About Dholpur

Dholpur is a city in eastern-most parts of the Rajasthan state of India. It is the administrative headquarters of Dholpur district. Dhaulpur State was a kingdom of eastern Rajputana, India, which was founded in AD 1806 by a Hindu Jat Maharana Kirat Singh of Dhaulpur.
Dhaulpur became a separate district in 1982 comprising Dholpur, Rajakhera, Saramathura, Bari and Baseri Tehsils. Dholpur district is a part of Bharatpur Division/Commissionerate. It is bordered by Bharatpur district of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to the north, Madhya Pradesh to the south, Karauli district to the west and Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh to the east.

Tomar Rule - Dholpur was established in 700 AD by Raja Dholan Dev Tomar and most likely the name of city was changed to Dholpur after him. He resided 10 km south west of Dholpur at a place called Bilpur near chambal where a fort still exists. His descendant Raja Dhawal Deo built the new town of Dholpur in 1050 AD. Their descendants who are still living in the area were rulers of some part of Morena and Gwalior till the independence of India. The Tomars lost sovereignty to Jadu's of Karauli.
Mughal period - After the battle of Panipat, Babar became the first Mughal ruler of Hindustan. Dhaulpur was taken by Sikandar Lodhi in 1501, who handed it to a Muslim governor in 1504. After the death of Ibrahim Lodi, many states declared themselves independent. Talai Khan became the ruler of Gwalior. Similarly, Mohammed Jaifoon declared himself the ruler of Dholpur. In 1527, Dholpur fort fell to Babur and continued to be ruled by the Mughals until 1707.
Gohad Rulers - After the death of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, Raja Kalyan Singh Bhadauria obtained possession of Dholpur, and his family retained it until 1761. After that, Dholpur was taken successively by the Jat ruler Maharaja Suraj Mal of Bharatpur, by Mirza Najaf Khan in 1775, by the Scindia ruler of Gwalior in 1782, and finally, by the British East India Company in 1803. It was restored by the British to the Scindias under the Treaty of Sarji Anjangaon, briefly, and was soon reoccupied by the British. In 1805, Dhaulpur came under the Jat ruler, Maharana Kirat Singh of Gohad, a princely state, a vassal of the British during the Raj.
British Rule and after - After Mughals, Rana vansh of Jats became ruler of Dholpur, during the British Raj and was part of the Rajputana Agency, till the Independence of India. The former mansion of the ruler of the erstwhile Dholpur State, Kesarbagh palace, now houses the Dholpur Military School, while its official residence in New Delhi, Dholpur House, is used by the Union Public Service Commission.

Muchchhkund - Muchchhkund, about 4 km from the town of Dholpur, is an ancient sacred place. It commands a picturesque view. The place is named after Raja Muchchhukand, the 24th of the Suryavanshi Dynasty (the solar race) who is said to have reigned nineteen generations before Lord Ram. According to legend, Raja Muchchhkund was sleeping here when demon Kaal Yaman (while pursuing lord Krishna) accidentally woke him up. The demon Kaal Yaman was burnt to ashes because of a divine blessing to Raja Muchchhkund. It is now a sacred place for pilgrims.
National Chambal Wildlife Sanctuary - The Chambal river, one of north India's most unpolluted rivers, is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna. National Chambal (Gharial) Wildlife Sanctuary contains the rare Ganges river dolphin. The sanctuary was founded in the year 1978 and is part of a large area of 5,400 sqkm. Approximately 400 km of the river is within the reserve. Apart from the Dolphins, the other inhabitants of the sanctuary include mugger Crocodiles and Gharials. Migratory birds from Siberia form its rich avian fauna.
Damoh - A waterfall in Sarmathura. It is the main tourist spot in whole district. It is visible in rainy season, July to September. Besides this, Damoh has a long and green forest range with wild animals.
Talab-e-Shahi - Tala-e-Shahi is a picturesque lake which is 27 kilometres from Dholpur or 5 kilometers from Bari. The lake and the palace were built in 1617 A.D. as a shooting lodge for Prince Shah Jahan. The palace and the lake were later maintained by the ruler of Dholpur. The lake attracts a large number of winter migratory fowl such as pintail, shoveller, red crested pochard, common pochard, tufted duck, garganey teal, wigeon and fadwall.
Ramsagar Sanctuary - It is a sanctuary which contains picturesque Ramsagar Lake, which supports rich aquatic life including fresh water crocodiles and a number of fishes and snakes. Water birds such as cormorants, white-breasted water hen, moor hen, jacanas, river tern, ringed plover, sand piper, and green and purple herons are quite common. During winter months migratory ducks and geese visit the lake in good numbers. It covers an area of 34.40 sq. Km.
Van Vihar Wild Life Sanctuary - Van Vihar, an old wildlife reserve of the rulers of Dholpur is spread over an area of 25.60 kms over Vindhyan Plateau. It is inhabited by animals like Sambhar, Chital, Blue Bull, Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, Hyena and Leopard.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park at BHARATPUR - This National Park in Bharatpur, Rajasthan which was formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is a famous avifauna sanctuary that hosts thousands of birds, especially during the winter season. Over 230 species of birds are known to be resident. The sanctuary, spread in 29 sq km, is amongst one of the finest bird sanctuaries on the planet and has been recognised by the UNESCO as a World Heritage site. The sanctuary is one of the richest bird areas in the world and is known for nesting of resident birds and visiting migratory birds including water birds. The distance between Dholpur and Bharatpur is 89 kms. approx.
Taj Mahal at AGRA - Agra is rich for it's historical and world-class monuments. Some of them have been declared as World Heritage sites by UNESCO, as well. The world famous Taj Mahal is one such monument which also holds the title of 8th wonder of the world. It is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river. The distance between Dholpur and Agra is 58 kms. approx.
Forts and Temples in GWALIOR - Gwalior is known for its palaces and temples. One of the famous hindu temples include the Sas Bahu Ka Mandir which is intricately carved. The ancient Gwalior Fort occupies a sandstone plateau overlooking the city and is accessed via a winding road lined with sacred Jain statues. Within the Gwalior Fort's high walls is the 15th-century Gujari Mahal Palace, which is now an archaeological museum. Other forts are Jai Vilas Palace, a european-style palace and Man Singh Palace, a pre-mughal palace with unique decor.

Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Bharatpur

Taj Mahal, Agra

Gwalior Fort, Gwalior