Travel Ranthambore, India – Tiger Sanctuary

chillibreeze writer — Bijal Vachharajani

A Warm Welcome

I sat there in the cantor, afraid to even breathe or move a muscle. There were twenty-five of us, part of a corporate social responsibility camp and for most it was a first visit to the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve. We had barely gone past the tiger reserve’s gates and were admiring an old banyan tree when Aditya, a wildlife photographer and owner of Ranthambhore Bagh, the hotel where we were put up, pointed out and whispered, “Look, she is up there with her cubs!”

As one, we all craned our necks, and scanned the ruined stone fort-like gate before us. There, framed in a crumbly window was the massive tigress. All we could see was her head, peeping out of the window, like the orange sun. Her yellow eyes calmly took in the medley of people trying to control their excitement. After a moment’s silence, cameras started to whirr, and a couple of people giggled nervously. Suddenly, she ducked, and disappeared below the window to surprised ‘aahs’ from our group. Now all we could see were her ears, twitching around. As abruptly as she had ducked, she came up. The tigress was playing peek-a-boo with us! Mesmerized, we just gazed at this gold and black animal.

After watching this breathtaking sight for some time, we decided to leave her in peace with her cubs. As we drove off inside the park, we turned back. Our last glimpse of her was through the tiny holes in the wall, a wallpaper of gold and black. What a welcome to the land of the tiger, Ranthambhore.

Not Just the Land of the Tiger

Situated in the arid state of Rajasthan, Ranthambhore is the ‘darling’ of tiger reserves, and also one of the last few remaining habitats of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Historically, till the mid 20th century, the park was the Maharaja of Jaipur’s private hunting ground, and after India gained independence, it was nationalized. When Project Tiger was launched in 1972, Ranthambhore was identified as one of the original nine parks marked down for tiger conservation.

From the late Rajiv Gandhi to ex-US President Bill Clinton and the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, everyone has paid a visit to this dry-deciduous forest. Today sadly, poaching, habitat destruction and the loss of forestland is taking its toll on the tiger population, and where earlier Ranthambhore was believed to have 40-50 tigers, it now has barely half this number. Despite the dismal figures, it continues to be a favourite tourist destination. Here as Aditya puts it, you don’t only see a tiger, you have either met Jhumroo, Machhali or Broken Tail, and each guide recognizes the tiger by its name.

At Ranthambhore other than a chance encounter with the tiger, with a dash of luck and patience, you may also come across a sloth bear, a leopard or maybe a couple of mongooses chasing each other or a crocodile basking in the sun. As your cantor weaves around the forest, you see herds of chital deer looking up from their important task of grazing. The nilgai antelope can also be spotted here. Of course, one can just delight in the antics of the playful langurs swinging from trees, chattering away while feasting on fruits or giving an alarm call when they spot a tiger. Bright-eyed inquisitive baby langurs stare back at you as their mothers protectively hug them closer.

The tiger reserve is also a paradise for bird watchers. Bold Tree Pies perch on your vehicle’s windscreen hoping for a biscuit crumb, raptors like the Crested Serpent Eagle or a Black winged Kite soar the skies, and you can hear the ‘tok tok’ ‘of a Golden-backed Woodpecker on a tree while on a branch somewhere a pair of Spotted Owls will stare back at you lazily. A flash of blue near a water body usually betrays the swoop of a tiny White breasted Kingfisher as it dives into the lake to catch fish.

Getting There and Staying There

As you alight at the Sawai Madhopur train station, you immediately take a trip back in time. The quaint station leads on to the market place, where one can shop for trinkets like glass bangles. As you drive from Sawai Madhopur to your hotel, you will be amused by the names of the shops—Tiger Eye, Tiger Moon, Tiger everywhere- a mark of the economy thriving on the area’s key attraction.

The best way to get to Sawai Madhopur, a 10-minute drive from Ranthambhore, is by train as it is well connected by rail from Delhi and Mumbai. Jaipur is the closest airport, and one can rent a car from there to Ranthambhore, which is approximately 130 km by road. Sawai Madhopur is also easily accessible by road from Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.

Accommodations from rooms to luxury tents are available for all budgets, but remember to book well in advance. The best way to travel around the park is by jeep, which is more private, but costlier or an open cantor, which is shared with other tourists. Walking is not allowed in the park. The park timings are 6-9 am and in the afternoon from 3-5.30 pm, but are subject to change.

Best Time to Visit

Ranthambhore can get very hot with cold nights, so prepare accordingly. The park is closed during monsoons, so the tourist season is from October to June. Although summers can be swelteringly hot, they are the best time to sight tigers, as they can be spotted literally ‘chilling’ near the watering holes.

In and Around

Other than the park, a trip to the Ranthambhore Fort is a must. The tiger reserve lies at the foot of the Ranthambhore Fort and derives its name from this monument. The fort was occupied by Raja Hamir and has withstood a lot of wars; even the Akbarnama mentions a visit from Akbar as well. In the evenings, one can walk around the village and shop for some tiger art—the local artists are known for their tiger paintings on paper and cloth. You can also visit neighbouring villages for some bird watching or to just enjoy the local essence. One can also visit Dastakari Kendra, a local handicrafts shop run by village women. Of course after a trip into the magical jungle of Ranthambhore, you can just curl up outside your luxurious tent and stargaze at the clear skies.

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