¤ A Desired Hub For Great Indian Tiger
The 392 sq km of 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. But recently thanks to the devoted work of some good field staff the forest has been restored to its old glory and is now seen as a much needed stronghold for the tiger which is battling for survival.
What is so special about this Park is the way history and forest have come together to create an amazing landscape not seen in very many places. The rich forest around the fort is littered with ruins that date back to the 10th century. Parts of the fort that lie inside the Park have been reclaimed by nature. Can you imagine the sight of a wild tiger seeking shelter under architectural brilliance on a hot summer day, or a leopard standing majestically on the walls of the old fort?
¤ Park Encompasses The Magnificent Landscape
Ranthambhore has a wide variety of dazzling landscape to offer. The most frequented areas in the Park are around the beautiful lakes where a large number of the wild conjugates. One also gets a chance to drive through rolling grasslands, rushing streams, open scrubs, heavily wooded valleys and through deep ravines walled on either side with steep cliffs.
¤ A Royal Hunting Reserve of Jaipur Maharajas
The Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and as a National Park in 1980, seven years after the launch of Project Tiger. In 1984, the southern and northeast forests were declared as Sawai Man Singh and Keladevi sanctuaries. 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. These forests were the favorite hunting grounds of Prithviraj Chauhana, a Rajput ruler whose hunting zeal took him into other ruler’s lands and consequently into battle! In recent times, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were Maharaja Man Singh’s special guests in 1960.
¤ The Erstwhile People of Ranthambhore
Valmik Thapar in his book The Tiger's Destiny talks of the inhabitants of Ranthambhore fort as people who lived freely and easily in the forest. They revered the sun and the moon and were great worshippers of Vaghdeo, the tiger god who propitiated throughout the forest as lord of the area. They believed in a world of ghosts and spirits and wore a variety of charms and amulets to ward off evil ones. Even today, some of the villagers around Ranthambhore still have a bhopa (medicine man). The older generations remember their worship of the tiger and some cattle herders still ask for the blessings of the tiger god before taking their cattle to graze in the forests.
The indigenous residents of the Ranthambhore forests were a people called the Minas. It was their custom to mark the forehead of a new ruler with the blood taken from the thumb or toe of a member of a particular family in the tribe. This seems to have been an expression of their right to accept or reject their ruler.
¤ Flora & Fauna
The Vegetation In Ranthambhore
Ranthambhore forest is dry deciduous with dhok (Anogeissus pendula) trees as the main vegetation which is an important fodder tree for animals. Kulu (Sterculia urens), ronj (Acacia leucophloea), ber (Zizyphus maudrentiana), khimi (Manilkara hexandra), tendu (Diospyrous melanoxylon), polas (Butea monosperma), peepal, mango and banyan are prevalent in Ranthambhore. But perhaps the most spectacular is the flame of the forest which blooms in April, enveloping the forest in a spectacular fiery red aura. The four lakes in Ranthambhore are surrounded by a numerous species of trees like salar (Boswellia serrata), gurjan (Lannea coromandelica) and gum (Sterculia urens).
The Attractions of Age Old Banyan Trees
Among the more fascinating features of Ranthambhore are the banyan trees, some of which are known to be at least a 800 years old and are mentioned in ancient texts. Ranthambhore can also boasts of the superb specimen of the banyan tree that casts its magnificent canopy behind Jogi Mahal, the old hunting lodge by the lake built in the latter part on the last century by the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Ranthambhore National Park spans an area of about 400 sq km with a tiger population of about 32. The tiger is relatively easier to spot in Ranthambhore than in many other National Parks, thanks to the tourist friendly nature of the tigers and the openness of its surroundings.
The Park also supports a large number of other wild species including leopards, the highly endangered caracal, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, wild boar, marsh crocodile, porcupine, common langur, spotted deer, Indian gazelle, sambar (Asiatic stag) and nilgai (bluebull). Some of these species (especially the nocturnal ones like the leopard and the caracal) are difficult to spot and sightings are rare, but then that is bound to happen when every eye in the Park is looking for what Ranthambhore is best known for – the tiger.
¤ Langur Population
The langur is the only primate found in Ranthambhore and is abundant in these forests. It is not the tiger's best friend. Actually it is a source of great annoyance to the tiger, since it has a remarkable eyesight and from its high perch it can spot the slightest movement; its shrill alarm call effectively warns all the other animals of danger. But if you are looking for tigers you should be listening carefully, a langur’s alarm call or for that matter a chital’s (spotted deer) call might be a good indication of the presence of a tiger in the area.
¤ Sambar
Another animal that is sure to come you way in Ranthambhore is the sambar. It is among the tiger's favourite prey. Largest of the Asiatic deer, the sambar stands some 1.5 metres at the shoulder and weighs more than 270 kilograms.
¤ Attraction of Bird Population
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 varities of birdlife to be found here are the great Indian horned owl, various species of eagles such as Bonelli’s eagle and the crested serpent, spoonbills, partridge, quail, parakeets, kingfishers, owls and storks, geese and ducks. But perhaps 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 Desired Hub For Great Indian Tiger
The 392 sq km of 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. But recently thanks to the devoted work of some good field staff the forest has been restored to its old glory and is now seen as a much needed stronghold for the tiger which is battling for survival.
