Behind the wheel & Contributor

We start at 5:25 a Saturday morning for Bhangarh. The drive was good as the early morning drive was free of traffic. It would be better to have breakfast at McD or else there are no early open restaurants or dhabas in the route. By 10am we reach the fort, just 1km before we have our breakfast. It was a homely restaurant where the lady made some delicious alu parathas quickly. Attaching a photo.



Bhangarh fort is located in the town of Bhangarh, which lies 40 km from Jaipur and is about 300 km from Delhi. Located in Alwar Rajasthan, Bhangarh fort is just 40 kms away from Sariska National park which was our next destination.



The fort is a historical memorial built by Raja Madho Singh in 1631. The mystifying architectural ruins of Bhangarh Fort has a deep rooted connection with various legends and myths in the area around the fort that are actually true to a great extent as per the locals. The Archeological Survey of India has placed an advisory notice board near the fort mentioning it as a strictly prohibited area, and the place will remain closed after the sunset till the sunrise.







As we park our car in the ample parking space and enter the fort, had a quick look around, the tall green Aravalli mountains nestle the palace, far far no houses to be seen. The fort is strategically located between the Aravalli hills, the entrance guarded by Lord Hanuman.

Hanuman temple


There is less of tourists, just a few locals who are quite comfortable in the blazing heat. The ruins on either sides, extend for a long row, once it would have been a bustling market, with similar sized and shaped kiosks on either sides running through a cobbled route. The roofs are absent, though the structures stand speaking of the old glory.







This meandering pathway brings us to an iron gate and green lawns. By the time the sweltering heat has exhausted the bottle of water we carried. So please carry extra water if you make it in afternoon. The temples on the left reminds us of Khajuraho, and the other temples in the complex are dedicated to Rameshwar, Gopinath, Mangala Devi and Keshav Rai it seems. The temples are somewhat preserved, whereas the palace is in ruins. From here you get to see the fort or palace as it rises imposingly above the rocky mountains.









There are many theories, folklore as to the cause of the ruined township. It was once 7 storeys, but five is seen today, weathered, rubble ruins. The palace or fort as it is reffered to has to be reached by a flight of stairs. Although just a pile of stones remain, but there are stories running around as to the cries and screeches heard as well as the smell emanated from the place. The entry, smells the presence of bats and rats....and its a horrible stench. As we climb up, the small rooms are inter connected with flights of stairs leading to the top. Once on you have a imposing view of the sorroundings. The structures although well differentiated, like the fort/palace, temples, market place etc, still they have been cleverly integrated into a well planned township.















By 11:45 we leave the fort to Sariska National park. Our aim was to visit Pandu pol temple as being a saturday you can take your vehicle in. At 2pm we reach Pandu pol, the roads intermittently bad. From there we reach Ramada for the night.

The road to Sariska






Entry of sariska National park


Drive to Pandu pol




Hanuman temple