Back to Story Index

On SAFARI in RAJASTHAN

RANTHAMBHORE NATIONAL PARK

Rajasthan, India

Text and Photography by Robert Watson

The valley stretched before me, the lakes shimmering in the afternoon sun.
Beyond the thick forest flecked with the ruins of palaces and summer pavilions
of previous maharajahs, a patchwork of savannah grassland swept to distant
valleys and hills. Cliffs towered like citadels above this hypnotic scene with an
ancient fort perched like an eagles nest overlooking this beautiful sanctuary.
I had arrived at Ranthambhore to find the Bengal tiger.

Ranthambhore National Park is 10 kilometres from Sawai Madhopur in eastern Rajasthan. I caught the early morning train from Delhi and had a five hour trip to Sawai Madhopur to realise the almost ritualistic anticipation that precedes train travel in India. I saw the plains of eastern Rajasthan as the train travelled through Bharatpur and Bayana and past the imposing Bayana Hills and Ranthambhore Plateau - some of the oldest remnant mountains in the world. Ancient temples are dotted through the landscape, in green fields and capping the highest mountain peaks. The fields are cultivated with mustard bush for cooking oil production, the lush green and yellow colours contrasting starkly with the rugged mountain topography.

I was met at the station and taken to the Sawai Madhopur Lodge, a luxurious and comfortable hotel operated by the Taj Group which was the hunting lodge of the former Maharajah of Jaipur. The lounge, dining and drawing rooms of the hotel are resplendent with photographs and hunting trophies from a (thankfully) bygone era. Guests can choose to stay in well appointed, safari-style tents with attached bathrooms, or magnificent hotel rooms with a style reminiscent of yesteryear. Tariffs at the Sawai Madhopur Lodge range from Rs3000/AUD$125 to Rs4000/AUD$166 per day including three scrumptious meals.

I wasted no time hiring a jeep and set off for Ranthambhore National Park for the first time. Visits inside the park must be made in authorised jeeps with a driver and park ranger. A jeep that carries up to six passengers plus driver and guide costs Rs600/AUD$25 per visit, as well as a small charge for park entry. The jeeps are open, affording good views of everything around you. Our trail took us past a gigantic banyan tree down to Padam Talao (Padam Lake) and the rose coloured Jogi Mahal, originally a residence for the temple priest. The drivers and park guides are very attuned to the park and it's inhabitants, and I often found myself watching them as well as the forest surroundings for their reactions to the sights and noises of the park.

Languishing at the edge of the lake were three crocodiles. Chital (spotted deer) drank from the lake a safe distance from their potential predators. To see wild animals in their natural habitat so close and secure in the presence of people gave me a twinge of immense pleasure - perhaps a sign that, despite humanity's efforts to eradicate so many species of wildlife, both contrived and otherwise, there is an opportunity for an ecocentric balance. As we moved further around the lake I became more alert, realising the potential for wildlife lurking under every tree and bush and along the lake edge.

The four tracks through Ranthambhore dissect the park north, south, east and west, showing the varied topography and fauna, while leaving large areas for the animals where people seldom visit. Our track this day took us to the next lake, Rajbagh Talao, where a small herd of chital were grazing or relaxing in the shade. Further along gave us the first sighting of sambar deer, the most plentiful prey of the tiger at Ranthambhore. Sambar are brown or fawn and much larger and stronger looking than chital and always alert for danger signs that might indicate a predator. They paid us little more attention than a cursory glance.

I caught a fleeting glimpse of my first predatory cat. A small jungle cat, hardly bigger than a large domestic cat with distinctive pointed ears, had darted off the road into the long grass. I started "seeing" tigers wherever there was orange coloured vegetation, which was rather plentiful in a deciduous forest at the end of autumn!

Travelling along the track we passed ruins of ancient pavilions, small palaces and hides. The keen eyes of the guide picked up numerous peacocks, chital, sambar, as well as a first sighting of nilgai antelope. The nilgai (blue cow) is India's largest antelope and is similar in size to a small horse with a sloping back and head shape, not unlike that of a kangaroo. We spotted a cow with twin calves moving through broken forest not far from the road.

The track wound through a densely forested valley and over steep hills until we turned back towards the lakes. We arrived back at another of Ranthambhore's lakes, Malik Talao, not long before sunset to what seemed almost an orchestrated display of Ranthambhore's fauna. On an island near the shore, above the ruins of an ancient summer palace, were two large trees whose branches were heavy with herons. Around the lake are a mired of birds. White egrets in their hundreds on the banks and paddling in the shallows, lifting their long legs daintily out of the water with each step, their reflections mirrored in the still water. Kingfishers sat on the tree branches over the water searching for fish.

