Baran

Situated about 40 km away from Baran city, the Ramgarh Bhand Devra temple devoted to Lord Shiva is said to date back to as long as the 10th century. Built in the Khajuraho style of architecture, it is also known as the mini Khajuraho of Rajasthan. This temple is situated on the banks of a small pond.

One of the strongest forts in Hadoti, the Shahabad fort is situated about 80 km from Baran. Constructed by Mukatmani Dev, a Chauhan Rajput, this fort dates back to the 16th century. Standing tall in a densely forested area, the fort is surrounded by the intimidating Kunda Koh valley and has some noteworthy structures located within its walls. History tells us that the fort was home to 18 powerful cannons, one of them being as long as 19 feet! Interestingly, Mughal Emperor Aurengzeb also lived here for sometime.

Constructed during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, the Shahi Jama Masjid of Shahabad is situated around 80 km from Baran. An architectural marvel that attracts a large number of tourists every year, the Shahi Jama Masjid was built on the pattern of Jama Masjid of Delhi and is famous for its impressive pillars and intricate ‘mehrab’.

Located around 65 km from Baran district, the Shergarh fort is one of Baran’s most popular tourist attractions. Standing on the banks of the river Parvan, it was considered a monument of strategic importance to rulers. Ruled by different dynasties over the years, Shergarh is supposed to have earned its name after its capture by Shershah of the Sur dynasty bit – its original name was Koshavardhan. An inscription from 790 AD reflects the rich history of Shergarh fort and it is among the popular forts of Rajasthan.

The perfect destination for nature lovers, Shergarh sanctuary is located in Shergarh village, about 65 km from Baran district. Rich in flora and fauna, Shergarh sanctuary is home to several endangered species of plants, as well as tigers, sloth bears, leopards and wild boards, among other animals. A photographer’s delight, Shergarh sanctuary is easily accessible by road.

Located 45 km from Baran, Sitabari is a famous place of worship and also doubles up as a popular picnic spot. Dotted with temples dedicate to Sita and Laxman, many believe this is the birth place of Lord Ram and Sita’s twin sons, Luv and Kush. It also comprises several kunds such as Valmiki kund, Sita kund, Laxman kund, Surya kund, etc. Sitabari is also the venue of the famous Sitabari fair, held in the month of May-June. Due to its long association with tribes, the place is terned as the Kumbh of Sahariya tribes.

A beautiful picnic spot in Shahabad near Baran, Tapasviyo ki Bagechi is often frequented by tourists and locals who are looking for peace and serenity. Now a picture-perfect location with stunning mountains acting as a backdrop, Tapasviyo ki Bagechi was once a hub for betel farming, traces of which can still be found. A major attraction here is the large statue of a Shivling.

Located 85 km from Baran, Kakuni, situated on the banks for the Parvan River is best known for temples. The Kakuni Temple Complex houses temples dedicated to Jain and Vaishnava gods and Lord Shiva, and some of them date back to the 8th century. Many idols from Kakuni temples have been preserved in museums at Kota and Jhalawar. You can also visit the remains of the Bhimgarh Fort, built by King Bhim Deo here.

Located 50 km from Kota is the Sorsan Wildlife Sanctuary. Popularly known as the Sorsan Grasslands, it is a 41 sq.km bird sanctuary which is home to scrubby vegetation, numerous water bodies and a vast variety of birds and animals. Visitors here can hope to catch a glimpse of orioles, quails, partridges, robins, weavers, greylag geese, common pochards, teals and pintails. Come winter and flocks of migrant birds such as warblers, flycatchers, larks, starlings and rosy pastors fly here. You can also spot animals such as black buck and gazelles.

Sorsan Mataji temple, also known as Brahmani Mata Mandir is located at a distance of 20 km from Baran in Sorsan village. The temple houses a special oil lamp, ‘Akhand Jyot’ which, if stories are to be believed, has been burning uninterrupted for 400 years! Every year, on Shiv Ratri, a fair is organised in the temple premises.

The fort, located at a distance of about 73 km. from Baran is quite an impressive site. A magnificent structure constructed from red stone, it is also an excellent exemplar of Mughal architecture. The beauty attracts tourists from all over.

Bilasgarh, situated 45 km away from Baran city is in Kishanganj Tehsil. It was said that once upon a time, it was famous for being a well-developed city, but was destroyed on the orders of Mughal emperor, Aurangzeb. Legends say that Aurangzeb was attracted towards the princess of Khechi kingdom, the rulers of Bilasgarh, and ordered his troops to bring her to him. The princess preferred death over being his queen, and hence, committed suicide. The place where she chose to end her life is now known as ‘Kanya Dah’. In retaliation to this act, Aurangzeb’s troops destroyed the entire city of Bilasgarh. It now lies in a desolate place inside a forest

Renowned for its natural beauty, Kapil Dhara, famous among tourists, is located 50 km from Baran. The famous waterfall and a ‘Gamukh’ housed near the falls are also a big draw among tourists.

The fort is situated in the village Gugor, just 08 kms from Chhabra town of Baran district. The fort stands proudly on a hillock and its location on the bank of perennial river Parvati makes it a perfect place for solace.

Located near Gajanpura, opposite to Food Craft Institute on Kota road. This Panorama attracts tourists to know the glorious history of kota-bundi-jhalawar. Hadouti Panorama is one such Centre, which binds these four districts together in one tread.

This temple carries a historic importance and is another tourist attraction. Jhala Zalim Singh, had built this temple at the hill top. It has Kisnai Mata temple and Annapurna Devi temple inside its premises. This temple is very unique in terms of its offering of prasad— one of the deities here is worshipped with sweets and dry fruits, while another is offered meat and alcohol.

It is a unique geographical curiosity which is situated about 40 kms from Baran. The Crater has a diameter of approx 3.5 kms and it was created as a result of meteorite collision with earth about 75000 years back. Since it is one of the four impact Craters known to exist in India, Ramgarh Crater has been declared a Geological monument of national importance.

The temple of Bansthuni can be seen on the right side of the road on Shahabad road, 24 km from Baran. It is a beautiful temple built in the 09-10th century with carved pillars, torans etc worth seeing. A sculpted image of Varaha avatar of Lord Vishnu is kept outside the temple.

The Government museum of Baran displays good collections of sculptures, paintings, weapons and decorative artifacts with piture of local temples and forts and worth a visit. Timing : 9 AM 5 PM Entry tickets : Indian Rs 20/-, Foreigner Rs 100/-