'The Tiger Gate' of Rajasthan is equidistant from Jaipur (150) as well as
Delhi (170). Situated in the cradle of Aravali hills, it has a perfect
picture postcard setting and looks as if carved magnificently out of jagged,
craggy rocks. The harsh hills are surrounded by lush green deciduous forests
and lakes, dotted with architectural splendors. The deep valleys and the
thick forest cover is a haven for many species of birds and animals. It is
one of the oldest cities of the state and its prehistoric and historic sites
are an archaeologists delight.
Alwar was a part of 'Matsya Desh', most of it around 1500 BC was included
in the territory of Matsya. It is believed that the legendary Pandavs, the
heroes of Mahabharta, spent the last year of their thirteen years of exile
over here in the city of Viratnagar. Alwar has a very turbulent history due
to its strategically important location. Nikkumbha Rajputs were believed to
be the first occupants, who built the fort and the old town, the remnants of
which are still visible at the foot of the hills.
The present city was founded in 11th century by Maharaja Alguhraj, but it
was rapped incessantly by the Mughals. In 1775 AD Maharaja Pratap Singh, a
Kachhawaha Rajput belonging to the same clan as the one which ruled Jaipur
wrestled back Alwar from the Mughals and established a principality of its
own.
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History of Alwar
The erstwhile state of Alwar, in North Eastern Rajasthan, is possibly the
oldest kingdom in kingdom-studded Rajasthan. In 1500 BC it formed a part of
the Matsya territories of Viratnagar (present-day Bairat), which also
encompassed Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli. History becomes inextricably
bound with mythology, as it was here in the ancient kingdom of Matsya. The
city of Alwar is believed to have founded by a member of the Kachh family
who hailed from Amber, but control was wrested from the Kachhwahas of
Nikumbhas. They in turn lost the city to Bada Gurjara Rajputs of Machari. It
passed to the Khanzadas, under Bah Nahara of Mewar, who converted from
Hinduism to Islam to win the favour of Emperor Tughlaq of Delhi. At this
time, Alwar was part of the kingdom of Mewar.
Descendants of Bahadura Nahara defended the Alwar fort against the Muslims
in 1427. Alwar's fortunes were inextric bound with those of Mewar, which was
contiguous with Delhi. As Alwar located on the strategic south-western tier
of Delhi, this of course rankled with Mughals, who mounted numerous military
forays into the region, only conquering after great difficulty. Alwar was
later granted to Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur by Aurangzeb. The Jats of
Bharatpur then threw their hat into the ring, briefly overrunning the
region, and installing themselves in the Alwar fort. They were evicted by
the Lalawat Narukas (descendants of the Kachhwaha prince of Amber, Naru)
between 1775 and 1782 under the leadership of the Naruka thakur (noble)
Pratap Singh.
His descendants were great patrons of the arts, commissioning the
transcription of numerous sacred and scholarly texts and encouraging
painters and artisans to visit the Alwar court. In 1803, the British
invested the Alwar thakur with the title of Maharaja as thanks for their
support in a battle against the Marathas. This friendly alliance was
short-lived, however, with the Maharaja of Alwar strongly resenting British
interference in governance when a British Resident was installed in the
city. Following Independence, Alwar was merged with the other princely
states of Bharatpur, Karauli and Dholpur, forming the United State of
Matsya, a name which reflected the fact that those states all comprised the
ancient Matsya kingdom. In 1949, Matsya was merged with the state of
Rajasthan.
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Places To See
Vinay Vilas Palace
This garden palace was once the residence of Maharaja Vinay Singh. Now a
college is being run in this magnificient building. The gardens of this
palace and Purjan Vihar (company garden) were watered by the Siliserh lake
through a long aqueduct.
Moosi Maharani Chhatri
This impressive centopath (chhatri) on the banks of 'Sagar' a beautiful
lake, is dedicated to Bakhtawar singh's mistress who performed sati here.
The centopath reflects Indo-Islamic style of architecture. The upper portion
in marble with columned pavalions and domed arches with exquisite floral
tracery, rests over the pillared red sand stone storey.
Mythological an d court scenes in fading gold leaf painting and sculpture
adorn the cieling.The memorial is rtated as one of the finest in its class.
The picturesque 'Sagar' or lake is a concrete catchment with a pattern of
stairs and tiny kiosks in perfect symmetry along the sides.
Purjan Vihar
The beautiful garden was laid during the reigns of maharaja Shiv Dan singh
in 1868.It has an enchanting setting known as 'Simla' which was built by
Maharaja mangal singh in 1885.The cool shades and lush greenary of this
perfectely laid garden never lets the heat of summer peep in.
The garden was originaly named as company Garden, later changed by maharaja
Singh as Purjan Vihar.
Tomb Of Fateh Jung
This spectacular tomb has a massive dome which is a fine blend of Hindu and
Islamic architectural styles.Fateh jung was a minister of Mughal Emperor
Shah Jahan and re;lated to the Khanzada rulers of Alwar.
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