Alwar is a city in the state of Rajasthan and is the administrative headquarters of Alwar District, as well as was formerly the capital of the princely state of Alwar or Ulwar in British India. Known as "Tiger Gate" of Rajasthan, the city is enclosed by verdant green Aravali hills and presents a magnificent natural background. Forests and lakes form the surroundings to this beautiful place which makes the city speckled with architectural grandeur, bounded by callous mountains. Enveloped by deep valleys and thick forest the city is a shelter for many species of birds and animals. It is one of the oldest cities in the state and its prehistoric as well as historic sites are delight for archaeologists. Geography and Climate Alwar is located at 27.57°N 76.6°E and has an elevation of 271 meters (889 feet). The city is located around 160 km south of Delhi, and around 150 km north of Jaipur. The city has a dry climate with hot summer, a cold winter and a short monsoon season. April to June is very hot with an average maximum temperature of 41°C and an average minimum of 28 °C. Typically tourists keep off this season. During July and September the city gets mild to medium showers intermittently with an average maximum temperature of 35 °C and an average minimum of 23 °C. November to February is cool and pleasant with an average maximum temperature of 31°C and an average minimum of 10 °C approximately. Best Season to visit Alwar is during September to March. Demographics Alwar city is governed by Municipal Corporation which comes under Alwar Metropolitan Region. As per provisional reports of Census India, population of Alwar in 2011 is 315,310; of which male and female are 166,900 and 148,410 respectively. Although Alwar city has population of 315,310; its urban / metropolitan population is 341,383 of which 180,680 are males and 160,703 are females. In education section, total literates in Alwar city are 243,634 of which 138,737 are males while 104,897 are females. Average literacy rate of Alwar city is 86.78 percent of which male and female literacy was 93.72 and 79.05 percent and the sex ratio of Alwar city is 889 per 1000 males. Child sex ratio of girls is 833 per 1000 boys. History of Alwar Alwar, was known as Ulwar and has a mythological past, which narrates that it the Kauravas and the Pandavas fought on this land and a massive battle between the two acted as a base of the epic, the Mahabharata. The princely state of Alwar was founded by Pratap Singh, a Rajput of the Kachwaha lineage, in the second half of the 18th century. His adopted son, Bakhtawar Singh, aided the British against the Marathas. After the battle of Laswari (1803), Alwar became the first state of Rajputana to sign a treaty of 'Offensive and Defensive Alliance' with the British East India Company. A few years later, Bakhtawar Singh ventured an armed incursion into neighbouring Jaipur, the senior Kachwaha state, and the erstwhile overlord of his predecessor. Bakhtawar Singh was defeated; a fresh engagement was made with him by the HEIC, prohibiting him from political intercourse with other states without British consent. During the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, Raoraja Bane Singh sent a force comprised mainly of Muslims and Rajputs, to relieve the British garrison in Agra. The Muslims deserted and the rest were defeated by the rebels. Pran Sukh Yadav, who fought beside Rao Tula Ram of Rewari in 1857 and settled along with the kinsmen of dead soldiers at a village named Nihalpura, Behror Tehsil, of Alwar District. Following the independence of India in 1947, Alwar acceded unto the dominion of India. On March 18, 1948, the state merged with three neighbouring princely states (Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli) to form the Matsya Union. This union in turn merged unto the Union of India. On May 15, 1949, it was united with certain other princely states and the territory of Ajmer to form the present-day Indian state of Rajasthan. Culture of Alwar The city of Alwar is a gateway to the rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan. The city is famous for the Alwar Festival which is held between 13 to 15 February. This festival displays the finest of folk culture, music, handicrafts and colorful traditions of the region. The three-day festival is organized by the district administration to promote tourism and emphasize on the legacy of rich culture in Alwar. Sawan Teej, Chuhar Sidh, Laldas Maila, Bilali Fair, Sahibji ka Maila, Jagannathji Fair and Bhartrihari are some of the festivals celebrated in the city with grandeur. Tourist Places in Alwar One of the prominent places of tourist interest of India, Alwar is the gateway to the historic and colorful state of Rajasthan. The splendor, exquisiteness and fragility of the design of countless palaces and forts in the region, serene lakes, royal hunting lodges, sites of archaeological significance, thick forests, abode of several varieties of birds and animals blended with diverse socio - cultural design have made Alwar one of the favorite destinations of India, which is visited by both domestic and international travelers. Some of the prominent travel places of Alwar , Rajasthan are: City Palace Bala Quila Sariska Tiger Reserve Siliserh Lake Bhangarh Fort Vinay Vilas Palace Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri Tomb of Fateh Jung Jai Samand Lake Karni Mata Temple Bharthari Dehmi Itarana Jagannath Temple Jain Mandir (Tijara) Transportation Alwar is connected with by rail and bus to major cities of India. National Highway NH8 (Delhi-Jaipur-Ajmer-Ahmedabad-Bombay highway) passes through the Behror district. Alwar district is reached from New Delhi by NH8 or by Gurgaon-Sohna-Alwar highway that is being widened to six lanes. Delhi-Jaipur railway line also passes through the district. Alwar city railway station is only of the railway station in the district.
