Alwar – Green District of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is famous for its desert land, but perhaps Alwar is the only place where vegetation rules the landscape. Before independence it was known as Matsyanagar Agar, the kingdoms of Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli merged to form the short-lived “Kingdom of Matsya”. There are different schools of thought about the origin of the modern name Alwar. Some say it is a corruption of Salwapur, Salwa being the name of a tribe that lived here. Others say that it is a corruption of Aravalpur, as Aravallis is the mountain range that runs through the district. Many believe that Alwar is the ancient Alpur, which was founded by Maharaja Alaghraj in 1049. Whatever the beliefs and thoughts of historians, Alwar is undoubtedly one of the biggest tourist attractions in Rajasthan.
Alwar city is small but no less than any modern city in India. You can see girls riding scooters, bikes, and almost every house has some kind of private vehicle. Alwar city has no public transportation but there are all cycle rickshaws. These are the cheapest transportation available in the city. Alwar bus stop is just outside the main residential city and travelers can take buses to almost all parts of Rajasthan. The city stretches west from the railway to the hills crowned by the 10th century Bala Qila. Most of the tourist spots such as the City Palace and Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri are far from the city.
Things to do and see in Alwar
o A five-story medieval tom, Fateh Jung ka Gumbad towers over all of its contemporaries in Delhi except for Emperor Humayun’s tomb. It is the easternmost of the Alwar monuments, located just across the railway track by footbridge, near Bharatpur Road. The tomb is in the middle of a walled garden, which houses a school. The guard who opens the steps leading to the mausoleum rarely shows up before 9am.
oh city palace – This is the most visited tourist spot in Alwar. It is a large complex, which is accessed through a door with projecting balconies on both sides. Beyond the gate is open land with Krishna temples on all four sides. The City Palace, Sagar, a tank and Moosi Rani ki Chhatri are located just behind these temples. The grand structure of the palace is famous for its beautiful architecture and ornamentation from the late 18th century. The palace was built by Raja Bakhtawar Singh in 1793. The City Palace has now been converted into a safe house for government officials. The Alwar Collectorate office and the offices of the superintendent of police are present in the palace. The best view is from the top of the palace, which is also a good museum to look at.
oh Bala Qila – The oldest of all Alwar forts and palaces and guard atop Alwar. The qila is believed to have been built in the 10th century by the Nikhumba Rajputs. The fort is spread out over the surrounding hills which, along with the nearby lakes, are the most attractive attractions in Alwar. During the rainy season the place is cloaked in bright green but rocky and rusty during the summer.