Unable to get away from school, US president Barack Obama's daughters, will have to wait for another time to see tigers in India. Luckily for you, they are just an overnight train ride away
Unable to get away from school, US president Barack Obama's daughters, will have to wait for another time to see tigers in India. Luckily for you, they are just an overnight train ride away
Our six-seater gypsy bounced and rattled along a narrow track as we rapidly closed in on our designated zone within the park.
Passing under the ancient battlements of Ranthambhore Fort, I craned my neck skywards and glimpsed the ancient fortifications on a hilltop high above.
Passing through Misradhara Gate, was like escaping into another world. I felt as if I had been hijacked and thrust onto an Indiana Jones movie set.
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Forts, temples and hunting palaces rubbed shoulders with a pristine natural landscape of lakes and rolling hills to produce an environment like none I had ever encountered.
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It was a truly captivating scene that thrust me back to a bygone era when the Chauhan kings had constructed the magnificent Fort around 900 AD.
Au00a0new set of kings
Our naturalist guide Subhash explained that Ranthambhore National Park took its name from this impressive 10th century fort.u00a0
The fort, dominating an entire hilltop at the heart of the park, is named after the two adjoining hills of Rann and Thambhore.
Seven kilometres of imposing stonewalled fortifications encompass a hilltop fortress that boasts an impregnable location with breathtaking views over the park.
Legend has it that, after successfully resisting a siege by Emperor Akbar's army during the 12th century, King Hamir was betrayed by some of his most trusted soldiers, and a mass suicide followed.u00a0
The fort was abandoned soon after this catastrophe.u00a0 However, a thousand years on, the fort still dominates the scene; only the kings are gone, and the tiger now presides over this kingdom.
Ears to Help
I was one of the more than 100,000 wildlife enthusiasts from around the world that year visiting Ranthambhore National Park, in search of an elusive Bengal tiger. Sitting in the open-topped gypsy I followed Subhash's instructions and kept my ears and eyes peeled.
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I was surprised to hear him say, "You are much more likely to find a tiger with the help of your ears, than your eyes alone. The alarm calls of our forest friends often help us to locate where a tiger is hiding."
He went on to explain that the dry deciduous forests of Ranthambhore make it a prime location for viewing wild tigers in their natural habitat, with the relatively open terrain making it considerably easier to spot them than in many other Indian tiger reserves. "I'm feeling lucky today; I think we will find a tiger this afternoon," he smiled.
The 392 km square core area is part of the much larger 1,314 sq. km square Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve: a flagship park for Project Tiger. However, even though tigers are the modern-day rulers in this corner of eastern Rajasthan, their situation remains precarious.
The previous evening; Goverdhan Rathore, owner of the luxurious Khem Villas Camp, explained, "Severe poaching five years ago, greatly reduced our tiger population." When I asked the inevitable question of how many tigers remain in Ranthambhore, he said the last camera trap census indicated around 31 tigers.
Distress Signal
Our vehicle had stopped and we were watching a family of sambar deer feed in the shallow waters of Padam Talau, when the shrill alarm calls of chital snapped us back to reality. The barks of these spotted deer instantly changed the atmosphere on the vehicle from relaxed to fever pitch.
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"Get going!" yelled Subash to the driver,and we took off around the lake in the direction of the distress calls.u00a0 Soon, we located the anxious deer staring towards a thicket not far from a ruined hunting palace on the edge of neighbouring Raj Bagh Lake. As we sat listening to the chital alarm calls, I silently begged the tiger to emerge.
With lightening speed, a tigress broke cover and charged the startled deer. The herd exploded in every direction as the anxious chital ran for their lives. The tiger zeroed in on two unwary rutting males and was on top of one before he even realised what had hit him. His legs hopelessly flayed the air as she went straight for the throat.
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| In this picture taken in January 2002, a tiger crosses the road in Ranthambore National Park |
Minutes later, the deer was dead and peace returned. The tigress left the carcass and strolled into the shallow lake to slake her thirst. After noisily lapping up some water, she emerged dripping wet to reclaim her prize.
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Turning towards the ruined palace, she disappeared behind a stone wall and melted back into the jungle to enjoy her feast in quiet.
Cooling off in a palace
I was ecstatic. Subhash was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Our gypsy exploded in excitement as we looked at one another's pictures and discussed how beautiful and relaxed she had been.
It is difficult to eloquently capture in words the powerful emotion stirred by such a savagely beautiful encounter with India's super-predator. A fellow guest, ecstatic after his first-ever tiger-sighting, gushed, "My first ever wild tiger!"
I found it especially ironic that, in a bizarre twist of fate, the hunting palace in the heart of Ranthambhore's zone 3 has, in time, become the popular haunt of tigers. As Subhash elaborated, "During the hot summer months, tigers come here nearly every day to sleep on the cool stone floors of the old palace." That the tigers had reclaimed control of their rightful domain, was encouraging.
Dear fateh, thank you for the wonderful tour of ranthambhore yesterday... and for your struggle to save the tiger. i will do what i can to help.u00a0
Former US president Bill Clinton's letter to Fateh Singh Rathore, former field director of the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve
US President Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea tour Ranthambhore National Park with field directors GV Reddy and Fateh Singh in March 2000 during Clinton's six-day trip to South Asia. Clinton saw two tigers on his two-hour safari at the park.
Obama kids will miss the roar
US president Barack Obama's daughters will not be able to see Indian tigers, as they'd expected to this November, even as their parents are likely to visit the Taj Mahal when they come early November. The kids were looking forward to the trip and the chance to spot tigers after US ambassador Timothy Roemer's kids chatted with them about their encounter with four tigers in Ranthambore.
Location
Ranthambhore, along with the gateway town of Sawai Madhopur, lies on the eastern edge of Rajasthan, 440 km to the southwest of Delhi, and 190 km southeast of Jaipur.
Where to stay
There are quite literally hundreds of accommodation options in and around Sawai Madhopur; however, the outstanding Khem Villas Luxury Jungle Camp (www.khemvillas.com), located in a tranquil natural setting on the periphery of the park, is undoubtedly Ranthambhore's best-kept secret. Another recommended option is the Ranthambhore Bagh (www.ranthambhorebagh.com)
What to do
Ranthambhore is one of India's most famous wildlife havens and the primary reason people visit the park is on a quest to find a tiger. Twice-daily, drives provide an opportunity to view a diverse range of animals, including tiger, leopard, sloth bear, antelope and deer, along with the park's prolific birdlife. A maximum of 20 gypsies and 20 canters are allowed to enter the park's five zones, so it is essential to book well in advance. A trip to explore Ranthambhore Fort is another highly worthwhile activity.
How to reach
By train The closest airport is in Jaipur, a 3.5 hour drive away. However, the easiest way is to get to Ranthambhore by train.u00a0 Sawai Madhopur Railway Station is conveniently located on the main Mumbai-Delhi train route and has excellent train connections with most parts of India. Trains are cheaper, faster and more comfortable than the long drive.
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