A weekend visit to Dhaulpur

Dhaulpur is a city located in the eastern most part of Rajasthan state of India. It is bordered by Uttar Pradesh (UP) in the north & east and Madhya Pradesh (MP) in the south & east so it exhibits glimpses of cultures of all the 3 states. Many interesting places are located nearby and can be visited in a day or two depending on your convenience.

Machkund

A small place situated 4 kms from the main city and is known as the nephew of all the Teerths of Hindu pilgrimage. It has a serene lake surrounded by hundreds of temples on its bank. The entire complex is made up of the famous Dhaulpur red sandstone and is lined by numerous Chhatris which were built by the kings who ruled here. The lake is believed to be sacred and is named after Suryavanshi Raja Machkund. After completing the holy Char Dham yatra, people take a dip in this lake. It hosts an annual fair in Bhado month where many devotees come here to take a dip in the lake.

National Chambal Sanctuary (NCS)

is a tri-state protected area on the banks of the river Chambal which passes near Dhaulpur. The Chambal river originates in MP, passes through the 3 states of MP, Rajasthan and UP before joining the Yamuna river in UP. It protects the critically endangered gharials, red crowned roof turtles and the endangered gangetic dolphins. Apart from this, it is home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.

We took a boat safari from Rajasthan side of the river for an hour and witnessed many resident and migratory birds like the Indian Skipper, River Tern, Rudy Shelducks, Grey Heron, River Lapwing, Bar headed goose, etc Many crocodiles, gharials and hard-shelled turtles were also seen. The mud ravines on both sides of the river provide an aesthetic view.

Gharial Eco Park, Morena

Is located about 20 kms from Dhaulpur. Morena is in MP state and this centre is the only one in the entire state which breeds Gharials, Crocodiles and Turtles whose population is dwindling due to numerous reasons like global warming and smuggling activities. The Eco park is a part of the NCS and helps breed and rehabilitate the above species.

Following pictures show the glimpses through the eco park: