Ranthambore National Park is one of the biggest and most renowned national park in Northern India. The park is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan, which is about 130 km from Jaipur. Ranthambore National Park is one of the eleven sites chosen for Project Tiger, India's national tiger conservation program. The park comprises more than hundred square miles of deciduous forest and several large lakes, and until 1970 it was a hunting preserve of the maharajas. Today the Ranthambore National Park terrain is a major wildlife tourist attraction that has attracted the attention of many wildlife photographers and nature lovers. During the summer months the park was closed and we saw no tigers (the tiger pictures in the adjoining slide show were borrowed from the Internet.)
> Ranthambore Fort and Ganesh Temple
A formidable fort, Ranthambore Fort, and has been a focal point of historical developments of Rajasthan. It is situated near Sawai Madhopur town in Rajasthan. It is surrounded and lies within the famous Ranthambore National Park which was formerly the hunting grounds for the Maharajahs of Jaipur before Indian independence. The fortress of Ranthambore was founded in 944 by the Tatu Meenas. The fortress commanded a strategic location, 700 feet above the surrounding plain.
The fortress changed hands many times since its constructions. The fortress passed to the Kachwaha Maharajas of Jaipur in the 17th century, and it remained part of Jaipur state until Indian Independence. The area surrounding the fortress became a hunting ground for the Maharajas of Jaipur. Jaipur state acceded to India in 1949, becoming part of the state of Rajasthan in 1950. Inside Ranthambore Fort there are three Hindu temples dedicated to Ganesh, Shiva and Ramlalaji constructed in 12th and 13th centuries from red Karauli stone. There is also a Jain temple of Lord Sumatinath (5th Jain Tirthankar) and Lord Sambhavanath (3rd Jain Tirthankar) within the premises.
> Drive to Umaid Lake Palace Campsite
After breakfast we drove approximately 4 hours over a very bumpy road to a lakeside camping area. To get the full flavor of India we are to spend the night in a tent. The plan was to drive to a campsite among the lands used by local farmers. The description was “ Sunrise magic when fields are illuminated with iridescent sunshine. Mustard blooms, in season, resemble thousands of buttercups waving in the breeze.” Nice description but the fields we were to camp in had been flooded and “un-campable.” We were rerouted to the Umaid Lake Palace complex where tents had been set up.
Along the way we stopped and visited with a family (tribe) of sheep herders. These encounters really make traveling wonderful.
The city of Dausa is situated in the north-eastern region of Rajasthan, a region also known as Dhundhar. The region was rulled by the Chauhan (10th Century AD) and the Kachwaha ruled from 996 to 1036 AD. Tikaram Paliwal & Ram Karan Joshi were freedom fighters from Dausa during the fight for independence. After independence Paliwal was the first elected Chief Minister of Rajasthan in 1952 and Joshi the first Panchayati Raj Minister of the Rajasthan state. Sant Sunderdas (1653-1689) was a saint, poet, philosopher and social reformer of medieval India. He was born in Dausa and composed about 48 famous Grantha (sacred Sikkism texts.) Interesting - when we came to Dausa a tight-rope walker and his family had set up a show as a way to make money.
> Umaid Lake Palace and Campsite
The tent-camping was an experience. Look at the pictures – a tent with running water and toilets. Why sleep in a tent when there was this beautiful palace? I took some pictures inside the Umaid Lake Palace Hotel and we would have been happier to sleep in the palace. Adventures are not all they are cracked up to be.
The palace is designed in the traditional Rajasthani style can accommodate up to 300 people and can entertain more than 1000 guests in the mughal style push garden with fountains and breathtaking landscape and beautiful flowers. Located on the Jaipur-Agra highway the palace was built by the late Umaid Singh Rathore with his son Surya Pratap Singh. It is designed in the Mughal as well as Rajput style of architecture.
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