What is so special about this Park is the way history and forest have come together to create an amazing landscape not seen in very many places. The rich forest around the fort is littered with ruins that date back to the 10th century. Parts of the fort that lie inside the Park have been reclaimed by nature. Can you imagine the sight of a wild tiger seeking shelter under architectural brilliance on a hot summer day, or a leopard standing majestically on the walls of the old fort?
¤ Park Encompasses The Magnificent Landscape
Ranthambhore has a wide variety of dazzling landscape to offer. The most frequented areas in the Park are around the beautiful lakes where a large number of the wild conjugates. One also gets a chance to drive through rolling grasslands, rushing streams, open scrubs, heavily wooded valleys and through deep ravines walled on either side with steep cliffs.
¤ A Royal Hunting Reserve of Jaipur Maharajas
The Park was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1955 and as a National Park in 1980, seven years after the launch of Project Tiger. In 1984, the southern and northeast forests were declared as Sawai Man Singh and Keladevi sanctuaries. 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. These forests were the favorite hunting grounds of Prithviraj Chauhana, a Rajput ruler whose hunting zeal took him into other ruler’s lands and consequently into battle! In recent times, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were Maharaja Man Singh’s special guests in 1960.
¤ The Erstwhile People of Ranthambhore
Valmik Thapar in his book The Tiger's Destiny talks of the inhabitants of Ranthambhore fort as people who lived freely and easily in the forest. They revered the sun and the moon and were great worshippers of Vaghdeo, the tiger god who propitiated throughout the forest as lord of the area. They believed in a world of ghosts and spirits and wore a variety of charms and amulets to ward off evil ones. Even today, some of the villagers around Ranthambhore still have a bhopa (medicine man). The older generations remember their worship of the tiger and some cattle herders still ask for the blessings of the tiger god before taking their cattle to graze in the forests.
The indigenous residents of the Ranthambhore forests were a people called the Minas. It was their custom to mark the forehead of a new ruler with the blood taken from the thumb or toe of a member of a particular family in the tribe. This seems to have been an expression of their right to accept or reject their ruler.
¤ Flora & Fauna
The Vegetation In Ranthambhore
Ranthambhore forest is dry deciduous with dhok (Anogeissus pendula) trees as the main vegetation which is an important fodder tree for animals. Kulu (Sterculia urens), ronj (Acacia leucophloea), ber (Zizyphus maudrentiana), khimi (Manilkara hexandra), tendu (Diospyrous melanoxylon), polas (Butea monosperma), peepal, mango and banyan are prevalent in Ranthambhore. But perhaps the most spectacular is the flame of the forest which blooms in April, enveloping the forest in a spectacular fiery red aura. The four lakes in Ranthambhore are surrounded by a numerous species of trees like salar (Boswellia serrata), gurjan (Lannea coromandelica) and gum (Sterculia urens).
The Attractions of Age Old Banyan Trees
Among the more fascinating features of Ranthambhore are the banyan trees, some of which are known to be at least a 800 years old and are mentioned in ancient texts. Ranthambhore can also boasts of the superb specimen of the banyan tree that casts its magnificent canopy behind Jogi Mahal, the old hunting lodge by the lake built in the latter part on the last century by the Maharaja of Jaipur.
Ranthambhore National Park spans an area of about 400 sq km with a tiger population of about 32. The tiger is relatively easier to spot in Ranthambhore than in many other National Parks, thanks to the tourist friendly nature of the tigers and the openness of its surroundings.
The Park also supports a large number of other wild species including leopards, the highly endangered caracal, jungle cat, hyena, jackal, sloth bear, wild boar, marsh crocodile, porcupine, common langur, spotted deer, Indian gazelle, sambar (Asiatic stag) and nilgai (bluebull). Some of these species (especially the nocturnal ones like the leopard and the caracal) are difficult to spot and sightings are rare, but then that is bound to happen when every eye in the Park is looking for what Ranthambhore is best known for – the tiger.
¤ Langur Population
The langur is the only primate found in Ranthambhore and is abundant in these forests. It is not the tiger's best friend. Actually it is a source of great annoyance to the tiger, since it has a remarkable eyesight and from its high perch it can spot the slightest movement; its shrill alarm call effectively warns all the other animals of danger. But if you are looking for tigers you should be listening carefully, a langur’s alarm call or for that matter a chital’s (spotted deer) call might be a good indication of the presence of a tiger in the area.
¤ Sambar
Another animal that is sure to come you way in Ranthambhore is the sambar. It is among the tiger's favourite prey. Largest of the Asiatic deer, the sambar stands some 1.5 metres at the shoulder and weighs more than 270 kilograms.
¤ Attraction of Bird Population
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 varities of birdlife to be found here are the great Indian horned owl, various species of eagles such as Bonelli’s eagle and the crested serpent, spoonbills, partridge, quail, parakeets, kingfishers, owls and storks, geese and ducks. But perhaps 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.
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