Ranthambore
General Information
About 180 kms. to north-east of Jaipur,
along the rolling hills of Vindhyas
and Aravali ranges lies the town of
Sawai Madhopur. The town founded in
1765 AD was named after its founder
Sawai Madho Singh-I of Jaipur.Today
Sawai Madhopur is known for Ranthambhor,
a Wildlife reserve and a place of historical
importance.
The Muslim conquest brought about
major changes in the political map of
northern India. In Rajasthan, the Chauhan
kingdoms of sapadalaksa and Nodal dis-appeared,
Govinda the grandson of Prithviraj Chauhan
established himself at Ranthambhore
and ruled as feudatory of the Sultan
of Delhi. Following disturbances after
the death of Iltutmish, Vagbhatta besieged
the fort of Ranthambhor. He then ruled
from here for 12 Years waging continuous
battles against the Sultanate. Rao Hamir
was yet another figure who carved a
niche for himself. In the annals, it
is only now and then do we come across
men of such heroism. Rana Kumbha captured
the Ranthambhor Fort the middle of the
15th century. After the death of Aurangzeb,
the fort was taken over by the rulers
of Jaipur..
Main
Sightseeing of Ranthambore
Ranthambore National Park
: This Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger
reserve under Project Tiger was a
hunting reserve of erstwhile Jaipur
state in pre-independence days. It
was declared as a Sawai Madhopur wildlife
sanctuary in 1955 and taken up under
the Tiger Project in 1973.
It was notified as a National Park
in 1980. The Project Tiger area has
been extended to cover Keladevi Sanctuary
in 1991. It is one of the Original
areas under Tiger Project. Although
the smallest of the Project Tiger
reserve Ranthambore has an impressive
range of animal species. Since coming
under Tiger management these hills
at the junction of the Aravallis and
Vindhyas ranges have been restored
to their full dynamism. The climate
is subtropical dry climate with an
average annual rainfall of 800 mm.
The temperature ranges from 2°
C in January to 49° C.
Ranthambore Tiger reserve at the
junction of the Aravalis and the Vindhyas
is a unique juxtaposition of natural
and historical richness, standing
out conspicuously in the vast, arid
and denuded tract of eastern Rajasthan,
barely 14 kilometres from Sawai Madhopur.
It spreads over a highly undulating
topography varying from gentle to
steep slopes from flat-topped hills
of the Vindhyas to the conical hillocks
and sharp ridges of the Aravalis,
from wide and flat valleys to narrow
rocky gorges.
An important geological feature,
the ‘Great Boundary Fault’
where the Vindhyas are brought against
the much ancient Aravalis, meanders
through the Reserve. A 1000-year-old
Ranthambhore Fort of great historical
importance is atop a high hill. Remains
of the historical past cenotaphs,
tombs, stepped-wells, summer palaces,
etc., have all merged harmoniously
into the sprawling forest. Pure stands
of Dhok(Anogeissus pendula) interspersed
with open grasslands at the plateaus,
vast meadows in the valleys and lush
mix vegetation along nalas constitute
the forest. There are three big lakes
– Padam Talav, Malik Talav and
Raj Bagh in the vast tract. Though
a delicate ecosystem, Ranthambhore
is dynamic in the diversity and density
of fauna it supports. Tiger is the
important of the fauna in the park.
Ranthambor Fort :
The history of Sawai Madhopur revolves
around the Ramthambhor fort. Surrounded
by Vindhyas and Aravalis, amidst vast
and arid denuded tracts of Rajasthan,
lies the oasis of biomass in an ecological
desert, the Great Ranthambhor . No
one knows when this fort was built.
The strength and inaccessibility of
the fort was a challenge to the ambitions
of the rulers of the ancient and medieval
India, particularly those of Delhi
and Agra. The eminent ruler of the
fort was Rao Hamir who ruled around
1296 AD.
History relates that none of the
rulers had a peaceful spell in spite
of its strong geographical strength.
Remnants of marvelous architectural
monuments, ponds and lakes enlighten
avid lover of the subject. The soul
of this great fort inspires patriotism,
valour and love. Every part reflects
the ancient character of Indian culture
and philosophy. There are various
places of historical interest inside
the fort namely Toran Dwar, Mahadeo
Chhatri, Sameton Ki Haveli, 32 pillared
Chhatri, Mosque and the Ganesh Temple.
Ranthambhor Ganesh Temple
: Ganesha Temple is major
attraction of the Sawai Madhopur,
thousands of people come from every
corner of the country come over here,
and seek blessings from the Lord for
happiness and prosperity. One interesting
aspect is the mail that is sent to
Lord Ganesha consisting mainly of
wedding invitations. A fair is held
on Bhadrapad Sudi Chaturthi over here.
Amareshwar Mahadeo Temple
: On the way to Ranthambhor
National Park, nestled amidst the
high hills is the sacred Amareshwar
Mahadeo temple. This is a famous picnic
spot in Sawai Madhopur .
Go to Top
Excursions
from Ranthambore
Rameshwaram Dham
: 60 kms. from Sawai Madhopur
on the onfluence of Banas and Chambal
river is Rameshwaram. It has a beautiful
Shiva temple where a fair is held annually
on Shiv Ratri.
Chamatkar Temple
: The ChamatkarJi Temple Situated
on the main road railway station to
Sawai Madhopur city . This temple is
famous for many miracles. The name ChamatkarJi
means the deity who performs miracles.
A fair is held here on 'Sarad Poornima'
every year.
Kala-Gaura Bhairwa Temple :
On the right side of the city gate touching
the heights of mountains lies a 'Tantrik'
of Bhairava. Big elephants with raised
tusks on its gate. Main attractions
are the Kala-Gaura Bhairvas dressedin
'Tamasi' and 'Rajsi' styles respectively.
Khandar Fort
: Khandar fort is the fort
of Taragarh of nmedieval times, it lies
40 Km. of Sawai Madhopur. There are
no evidences regarding the construction
of the fort but one thing is certain
that the fort was at its peak in the
12th century. It has been constructed
on the basis of ancient Indian architectural
standards. By virtue of its situation
on the vertical high hill it was difficult
for the enemy to attack the fort,so
it has been termed as an invincible
fort.
ChouthMata Temple
: 25 kms. from Sawai Madhopur
and situated on a hill near Chauth Ka
Barwara town is the famous temple of
Mother Goddess. It is a very famous
temple.
Shiwad Temple
: Shiwad Temple is known for
the Ghushmeshwar Mahadeo temple dedicated
to Lord Shiva. Thousands of people come
here to seek blessings of Lord Shiva
for prosperity. An imposing fort perched
on a small hill is an added attraction
of the place. .
How
to reach Ranthambore?
By Air : The nearest
airport for Ranthambore is at Jaipur
(145Km).
By Rail : The nearest
railway station is in the nearby town
Sawai Madhopur which is 11km away.
By Road : Well connected
by roadways to nearby towns..
