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Ranthambore National Park offers a perfect getaway far from the madding crowd,
Tired of the city life with its inherent plumes of toxic smoke and jostling crowds? Looking for the perfect getawayfromit all? Well, it is none better than a wildlife sanctuary. A number of tourists are now shunning the crowded hill stations and are flocking to these sanctuaries, which provide a superb ambience of the jungle life. One of the finest sanctuaries in North India is Ranthambore. It is a three-hour drive from Jaipur through the countryside stretching out forever with occasional patches of civilisation. Though there are direct trains from Delhi, Mumbai and Jaipur (Sawai Madhopur being the closest railway station), the journey by road is the most rewarding. The road from Jaipur to Ranthambore is in the middle of nowhere with only the passing camels to keep you company. At Ranthambore the scenery is simply breathtaking. It is altogether an indefinable feeling to be in a forest, which was formerly the private hunting grounds of maharajas. The main fort is immersed in history. The Ranthambore Fort stands in solitary splendour, touched with shades of pink and purples with the glow of the setting sun covering the sky. Built on a cliff this stone structure stands silhouetted against the skyline. A short drive into the forest and one is in the midst of the wildlife sanctuary. The game park covers a sprawling expanse of 400 sq km of deciduous forests and is one of the finest wildlife sanctuaries in the country. Though a number of tigers have been killed of late, this sanctuary still has around 35 tigers, 50 leopards, 130 sloth bears, 9,000 sambar, cheetal and deer. Besides, there are chinkara, nilgai, serpent eagles and baboons. There are also exquisite varieties of birds like the Darter water-bird and the royal white owl, sighted at the night.
The park also abounds in rich foliage and trees of different species. There is an abundance of peepul, dhok and banyan trees, a natural boon to animals in the sweltering heat of summer. A slickly produced catalogue informs the tourists that there are over 300 different trees, 50 aquatic plants and close to a 100 species of wild foliage, along with 272 species of birds and 30 species of mammals, including a dozen or more species of reptile and fishes. The park is dotted with lakes and water bodies replenished by the monsoon every year. Jogi Mahal, the famous rest house here is situated on ones such lake called Padam Talao, which forms a chain with two others, Rajbagh and Malik Talao. Originally a home of a sage, from where it got its name, Jogi Mahal is ideally situated and offers good boarding and lodging facilities and an excellent view of the animals near Padam Talao. In fact, the situation of the fort is such that it overlooks the activities of the forest. In Ranthambore sighting of tigers has become relatively easy now, due to a gradual behavioural change over the years. Having seen the tourist population grow, the tigers have shed their elusiveness and are now seen stalking the lakes oblivious of the people who flock to see them. Originally known as Ranathambapura, the fort’s history dates back to the 11th century and there are stories of courage and valour attached to this fort. Various romantic legends have been passed on from generation to generation that contributes to the aura of this fort. According to one such tale, the fort was attacked in 1381 and thousands of women committed johar, or mass suicide, a custom followed by the Rajput women to avoid the disgrace of being captured by the enemy. Historical records show that the fort was besieged by a multitude of generals, including Qutubuddin in 1209, Allaudin Khilji in 1301 and Feroz Shah Tughlaq in 1530. It was also annexed by Akbar from 1558 to 1559. Much later in the 19th century, Ranthambore was converted into a jail fortress where prisoners were executed by hurling them down the steep walls of the fort. The fort is protected on all sides by the imposing structure of the ramparts. Being on high ground one has to climb a considerable distance to reach the ironknobbed gate. On entering the fort one comes across remnants of palaces, temples, tanks, tombs and mosques. Hamir Palace, too, has seen innumerable battles. The present inhabitants of this fort are the pujaris of the temples and the villagers who occupy a part of it. Here, modernisation manifests itself in the gaily coloured chaat and mither thelas, tea stalls decorated with silver and gold streamers and parrot green chairs thrown around the numerous dhabas which have sprung up and are the only rashes of ugliness in this otherwise superb place. But then the civic authorities are totally oblivious to these ugly sights surrounding this historical sight. No effort has been made to clean up the place for tourists. There have been several overtures by private institutions to make new hotels around the area but to no avail. Surely that may be one way of offering people a clean hygienic vacation and more so of holding on to 1,100 years’ old history. With the added advantage of the sanctuary, this fort could attain if not all, at least some part of its former glory. — NF
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