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About Ranthambore
National Park |
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The great virgin jungles of Central
India were an awesome gift of nature which have been vandalized
and largely destroyed over the years. What survives is but a
small portion of its northwestern extremity.
This region, with its relics, is a
historically important reminder of the misty past. The fort of
Ranthambore was the center of a Hindu Kingdom which was invested
by Allaudin Khilji's army in 1301 A.D. He later defeated its
king, Raja Hamir, and the Rajput, women are reputed to have
committed the terrible ritual of sali in the fort. However, the
area soon slipped back into the hands of the Rajputs and again
became a powerful kingdom. The Mughal Emperor, Akbar, invested
it in 1569, the year after he took the fort at Chittor, and
conquered it in 40 days of warfare
The Kachchwaha rulers of the
principality of Amer (later known as the Jaipur state) received
the fort from the Mughals and it remained with them till 1949
when Jaipur state was merged into Rajasthan. The forests around
the fort, then' known by the name of the nearby township of
Sawai Madhopur, were the private hunting grounds of the
Maharajas of Jaipur. Among the most famous of their hunting
parties was one organized for Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of
Edinburgh in 1961. It was thanks to the desire to preserve game
for sport that the forest and its inhabitants first received
protection and thus survived long enough to be rescued by
Project Tiger.
In 1972, it was estimated that
there were 1827 tigers in India, of which Rajasthan had 74 and
the number of tigers estimated in the Ranthambore Sanctuary's 60
sq miles (155 sq km) was 14. That year saw the launching of
Project Tiger and this sanctuary, named after the fort, became
one of the eight sanctuaries and national parks of the new
project. Over the years, the sanctuary has become a national
park with a core area of 158 sq miles (410 sq km) with a tiger
population of 40 according to the 1986 census. In 1984, an
additional area of 40 sq miles (104 sq km) of adjoining forest
was designated the Sawai Man Singh Sanctuary, after the late
Maharaja of Jaipur.
Friendly Tigers: Ranthambore is
famous for its tigers and justly so. Over the last decade, as a
result of strict preservation, tigers have become more and more
active during the day, thus giving the lie to the earlier belief
that they are nocturnal animals. More than in any other park or
sanctuary in India, tigers are now encountered here in broad
daylight. They have lost all fear of humans and are quite
unperturbed by their presence.
Besides hunting in broad daylight
as well as at night, some other unique aspects of tiger behavior
have been observed and photographed. Once, for instance, a
magnificent large male hunted openly from the thickets on the
edge of the lakes and ran down its sam bar prey in the water. A
tigress too indulged in similar behavior. There have been
instances when a tiger and a crocodile from the lake have
confronted each other. On one memorable occasion a tiger battled
with a crocodile over a sambar carcass and finally took
possession of it in broad daylight, after a long fight.
It was generally believed that
tigers arc solilary creatur'eS and only the mal her's tllk care
of their cubs so long as these are unable to care for
themselves, and tigresses with cubs were seen only rarely. Here
too their behavior seems to have undergone a change. In 1986,
two tiger families, one with two cubs and another with three,
have been extremely trusting of human presence in jeeps and have
been observed for long stretches of time in jungle clearings in
broad daylight, even when the cubs were but a few weeks old. The
family with three cubs includes a large male which seems to have
chosen to live with the cubs without being aggressive. In fact,
this male is also seen with another tigress in the same Bakaula
nala region from time to time.
Because of such tiger activities,
Ranthambore is probably the best park in which to photograph
them. In recent times it has become a center of attraction for
wildlife photographers from all over the world. Sighting a tiger
can never be a sure shot, but here one comes as close to it as
is possible.
Other Predators: This park also has
a large population of panthers which are the second largest
predators of this forest. The prey species of tigers and
panthers overlap, and because of possible conflicts between
them, the latter are found more often on the periphery of the
park. Kachida valley accounts for the highest number of
sightings of these cats. They do not appear to be as fearlessly
diurnal as tigers have become and therefore their sightings are
not as frequent.
