The Garh of Tigers
by Shweta Bhardwaj
It was a regular humid and hot afternoon in the jungle that day; we were patiently and quietly sitting on our jeep looking across the small lake. As one of the member in the second safari jeep pointed towards a set of bushes across the same lake and shouted “There it is! I see it” The atmosphere became tenser. I looked at our guide, he was quiet too. (We were sitting here with our guide with the intention of spotting a Tiger) He pointed towards the trees and bushes across the lake and said “yes, looks like he is planning to charge and make a kill” Then I noticed the frantic sound of birds and monkeys in the area where they all were pointing. Suddenly birds took off from the trees and one of the deer grazing in the lake made the ‘Alarm call’. It is a typical call that animals like monkeys and deer make to warn the herd of the presence of the beast in the area. It was the most desperate and chilling call that can be heard for several kilometres. After this yelp, I saw the entire deer herd (that was enjoying in the lake) running for their life. The calmness and quiet of the jungle was destroyed now. The lake water made sounds, birds in the sky were disturbed, Monkeys hooting and Deer herd galloping and piercing through lake water. Then I saw it! The tiger! Finally, it appeared running and jumping from one of the side bushes on the land and then into the water. Unfortunately, I could not capture him in my camera but clearly managed to capture the fearful deer running for their lives.
What a majestic creature! That hunts with Precision, Planning and Speed. We were very fortunate to see this majestic creature hunting in Zone- 3. Being there and observing the hunt from a distance, we could sense the fear that the prey (deer & sambars) felt while running for life in the lake. This bolt happened after one member from the herd made the call and informed others of the danger.
Ranthambore National Park sits in Sawai Madhopur District of south-eastern Rajasthan. It’s almost an eight hour drive from New Delhi to Ranthambore and we reached our destination about half past midnight.
Nature is purely magical in its own way and I experienced it’s magic when we were driving through the Jungle area at night. It was a different feel altogether, a once in a lifetime experience for me!! This drive was one such unforgettable one! On our way to the park we saw a pack of deers crossing the road before us and disappearing in the thick forest in the moonlight. No words to describe the view and the moonlight.
We stayed at Ranthambore for three days. One day to visit the national park, second day to see the Ranthambore fort and the famous Trinetra Ganesh Temple and the third day to relax and be lazy for a change. In order to have a true Jungle experience we stayed in tents, in the village itself (very near to the national park and the fort).
Although the approach to the fort and the jungle is a bumpy, man made, hilly road but one can already feel being inside a densely forested area surrounded by hills. Before saying hello to the king of the Jungle, We spotted various species of birds and animals, like; Cheetal, Black bucks, Neelgai, Langoors, beautiful peacocks, Wood peckers,common kingfishers, Bayas, Bulbul, Mynas, and Quail etc. I was amazed to see a family of quails crossing the road in front of us. That was a beautiful sight indeed. Mama Quail leading the three chicks behind her.
Some of the animals and birds showed curiosity towards the tourists entering their territory and some behaved as if they have been eagerly waiting for you to click their pictures, especially the Langoors. An interesting thing to note about them was that all of them were so used to humans visiting their habitat that they were least bothered and continued doing what they were busy with.
Climbing the stairs at the Ranthambore Fort gives you the feel that you have travelled back to the olden times. The raw yet beautiful view of the national park from the fort, the lakes, peacocks dancing with their feathers open in all their grace, baby Langoors playing, birds chirping, all this kind of captivates you and takes you back to the times of King Hammir (The ruler who got the fort built in olden times) for a moment. While walking through the fort you cannot stop imagining how the life would have been during those times. We were fortunate enough to see a kitchen utensil made of stone, which must have been used at large family functions/ occasions etc by one of the families settled inside the fort in the olden days. It lay there as one of the remains of what could be a house inside the fort.
The view of the national park from the fort is breathtaking. If you wait patiently and spend some time at the stairs going upwards (inside the fort) and the weather is nice, you can actually spot peacocks dancing in the jungle below near the lakes. As locals say that one can spot a dancing Peacock in the jungle only when the breeze flows cool indicating that it is about to rain soon. Catching a glimpse of two peacocks dancing like that confirmed on our prediction of rains that day.
Another important beautiful thing about this fort was the Shiva Temple that we visited. Not many people know of it though. The small room with the huge shiva lingam is pitch dark but is definitely breathtaking. Once inside, you can feel the pure positive vibes. Ranthambore fort is famous for housing another temple called ‘Trinetra Ganesh’ Temple and many people still come here to worship. I got to know from our guide that till date people send the first invitation for a wedding in the house to the deity Ganesha here.
Explore Rajasthan with Tiger Safari at Ranthambore
Wildlife Ranthambore Tiger safari Tour With Agra and Jaipur 04 Nights 05 Days
If You Go:
♦ The distance by road is approx 8 hours from New Delhi to Ranthambore (via Jaipur). It is approx. 440 km from Delhi.
