Bhangarh Trek, Alwar, Rajasthan

Region : District Alwar

Route One Via Alwar- Sariska Tiger Reserve- Thanagazi- Pratapgarh
Ajabgarh & Bhangarh (preferable route as it is scenic beauty in
monsoons and winters)
Route Two Via Gurgaon-Bhiwadi- Tapukra- Alwar - Rajgarh Tehla
Ajabgarh & Bhangarh (Exit for Tehla near Rajgarh is on Jaipur - Agra
National Highway)
Route Three via Shanjahanpur-Behror-Viratnagar-Thanagazi (NH-11
exit left for Viratnagar after Behror)
Start Point :
Early Morning from Delhi or Alwar
End Point:
Alwar or Delhi depends upon time planning/availability due to
nightfall.
Duration : One Day
(If plans to stay back, Amanbagh Resort is a very good place
situated at around 25-30 minutes drive from Bhangarh fort and is
surrounded by forest. Amanbagh is the only place in approximately
30 km radius of Bhangarh Fort providing accommodation and other
is Sariska Palace situated in Sariska Tiger Reserve and is approx. 35
Kms. From Alwar. Just for information Amanbagh has its private
helipad / strip for chartered helicopters.)
Air : Nearest Airport to Alwar is Delhi (190 Kms) and Jaipur(150
Kms)
Railway : Frequent daily trains available from Delhi to Alwar and
back.
Bus : Rajasthan Roadways upto Pratapgarh have limited frequency
and not advisable.
Other : Best option is SUV or hired taxi with high ground clearance
as roads after Thanagazi on route 1 and after Rajgarh on route two
is mostly damaged and long patches have black top roads absent.
Description:
It is advisable to take your own or hired SUV and start from Delhi in
early morning for Alwar and Bhangarh to reach Bhangarh before

afternoon. It is around 320 kms from Delhi. Time taken on all routes
will be almost equal, give or take half hour. Also you can plan to take
route one via Sariska which is natural beauty cutting right through
Sariska Tiger Reserve and is advisable because if you take route 2 or
3 you will bypass/miss Sariska Tiger Reserve.
Bhangarh and Ajabgarh are named together and are virtually
situated on a very short distance from each other. Ajabgarh Fort has
a related history with haunted Bhangarh Fort Ruins and was built by
Ajab Singh Rajawat grandson of Madho Singh (younger brother of
Maharaja Man Singh of Amber, Jaipur) who built Bhangarh Fort in
1613. It is a garrison fort and is connected with underground
passage to less visited Raghunath Temple in the premises and
stands opposite a panoramic water reservoir, which gives a wide
view of area. There is also a mazaar of Sufi saint Kapoor Shah near
Ajabgarh Fort.
Bhangarh Fort is hardly 15 minutes drive from Ajabgarh Fort and is a
heritage site under control of Archaeological Survey of India.
Bhangarh happens to be haunted place and its restricted to enter
the premises before sunrise and after sunset and ASI has even put
up a sign board instructing same. There have been instances in
recent past that few people who reportedly in search of adventure
and fun have stayed back in fort area after dark even after being
warned and most of them were found either dead or missing after
that night. We happen to experience such strange situation after
sunset but that will only add up to haunting and supernatural theory
of Bhangarh.
The town of Bhangarh has ancient archaeological importance.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has excavated different types of
tools of pre historic times. The Bhangarh ruins are surrounded by
Aravallis on three sides and are situated in the foot of Aravallis.
There is a natural spring here, which has been modified in shape of
kund in Bhangarh which is situated near Shiv Temple, Someshwar
Mahadev.
There is ancient myth about Bhangarh that queen of Bhangarh,
Ratnavati was sheer beauty and one sorcerer Singhia Sevra laid his
eyes on her. He made several advances towards her but the queen
was equally shrewd and expert sorcerer herself and she reversed all
his attempts. On getting rejected many times from queen once he
tried some Black Magic in form of bottle of perfume and sent it to
queen as a present which was quickly apprehended by queen and
she threw the bottle on a rock which turned dark and she cursed
that sorcerer that he would turn into rock for his this act. But
sorcerer has other intentions and before his ensuing death turned
into rock he cursed queen Ratnavati that neither she or her any kin
shall see the daylight and the town will destroy overnight, so

nobody could escape in night time from town and with the dawn
everything zeroed to ground. Thee is another version also that after
turning into rock and sorcerer rolled down the hill from his place
towards town destroying everything and decimating town. There is
also a chhatri on hilltop which is believed to be Singhias place. This
town was known for its Meena Bazaar (jewellery market) and local
residents claims to have heard the tinkling of jewellery in the night
where it is believed that these are the sounds coming from Meena
Bazaar functioning in night time for residents of ancient Bhangarh
who are believed to be present there.
We also talked to the watchman who was on night duty outside
Bhangarh and he affirmed the theory by saying that throughout the
night he listens to strange noises and tinkling of jewellery but it is
believed that as long as he does not enter the gate he is safe and if
myth is to be believed in light of incidents there, his being alive and
rational is in itself an evidence to it.
The road to Bhangarh is single road after we leave highway on all
routes. It falls in Pratapgarh near Thanagazi. The road is mostly
bumpy and patchy so vehicle with high ground clearance only may
compensate for it. It is advisable to keep stock of food and water for
a day as there is no proper dhaba or any such place enroute and
nothing is available in Bhangarh also. You can roam through the
ruins and please make it a point to be there in group because
strange feelings and anxiety ensues when you enter any dark corner
of the Fort in order to explore it. There are lot of Kewda plants there
and they are declared ASI property and kewda is also associated
with such strange activities and forces, may be due to there strong
stench.
There are few temples in the ruins and prominent of all is Hanuman
Temple which stands tall after we pass entrance gates which are
total four in number. For convenience of understanding I am
attaching a map of Bhangarh with the document.
Pictures

Hanuman temple

Inside

view

of

Bhangarh

Chhatri os Singhia Sevra on Hilltop

Road to Bhangarh in rainy season

Reservoir Ajabgarh (not very clear as taken from moving vehicle)

Quarries near Tehla enroute Bhangarh

Regards, Aarti