Sariska Tiger Reserve

Despite the rough and arid conditions prevailing in the state of Rajasthan, it is home to some of the most magnificent and rare flora and fauna. Rajasthan holds in its heart some of the most exotic national parks and wildlife sanctuaries, where the animals and plants rejoice in their natural habitat. Besides providing a scenic beauty that is elegant and wondrous to all, the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries also make our Royal Rajasthan a popular tourist destination.

Spread over a massive area of 866 sq. km, the Sariska Tiger Reserve,in the Alwar district of Rajasthan is an Indian National Park, formerly a hunting reserve,that was granted the status of a tiger reserve in 1978, post its recognition as a wildlife sanctuary in 1955. Regality prevails in the air of Rajasthan, and this is showcased well in the Sariska Tiger Reserve, which is known all over the world for its grand Royal Bengal Tigers who have been successfully relocated, as is clear from their growing population in the reserve.

Apart from nurturing a plethora of flora and fauna, the Sariska Reserve dates back its story to some of the fascinating anecdotes in Indian history. The Kankwadi fort, originally built by the then king Jai Singh II is centred near the heart of the park. It is said that the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh in the fort, in order to attain the throne, by hook or by crook( which is obvious!). The place is also said to be the retreat of the mighty Pandavas, the sons of King Pandu of Hastinapur, when they were exiled. The Neelkanth temple, the buildings associated with the kings of Alwar, such as the Sariska Palace, a royal hunting lodge of Maharaja Jai Singh.

Coming back again to the point in which we concentrate our discussion, the wildlife and botanical elements of the park, Sariska is home to a variety of exquisite creatures. Starting with the leopard, jungle cat, striped hyena, sambhar, nilgai , chinkara- the list just goes on and on. The diverse vegetation that includes the Dhok tree,Sal,Kadaaya,Ber,Gol,Dhak compliment the fauna pretty well.

The spectacular scenic beauty and the calm and tranquil environment is sure to make anyone fall in love with Sariska!!

Bhangarh Fort

Situated in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, the Bhangarh fort, they say, is not for the faint-hearted people. Rated as the most haunted place in the whole of India this fort demands some nerve on your part to make a visit to this place. A legion of myths and stories hang in the air here, the credibility of which has a double question mark (??) after it. There is only one way to know the truth of this place and that is by visiting this place in person.
The roads leading to the Bhangarh fort are surrounded by mountains which are undoubtedly by picturesque but perilous at the same time given the fact that the roads are somewhat narrow and very few people pass you by on the road. Once in the vicinity of the Bhangarh fort, you will reach a point where you will be greeted by the following instruction by the Government of India, engraved in a somewhat cheap tin and wood hoarding (such hoardings being ubiquitous in all parts of India):

INDIAN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY

“No vehicles are permitted to enter the fort beyond this point. Park your vehicles outside. Failure to comply with this instruction can have serious legal consequences.”

So, after having parked your vehicle outside and advancing some distance you will be greeted by yet another hoarding engraved on which this time are statutory warnings, the most conspicuous of which is:

NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO ENTER THE FORT AFTER SUNSET OR BEFORE SUNRISE

(Scary, is it?). This warning does give you a feel (however faint) that something is horribly amiss here and the fact that a number of tourists complain of the air here being heavy with something peculiar leading to a strange feeling in their gut, does not help. However, if you do succeed to keep the negative emotion and thoughts of fear inspired by this place at Bay, you will come vis-a-vis with surreal beauty of the Bhangarh fort.

The entrance of the Bhangarh Fort sports a map which guides tourists around the place. The fort beautifully unfolds before your eyes and greets you with a plethora of things: an ancient market called the Jauhari Bazaar, ruins, Havelis, gardens and a number of temples. Besides all these, in particular, one umbrella-like structure on the hill, stands out. Popularly known as the `Chattri` it is believed to offer magnificent views of the fort.

So, if there is not, as the hackneyed phrase has it, a cowardly bone in your body and you embrace danger and adventure like an old chummy, we invite you to put the Bhangarh Fort on your `To visit` list. And as to whether this place is haunted or not, we leave that to your discerning powers. Go figure!