A
small village near the township of Sawai Madhopur, in the state of
Rajasthan, Ranthambhore gets its name from the two hills, Ran and Thambor,
which are in close proximity. The Ranthambore Park is set between
the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges. Its deciduous forests were once a part of
the magnificent jungles of Central India. The terrain is rugged and there
are rocky ridges, hills and open valleys with lakes and pools.
Ranthambhore
is a heritage site because of the picturesque ruins that dot the park. There
are lake palaces, 'chhatris', old fortifications and a majestic
1,000-year-old fort overlooking the park. The lovely Jogi Mahal is located
at the foot of the fort and gives magnificent view of the Padam Talao,
painted white with water lilies.
It has a chequered
history and was the stronghold of the Yadavas in the 8th century.
It came under Chauhans, and was ruled by them 10th century onwards. The
Mughal emperors Akbar and Aurangzeb also occupied the magnificent fort. The
park is famous for tigers and due to conservation efforts, the tiger
population has stabilized if not increased here. The tigers can be spotted
quite often even during the day, at their normal pursuits-- hunting and
taking care of their young ones.
Ranthambhor is one of
the best places to see these majestic predators. Old crumbling
walls, ruined pavilions, wells, and other ancient structures stand witness
to the region's glorious past. The entire forest is peppered with the
battlements and spillovers of the Ranthambhore fort - tigers are said to
frequent these ruins, too.
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Major Attractions of Ranthambore |
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The Jogi Mahal : The entry point to the
park, goes straight to the foot of the fort and the forest rest house, Jogi
Mahal. The latter boasts of the second-largest Banyan tree in India.
The Badal Mahal : The palace of the clouds,
situated in the fort has a very interesting location and seems as if hanging
out in space. The famous 84-column 'chhatri' of King Hammir stands out
magnificently where he used to hold an audience. The Padam Talab, the Raj
Bagh Talab and the Milak Talab are some of the lakes in the area worth
seeing.
Ranthambore National Park : Ranthambhor National Park is
an outstanding example of Project Tiger's efforts at conservation in the
country. The forests around the Ranthambhore Fort were once, the private
hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The desire to preserve the game
in these forests for sport was responsible for their conservation, and
subsequent rescue by Project Tiger. In 1972, it was estimated that there
were around 1927 tigers in India, of which Rajasthan had 74, and the number
of big cats in Ranthambhore Sanctuary was 14. 1972 was also the year that
Project Tiger was launched, and this sanctuary was taken into its wings,
alongwith seven other sanctuaries and national parks.
As a result
of stringent efforts in conservation, tigers, the prime assets of the park,
have become more and more active during the day. More than in any other park
or sanctuary in India, tigers are easily spotted here in daylight. They can
be seen lolling around lazily in the sun, or feverishly hunting down Sambhar
around the lakes. Therefore, Ranthambhore is probably the ideal park for
wildlife photography, and it does attract professional wildlife
photographers, from all over the globe.
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Places to Stay in Ranthambore |
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Jhoomar Baori Forest Lodge, RTDC Hotel Kamdhenu, Sawai
Madhopur Lodge, PWD Rest House are some of good accommodation options
available at Sawai Madhopur. Jogi Mahal is another accommodation place that
lies within the park premises.
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How to Get there |
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Air : Jaipur (145-km) is the nearest
airport.
Rail : The Park is around 11-km away
from Sawai Madhopur railway station, that lies on the Delhi to Bombay trunk
route.
Road : A good network of buses
connects Sawai Madhopur, the nearest town, with quite a few areas around.