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Ranthambore National Park is
situated in India. s northwestern state of Rajasthan,
 near
the town of Sawai Madhopur, midway between Bharatpur
and Kota townships. It is surrounded by the Vindhya
and Aravali hill ranges and is very near to the outer
fringes of the Thar Desert. The entire area has
sprawling tracts of the desert and semi-desert
vegetation. Originally a hunting ground of the
Maharaja of Jaipur, Ranthambore was declared a game
sanctuary in 1955. In 1980, it became a national park
and listed among the reserves protected under Project
Tiger (1973). Presently the Kaila Devi Sanctuary, also
famous for its tigers, and Mansingh Sanctuary also
form part of Ranthambore Reserve.
Ranthambore
National Park sprawls over an estimated area of
400 sq kms. Steep crags embrace a network of lakes and
rivers, and a top one of these hills, is the
impressive Ranthambore Fort, built in the 10th
century. The terrain fluctuates between impregnable
forests and open bushland. The forest is the typically
dry deciduous type, with dhok, being the most
prominent tree. The entry point to the Ranthambore
National Park, goes straigh t 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 Padam Talab, the Raj Bagh Talab and the Malik Talab
are some of the lakes in the area, that attract the
tiger population. They have been spotted at the edges
of these lakes, and Jogi Mahal itself. Old crumbling
walls, ruined pavilions, wells, and other ancient
structures stand witness to the region's glorious
past. The entire forest is peppered with the
battlements and spillovers of the Ranthambore Fort -
tigers are said to frequent these ruins, too. 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 Sambar
around the lakes.
 The terrain is rugged and there are rocky ridges, hills and open valleys with lakes and pools. Ranthambhore is an oasis of dense dry deciduous forests amidst a vast tract of semi arid scrub and thorny desert vegetation surrounded by the hills of the Vindhyas and the Aravalis. Although latest reports show that the tiger population of Ranthambhore is on the decline, it’s still one of India’s best places to see the great cat in all its glory. |
