Keoladeo Ghana National Park in Rajasthan, famous for migratory birds, was formerly known by which of the following names?

Introduction / Context:
Many protected areas in India have been upgraded in status or renamed over time. Keoladeo Ghana National Park in Rajasthan is a world famous bird sanctuary that attracts migratory birds from distant regions. Earlier, it was widely known by a different name. General knowledge questions often test whether candidates can map the older names of important parks to their current official names. This question focuses on the former name of Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The protected area is Keoladeo Ghana National Park located in Rajasthan.
The question asks what it was formerly called.
Options are Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary, Khijadia Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, and Mayani Bird Sanctuary.
We assume the standard historical naming used in textbooks and environmental studies material.

Concept / Approach:
Keoladeo Ghana National Park is located near the town of Bharatpur in Rajasthan and was originally known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary. It started as a duck shooting reserve for the rulers and later became a protected bird sanctuary. As its status was upgraded, the official name became Keoladeo Ghana National Park, but the older name remains common in many references. The other options are bird sanctuaries in different states and are not former names of this park.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Keoladeo Ghana National Park is near Bharatpur in eastern Rajasthan. Step 2: Remember that it was historically called Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary before being declared a national park. Step 3: Look at the options and identify Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary as one of them. Step 4: Recognise that Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is in Goa, Khijadia is in Gujarat, and Mayani is in Maharashtra. Step 5: Conclude that Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is the former name of Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification can be done by recalling that UNESCO and many older books refer to the site as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary or Keoladeo Ghana National Park interchangeably. Tourism material about Rajasthan often describes the journey from Bharatpur town to the bird sanctuary. The other sanctuary names are clearly linked to different states and locations. This cross checking confirms that Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary is the earlier name used for this national park.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is wrong because it is located on the island of Chorao in Goa and has always carried that name, not Keoladeo. Khijadia Bird Sanctuary is wrong because it is placed in Gujarat near Jamnagar and is a separate wetland area. Mayani Bird Sanctuary is wrong because it is in Maharashtra and has no historical connection with the park in Bharatpur. None of these sanctuaries are former names of Keoladeo Ghana National Park in Rajasthan.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to see the phrase Bird Sanctuary and choose any option that looks familiar, without connecting it to Rajasthan and Bharatpur. Another pitfall is confusion between different bird sanctuaries named after famous ornithologists such as Salim Ali, which may appear more prominent in news or textbooks. To avoid such errors, memorise major park name changes, for example Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary becoming Keoladeo Ghana National Park.

Final Answer:
Keoladeo Ghana National Park was formerly known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary.