Aptly named Lohagarh (Iron Fort) the Bharatpur fort took its name from its supposedly impregnable defenses. Two massive ramparts of solid, packed earth and rubble surrounded the fort each in turn surrounded by a moat 150 feet wide and 50 feet deep. The mud walls were thick enough to absorb any missile, thus efficiently protecting the main edifice of the fort. The outermost wall was originally 11 kilometers in circumference and took eight years to complete. Today, all that remains of the ramparts is a section of the inner wall and one of the moats. Of the 27 cannons that once thundered from these walls, only two remain.

You enter the fort over an ancient brick and stone bridge. The palace within the fort is a mingling of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture but infinitely simpler. A pragmatic people, the Jats had no use for ostentation. The Durbar, now converted into a museum, displays the weapons used by the erstwhile rulers. Atop the fort there is an iron pillar engraved with the family tree of the rulers of Bharatpur in Hindi.

Some concession to ornamentation has been made in the royal palace or with delicate designs and the raja’s room was strategically placed so he could see this queen moving about in the Mahal meant for royal ladies. Within the fort stands Nargada, a structure where the umbilical cords of all the male members of ht royal family lie buried. Two of the towers are also of interest. One, called the Jawahar Burj, was built to commemorate the successful Jat assault on Delhi. This is also the spot where the rulers of Bharatpur used to be crowned. The other tower known as Fateh Burj was built as a proud reminder of the successful defense of Bharatpur against the attack mounted by Lord Lake.

The royal palace is still owned by a descendant of the last Jat ruler. But a large apart of it has been let out. Offices and shops crowd many of the place rooms and encroachment is only too evident.

While on a round of Bharatpur, do look for the house of Begum Samru now used as a girls school. Begum Samru is an interesting character from the pages of 18th century history. She married a German mercenary and showed real spirit and daring in supplying troops to the rulers of Bharatpur.