Another interesting feature of the
park is the visibility of marsh crocodiles in and around the
lakes. Over the years, their number has increased and these
reptiles, eight to 10 feet (2Y2-three meters) in length, are not
uncommon. They are easily seen in the water or basking on the
shores of the lakes. Often they are seen crossing from one lake
to another. Interestingly, they eat dead sam bar on land and try
to drag the carcass into the water, even during daylight hours.
Other predators in Ranthambore are
hyenas, jackals and jungle cats. Caracal too have been recorded.
The last sighting of wild dogs was way back in 1954; it is not
known why they have disappeared from these forests completely.
Ranthambore has sloth bears which
one may encounter while driving through the park. Lakarda and
Anantpura are the areas where they are seen most often.
Sambar are seen everywhere and in
large herds around the lakes. They are in hard horn and at their
best during the rutting period in the winter months, though
their antlers tend to be smaller than those of their,
counterparts in Central India. Sam bar are known to wallow in
and like water, but here they can be observed in water for
hours, eating and swimming in the lakes. Actually, one would
expect such behavior from barasingha rather than sam bar.
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Chital are extremely common
throughout the park and they come to water in their hundreds
particularly in the warmer months. Nilgai too are found all over
the park with the greatest concentration around the lakes; they
roam in smaller herds than those of sambar and chitaI.
Sounders of wild boar can be seen
around the lakes with an occasional chinkara (Indian gazelle)
also coming along. Among others, Indian hare and mongoose are
most visible on the edge of the water. Monitor lizards are
common though shy; they are usually quick to notice vehicle
movement and, by the time one notices them, they are scampering
off to their burrows,
Though this park is famous for its
animals, it is rich in birdlife as well, Bonelli's eagle,
crested serpent eagle, great Indian horned owl, gray partridge,
painted partridge, sand grouse, quail, spur fowl, common pea
fowl, tree pie, paradise flycatcher, pheasant-tailed jacana,
painted stork, black stork, white-necked stork, spoonbill and
green pigeon are am<mg the resident birds of the park. In
addition, during the winter months, the park receives migrant
visitors, primarily a variety of ducks.
These forests are around the
Aravalli and the Vindhya ranges, each of which has distinctive
geological features. The forest is of typically dry deciduous
type with dhok being the most prominent tree. Ronj, ber, salai,
occasional mango groves, palm trees, banyan and pipal trees give
it a character all its own.
Photographer's dream: The entry
point to the National Park from Sawai Madhopur town takes the
visitor to the foot of the Ranthambore fort and the forest rest
house Jogi Mahal. India's second-largest banyan tree rules
supreme here with its visiting langur troupe. In front of the
forest rest house is Padam Talao (tank) which takes its name
from the water lilies in it. At the far end is the Raj Bagh
Talao followed by Milak Talao which dries up in summer. These
lakes attract considerable concentrations of ungulates which in
turn attract tigers. On several occasions they have been seen
from the edge of the lake and Jogi Mahal itself, hunting or
resting in the water. Drives around these lakes are a wildlife
photographer's dream. From Jogi Mahal one can take pleasant
drives to Nal Ghati and Lahpur through the enchanting Dhok
Avenue, to Bakaula. and Anantpur via Lakarda, or to Kachida
valley and Anantpura. These are the most frequented routes
visitors take and both morning and evening outings are rewarding
as animals are active at that time. A jeep is a must as the
forest roads make it rather tough going at places.
The park is studded with remnants
of its historic past. Old defensive walls, wells, mosques and
other structures bear mute testimony of kingdoms and battles
long forgotten. Overgrown with pipal trees, they blend with
their natural surroundings, thus lending to it an incomparable
charm. Raj Bagh, a quadrangle with baradaris (sitting areas)
between Padam Talao and Raj Bagh Talao, is a mixture of
architectural styles with ruins of fountain systems and
apartments. Tigers have often been seen roaming about freely in
these ruins and some visitors have been lucky enough to be able
to photograph them in these unlikely Le surroundings. The whole
forest is dominated by the massive battlements of Ranthambore
fort - worth visiting even an for its own sake.
Ranthambhore 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.
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. |
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