A grey heron perched on a branch silhouetted by the reflection of the pink Jogi Mahal in the water. Red-wattled lapwings scurried along the waters' edge searching for food. Sambar waded in the water breaking up the mirror reflection of the heron. In the background cliffs, rose like citadels above this hypnotic scene, the outline of Ranthambhore Fort in the setting sun completing this fairytale picture.

Over the next few days I had four more trips into Ranthambhore. One morning our jeep was first into the park in the crispy pre-dawn which meant we would see any fresh pug marks (tiger or leopard tracks) on the tracks before they were disturbed. Tigers are soft-footed and often move around along the man-made tracks in the park particularly when the off-road terrain is rough or prickly. As we drove along the eastern side of Padam Talao and Jogi Mahal in the early morning light, the guide, Subhash, pointed out the pugs of an adult leopard, undisturbed and very fresh. Leopard pugs are smaller and a different shape to those of the tiger. We spent many hours listening in silence for any alarm calls from the leopards' potential prey, however peace reigned.

According to the guides there is an equal chance of tiger sightings at both times. In the mornings you are more likely to come across a tiger or leopard with a kill made during the night, and in the evenings the increased movement of prey in the park is an enticement for the predator to also be on the move.

On one afternoon trip, we were parked near the Lakarda water-hole watching a troop of langurs feeding in the trees. Underneath the trees was a herd of chital enjoying the vegetation falling to the ground because of the langurs activity. In the distance we heard what Subhash said was the unmistakable warning call of a sambar. The call was repeated several times putting the nearby chital on full alert.

We made our way in the direction of the warning calls, stopping occasionally to listen for more signs there may be a tiger on the prowl. As we drove through an area of small trees near the road in front of us were two sambar stags circling each other around the small trees. Both stags were in a lather of sweat and breathing heavily, their huge antlers breaking small branches off the trees as they moved around. We were witnessing the closing stages of a fight. The stag appearing to be in the best condition stood his ground. Occasionally the defeated stag stopped and looked back at the victor, who made no move to chase or continue the fight. Finally the defeated stag who was tiring of his "face-saving", delayed retreat, moved off through the forest. Even when he was out of sight, we could still hear the crashing of his antlers breaking tree branches. The remaining stag turned and moved off in the other direction to claim his prize - a sambar hind waiting in the bushes.

Ranthambhore is one of a series of sanctuaries in India under the supervision of Project Tiger, an international organisation attempting to reverse the decline in world tiger numbers due to human encroachment into their habitat and poaching for the valuable tiger body parts. In the past, the presence of the tiger has inspired many journeys to India. However, unlike the hunting parties of the past, today's visitors to "tigerland" are armed with cameras and a desire to merely gaze upon the king of beasts. I had five trips into Ranthambhore and did not see a tiger however, I feel as though I have at least had a feel of "tigerland". Perhaps next time I'll see the tiger - it doesn't seem so important anymore. Simply knowing they're there, reigning supreme in their domain, is enough.

TRAVELfile

GETTING THERE
Air India and Qantas from Australia. Train from Delhi or Bombay to Sawai Madhopur.

 WHERE TO STAY
Deluxe range - Sawai Madhopur Lodge on Ranthambhore Road, offers luxury with traditional hotel rooms or well appointed safari-style tents in the spacious grounds. Facilities include, excellent dining, pool, bar, lounge and drawing rooms with extensive library and open fires for winter.
Mid range - Ankur Resort Hotel on Ranthambhore Road has comfortable rooms with attached bathrooms and air- conditioning. Reasonably priced vegetarian meals in an open dining area. Well maintained garden area.

CLIMATE
Winter temperatures vary from an average minimum of 5 C to a maximum of 25 C. Summer temperatures are from an average 20 C to 42 C. The monsoon or "wet" season starts in mid June through to late September. The Ranthambhore National Park is closed during the monsoon.

VISA & MONEY
3-month visitors visa from Government of India Consul General, Sydney or contact your local Government of India Tourist Office
Exchange rates vary between about 22 and 27 rupees per Australian dollar. Major credit cards accepted in most places however best to carry some traveller's cheques and a little cash.

INFORMATION:
In Australia contact: Government of India Tourist Office, Level 2 Piccadilly, 210 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Telephone: (02) 9264 4855 Fax: (02) 9264 4860

Back to Story Index