mahals such as Jal mahal, Salim Mahal and Nikumbh Mahal or temples.

Unfortunately, As the fort now houses a radio transmitter station, special permission from the superintendent of police is required to see the Fort from inside.

City Palace or Vinay Vilas Mahal

City Palace or Vinay Vilas Mahal is the palace complex which is situated below the fort. City Palace having a style of Mughal and Rajput artchitecture established in 18th century. Now it finds a new look with its ground floor is used for government offices and upper rooms as a museum. To gain the access to the tank and the cenotaph of Maharaja Bakhtawar Singh, take the steps on the far left when facing the palace. The major attractions of the City Palace include an artificial lake built by Maharaja Vinay Singh in 1815. On the bank of lake there are number of temples. This palace includes splendid chhatri, have a Bengali roof and arches. It is also called Moosi Maharani ki chhatri. The company garden is located within this chattri is also called as Purjan Vihar. The garden was established by Maharaja Shiv Dan Singh in 1868. This garden is an idealistic picnic attraction, in summers it gives lush greenery along with the cool shades of trees. The museum houses some ancient of Mughal and Rajput painting of 18th and 19th centuries and rare and wonderful Persian, Arabic and Urdu and Sanskrit manuscripts. Amongst these manuscripts, the most prominent ones enclosed Bostan, Waqiat-e-Babri and Gulistan. Other attractions of the museum contains list of Indian armory weapons and a copy of Mahabharata, painted by the Alwar School's artist.

Purjan Vihar (Company Garden)

Purjan Vihar is also one of the major attractions of tours to Alwar, Rajasthan, India. The picturesque garden built by Maharaja Shiv Dan Singh in 1868. This garden has amazing spots, one of them is Shimla which is established by Maharaja Mangal Singh in 1885. it is surrounded by green and lush beauty with cool shades which helps to make it idealistic place for visitors in the summers. A marvelous chhatri with unusual Bengali roof and arches, also known as the Moosi Maharani Ki chhatri, is situated here. The garden was originally named Company Garden; later Maharaja Jai Singh changed its name to PURJAN VIHAR.

Excurssions to Alwar

Vijay Mandir Palace (10 km)

A wonderful Palace established by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1918. The major key of its scenic beauty is picturesque lake which helps to makes it a fascinating sight in the state. This palace includes 105 rooms and a well laid garden and a big lake established by Maharaja Jai Singh. Maharaja Jai Singh built a wonderful palace known as Yashwant Niwas. This palace was an elegant Italianate one. He also built the Vijay Mandir. Here one more famous temple of Sita Ram is situated which attracts more devotees during the festival of Ramnavami. You have to take permissions from Secretary to visit this temple.

Siliserh Lake Palace Hotel (13 km)

Siliserh is an idealistic spotover in the middle way of Sariska Tiger Reserve. This reservoir was built by Maharaja Vinay Singh in 1844 in order to move water channel in all palaces under Alwer. The name of this lake came from the name of Maharaja Vinay Singh's queen Sheela. There are also a white palace at higher level to see this water channel easliy. Siliserh lake got famous in the time of Maharaja Mangal Singh in 1874-92. This beautiful spot have a charming story, in which once when Maharaja Mangal Singh went for hunting into one village of Kishanpur. There he saw beautiful girl Silika, daughter of the village's head. Mangal Singh and Silika both fell in love and were immersed in broad conversation. When girl's father knew that he forced to Maharaja to marry his girl. After that Maharaja agreed and got merried her and Rani Silika lived amazing life at City Palace in Alwer. But she came back to her parents after the death of her first child. Then Maharaja built a Siliserh palace for his queen near village of her parents. You'll be so enchanted by its Arcadian ambience that you'll want to stay on for some more time and for that, you have the lovely Siliserh Palace Hotel overlooking an even more beautiful lake which is a good 10.5 square km of twinkling ripples, surrounded by low, wooded hills. The chhatris (cenotaphs) of the palace have been converted into comfortable hotel rooms. One could spend hours by simply watching the waterflow from the hotel's terrace. And true enough, Alwar's landscape bloomed with luxuriant gardens.

Jai Samand Lake(6 km)

Jai Samand is a beautiful artificial lake built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1910. It is a famous tourist spot for tourism. Jai Samand Lake is also called Dhebar. The greenery around this lake gives a visual and attractive look during monsoon. This lake easily reachable by a direct road from Alwar city. It is one of the second largest artificial lake of the world covering total area of 36 sq km. In 17th century, it was developed by a marble dam established across the Gomati River. In the western areas, all canals carry water from this lake to other villages. The statistic structure of this lake gives amazing looks with deepest end of 102 feet deep, 30miles circumference covered with marble, total breadth of 9 miles. This lake connected with seven islands. Two largest islands are named as Babaka Bhagra and a smaller one is known as Piari. The Jai Samand lake having 1202 feet length, 116 feet height and 70 feet breadth at the base. It has a courtyard Palace with its northern end while its southern end attached with 12 pillars. The marble steps placed on the banks of this lake and temple are dedicated to Lord Shiva.

How to reach Alwer

By Air: The closest airport to Alwar is situated in Jaipur.

By Rail: It is well connected to all cities with a wide network of trains to Alwar. From Delhi, you can take easily Shatabdi Express, Intercity Express ,Mandore Express and Fairy Queen Express.

By Road: Alwar is well connected by roads to all cities of Rajasthan.