India:

India Trip

November 2008

Ranthambhore

Ranthambhore National Park is perhaps India’s finest example of Project Tiger, a conservation effort started by the government in an attempt to save the dwindling number of tigers in India. Situated near the small town of Sawai Madhopur, the park has seen its ups and downs, and there were times not so long ago when poachers were having a field day in the park. Recently thanks to the work of a good staff, the forest has been restored to its old glory . Ranthambhore has a wide variety of landscapes not seen in very many places. The rich forest around the fort is littered with ruins that date back to the 10th century. The banyan trees here are known to be at least 800 years old.

Spanning an area of about 400 sq km, the park has a tiger population of about 32. It is said that the tiger is relatively easier to spot in Ranthambhore than in many other national parks due to the open surroundings; however, we did not spot one. The park also supports a large number of other wild species including leopards, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, wild boar, marsh crocodile, porcupine, langur, spotted deer, and gazelle, but it is best known for the tiger.

The langur is the only primate found in Ranthambhore and is abundant in these forests….and we spotted hundreds, even witnessed a huge fight among them. It is not the tiger's best friend. Actually, it is a source of great annoyance to the tiger, since it has remarkable eyesight and from its high perch it can spot the slightest movement. Its shrill alarm call warns other animals of danger. If looking for tigers, listen carefully, a langur’s alarm call or a spotted deer call is a good indication of the presence of a tiger in the area.

Ranthambhore is also rich in migratory, water, and woodland birds. There are about 270 species of birds in the park including a large number of migratory birds. Some of the many varieties of bird life to be found here are the great Indian horned owl, various species of eagles, the crested serpent, spoonbills, partridge, quail, parakeets, kingfishers, owls and storks, geese and ducks. But the most visible bird in Ranthambhore is the peacock, India's national bird. Every evening the peacocks of Ranthambhore line up on the walls of the fort which stands on a cliff above the Park and, after much calling, descend to specific roosting trees for the night.

A most exciting aspect of a visit to a wildlife sanctuary is the safari into the jungles. Riding a jeep with a guide takes about three hours. The best times to view wildlife are the early mornings and evenings, as fixed by the forest department. A network of four tracks crisscross the park. A maximum of three open jeeps are allowed on each trail at a time. There are open-air canters that seat 20 people….(a small jeep that our group took); however, silence must reign so that the animals do not run. The park is open from October to April, after which the monsoons make it impossible to enter forests as the muddy trails are washed away.

A special focus here in the middle of the Ranthambhore sanctuary was our hike to the temple and the fort, a spectacular fortress built more than 1000 years ago. The hike was steep, but the views were stunning. This was where the langur monkey fight took place.

This park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and as a national park in 1980, seven years after the launch of Project Tiger. Before Independence, the forests of Ranthambhore were the preserve of the maharajas of Jaipur who frequently hunted here, and royal hunts go back to the 12th century AD. In recent times, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were guests of the maharajas in 1960.

We spent two nights here in the Nahargarh Hotel, and this was one of the most attractive hotels in which we stayed during our India trip. It was only a few years old and designed and decorated to resemble the old British colonization architecture.

Ranthambhore Photo Gallery

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