Exploring Baran & beyond

Baran town itself seems nondescript, with nothing to redeem it, but tap a little and you'll be surprised to find a minefield of archaeological ruins here, writes Usha S Shetty

Atru, Antah, Kakoni, Chhipabarod — normally these words or names would not make any sense to a pair of city-bred women living amidst the bustle of high rises. But once the pair landed in a place with a name equally unfamiliar, these words started rolling off their tongues pretty fast. For these were names of places in the little known district of Baran in the all too well-known state of Rajasthan.

Not surprising then, that the pair of researchers from a metropolis — after a few days of mundane study amidst historical and geographic surroundings — began to feel the monotony of the place getting to them. Enquiries about local places of interest only elicited responses such as “Kuch nahin hain, kuch khandar-pathar hain.” (There is nothing, only some ruins and stones).

It was only when we met the then-District Collector, Naveen Jain, as part of the study, did we learn about the abundance of places to see in the vicinity. He listed out in detail, all the spots in Baran, and handed us a tourist booklet he had compiled. The region seemed to be a minefield of archaeological ruins and his own keen interest ensured that he recovered as many as he could of the randomly strewn artefacts and set them up on display at the Collectorate.

Baran gets its name due to the town having been formed from twelve (baran or barah in Hindi) villages under the Solanki Rajputs who ruled the area in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was carved out of Kota district in 1991, occupying the south-eastern corner of the state, bordering Madhya Pradesh. The rivers Parwan, Parvati and Kali Sindh flow through the district to join the Chambal.

At the Sorsan Sanctuary, named after the king of Sawai Madhopur, our sightings of blackbucks, chinkaras and Sarus cranes intersected with views of the Sorsan Fort, a Brahmani Mata temple, a peer baba’s tomb and travelling local banjaras. The place is said to have several animals and a wealth of migratory and resident birds. We missed seeing these, though, as we crossed the vast expanse in the gathering darkness, with a cherished memory of experiencing a beautiful sunset from one of the viewing towers.

Over the course of the next few days, we managed to take in a few more sights as our work allowed us. The Mughal architecture-inspired Nahargarh Fort used to be the abode of Raja Nahar Singh who lived 350 to 400 years ago. We are told that he did not enjoy his stay for long as he was overthrown. The imperial premises now house the Nahargarh Government Middle School.

Indeed, the region is as replete with relics and dramatic stories of valour and pride as any other part of Rajasthan. For example, Kanya Dah Bilas Garh which was once an established kingdom called Bilasgarh under the Khechi dynasty. Legend has it that a Muslim ruler of Ranthambore (according to some accounts it is Aurangzeb) was attracted to the princess, daughter of Raja Bhainsha Shah, and ordered his troops to bring her. Unwilling to surrender to him, she jumped into River Bilas at the point where there is a deep natural reservoir and that is how the place got its name. The kingdom was then plundered by the frustrated troops and is today dilapidated and enveloped by jungles. Its huge temple complexes were under ASI excavation when we were there.

In a country like ours, considering how far back in time our history goes and considering the span it encompasses, sometimes we are simply so surrounded by this heritage that we become indifferent to it. Perhaps that is the reason why many of the locals told us that there were just stones and ruins all around. And we just stumbled upon one set of these in the middle of a tiny town called Atru.

The comparatively well-preserved Gadiya Temple, with its fine carvings and depictions of seven of the Dashavataras, seems to have no congruence with its surroundings. Neither does the astonishing seven feet high statue of a Jain Tirthankar nearby, known locally as Dhingar Baba or Nagadev. Rather more astonishing for the surroundings it is to be found in! Just outside the town is Garhgach, a site full of architectural relics dating back to the 10th century, some depicting Shiva and Parvati and others, some amorous scenes. Echoes of Khajuraho are also to be found at the Bhand Deora in Ramgarh, beautifully set in a crater carved by a meteorite and surrounded by hills.

This trip led us to discover that Baran, the unsung historian’s delight, is a part of the rich historical and cultural tapestry of the Hadoti region. Hadoti in south-east Rajasthan comprises of Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, & Baran, areas ruled since the 12th century by the Hadoti Rajputs, who trace their ancestry to Prithviraj Chauhan.

The ancient Aravallis and the Malwa plateau roughly flank this region, harbouring thick forests that were once famous for their wildlife and plains rich with black soil rendered fertile by several rivers, including the mighty Chambal, which has cut its way through a 60 mile gorge in the region over millennia.

So if, like us, you are the kind of traveller who prefers to go off the beaten path, this trail will be richly rewarding for you. The history, nature, wildlife, culture and hospitality of this region will not disappoint!