♦ Nearest airport is in Jaipur, 150 km away by road. The town Sawai Madhopur has excellent rail connections with metro and other cities in India.
♦ The park is open to tourists from October to June. A lot of migratory birds visit the part during winters, therefore winter months are excellent for wildlife viewing.
About the author:
Shweta is an HR professional and a travel blogger, she loves to write about places that she visits, people that she meets and every day things that touch her. She has a travel blog at www.travel-lanes.blogspot.in
All photos by Shweta Bhardwaj:
Deer Pack running for life as they were attacked by the tiger
Nature’s another beautiful creation – Peacock
Mama Quail leading her chicks – This was captured in our camera on our way back from the fort
Animals are used to having humans around – This Langoor sat as if it was posing for my camera only
View of the national park as seen from the fort
After a 75-minute flight from Shenzhen, we arrive in Guilin, Guanxi Autonomous Region, taxi to our hotel and arrange our river trip through the hotel concierge. Luggage deposited, and ready for lunch, Snow suggests we b-line for one of many street shacks to enjoy some of Guilin’s famous rice noodles or mifen (mee-fnn). We dollop the noodles with our choices of self-serve condiments: soybeans, scallions, fried peanuts and pickled white radish in chili sauce. This bargain-priced specialty’s spicy, seasoned broth simmered for hours, makes it.
We depart early for our four-hour river journey from Guilin to Yangshuo. Tourist vans and buses fill the adjacent parking lot. Hundreds line up for tickets. A fleet of boats nestled in the harbour braces for the throngs. Chinese tourists, as well as those from other countries, flock here. Once aboard, we navigate towards the front of the two-level boat where others gather, cameras clicking.
The magical passage ends in Yangshuo where rows of open-air market stalls greet us: souvenir scroll paintings, bamboo items, ethnic minority handicrafts and vibrant pashminas.Yangshuo’s famous Xi Jie (West Street) oozes with shops for tourists to leave a few Yuan. Prices are flexible.
The next day Zhao will take us to Xingping. His uncle has a raft there. We need to see the karst terrain up close and more personal before we leave.
We board the Xingping minibus at Yangshuo’s bus terminal. A regional centre in 265 AD, Xingping was replaced by Yangshuo around 590 AD. We stride past architecture reflecting history – flying eaves and black tiles on sloping roofs dating back to the Qing and Ming dynasty. Goal-focused Zhao hurries us through narrow, uneven streets, heading for the pipe-raft docks along the Li River.
After a tasty snack of dried fish, we motor back to Xingping. We pass the karst scene on the back of Chinese 20 Yuan note, a panoramic arrangement of taller karsts on either side of lower, background ones. We say farewell to Zhao’s uncle and race to catch the last minibus of the day returning to Yangshuo, again trying to keep up with Zhao.
Still untouched by the modern tourism industry, this place was originally a popular hill station for Britishers (during pre-independence). Situated at an altitude of 1,706 metres (5,686 feet) enroute Kotdwar-Pauri road, it was founded and named after then Viceroy of India, Lord Lansdowne in 1887. Only 250 km from Delhi, this place is surrounded by tall, thick oak and blue pine forests. Lansdowne is not yet stained by tourists. Its tranquil and pristine beauty unlike other hill stations (like Shimla, Moussouri etc) is still intact. If you ask me, I would say it is an ideal place to ‘Do nothing’, just relax and spend time with your family or loved one. There are very few resorts n hotels which are situated a few kilometres prior to the hill station, all promising a mystique view of the valley. The one that we stayed at had a 180 degree view of the valley in front.
The sunrise and sunset are mesmerising here. Being born and brought up in city life, I never realized how beautiful and impactful these acts of nature could be. For me, it was this sheer magic of Nature that I thoroughly enjoyed watching. I used to get up around four in the morning daily so that I didn’t miss the sunrise. To me this was the time when one could see all the possible shades of LIFE present on earth. Valley view is awe-inspiring, especially this time of the day. The sound of wind blowing swiftly, pine trees moving to the rhythm of wind, the colourful flower beds; all this makes it so peaceful that one feels a sense of calm and tranquillity here. Truly, a get- away from the hustle- bustle of fast moving city life. Just to stress on the peaceful time-mobile phones and internet don’t work here.
If you are a nature loving person who enjoys a trek to an unknown village down the hill, who likes the feel of being surrounded by huge mountain trees like-oak and pine, love waterfalls, zigzag mountain roads, then, this is the place for you. The magnificently changing colours in the sky during the sunrise each day that I witnessed, is still embedded in my memory. Sunrise every day seemed a different mix of colours, formation of clouds, surrounded by vibrant flower beds and mountains all around. And to describe about the view after the sunset- small individual houses scattered at a distance in the mountains and flower beds would change to ‘twinkling stars’ in darkness (lights of the houses in the valley as seen from far away gives this impression)
For those who are interested in sightseeing here, temples, churches, museum and a lake can easily be covered in a day. The famous Garhwal Rifles of the Indian Army has its command office here. The War Memorial at the Parade Ground of the Garhwal Rifles Center is another attraction for the visitors. Other places of interest around the city are ‘Tip-n-Top’ (one could see the mountain view of the western Himalayas from here), Santoshi Mata Temple, Bhulla Taal (a man-made lake), St. Mary’s Church, Tarkeshwar Mahadev Temple. The temple is 36 km from Lansdowne and is at a height of 1,800 m, this place is known for its temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. Surrounded by thick forests of deodar and pine, it is another aw-inspiring place because of the beauty of nature, it is believed to be one of the Siddha Pithas (ancient holy sites for Hindus). The temple place is surrounded by thick blue pine forests, oak trees and dense Deodars. The spectacular feature of this place is that even at this high altitude, there are many water pools, flowing continuously. My fascination here, were the bells surrounding the temple vicinity, both big and small. This gave a special identity to the temple.
Claims of visibility from the Moon are fanciful, too. Several astronauts have stated that’s erroneous … but in the 18th Century, nobody had been to the Moon, so couldn’t contradict Mr. Stukely.
But, that early wall was not of the construction we’d recognise today. The wall builders generally used whatever resources were available locally … wood or stone, in areas in which it could be easily won; stamped earth where it wasn’t readily obtainable.
In fact, reconstruction of the wall as we know it now, didn’t commence until 1348 … over 20 years after Marco Polo’s death … when the Ming dynasty came to power. They were especially troubled by the raids of the Mongol tribes from the north, and, as a defence against these, the wall was strengthened, and, in some places, re-aligned.
In addition, of course, barracks, stables and armouries had to be provided at frequent intervals.
Naturally, the more easily accessible sections of the wall, especially around Beijing, were maintained and, if necessary, repaired. At least one guidebook grumbled that one stretch of wall ‘ … looked like it had been pointed yesterday’. It probably had.
It is also the city where the strong and mighty river Ganga (after emerging from the mountains) touches the plains and runs in a calmer flow. Lots of people come here to find their inner peace. Some stay for longer period in various Ashrams (spiritual monastery) and follow Yoga and study ancient Hindu scriptures. Some like me, prefer staying for 2-3 days and soak in whatever that this place offers. Every time I visit Haridwar, I prefer to simply sit quietly at the Ghats (a series of steps leading down to the holy river water) in the mornings and evenings. Sitting there and dipping your feet in the cold river water compels you to sort of meditate and turn over in your mind. Believe me it is a feeling that forces you to yearn for calm & peace. The touch of cold river water, gentle breeze and Sadhus meditating, helps to take you to the state of tranquil & quiet. Early mornings have a serene calmness about this city with prayer chants being sung almost everywhere you look.
Haridwar has been a centre of attraction for learning various arts, science & rituals for many ages. Home to multiple small temples scattered all over the city, Haridwar is famous for its evening ‘Ganga Aarti’ (ritual of worshiping river Ganga) that happens daily around 6:00 pm at the main Ghat called ‘Har ki Pauri’. If you are there, then you must head towards ‘Har ki Pauri’ (footsteps of God) in the evening and attend the ‘Ganga Aarti’. It is a prayer that is sung to River Ganges every evening as per Hindu rituals.
Watching Aarti here is an indescribable experience that one can understand only if one experiences the same. It is a beautiful spectacle of sound, light and prayer recitals that definitely compels you to ponder thoughts like – God and you! Supreme almighty’s impression/presence in things around you! As soon as the aarti starts, the lamps, recitals and the entire atmosphere takes you to a more spiritual level. After it finishes, people present their offerings of flowers and diyas (lamps) into the river and within minutes the Ghats lit with tiny diyas floating into to river.
I had heard a lot about these rituals from my father earlier. So, during one such visit with the family at Haridwar, I was ready with my camera and reached the famous Ghat on time. There were lot of people around, tourists (who could be distinctly identified holding their camera), locals who come daily to attend the aarti, Sadhus and Pundits. While waiting for the Aarti to start, I noticed a funny looking man dressed in bright red and orange clothes, holding peacock feathers in his hands. He was walking aimlessly yet smiling at every person. He wore a vibrant coloured pagri (head gear) on his head, wore kajal (kohl) in his eyes and long tika (mark) on his forehead and stood out differently to the rest of the crowd. I requested him for a picture and he gave a broad smile, gestured with a stately pose for my camera and then went away.
