Mysteries of Rajasthan Part 2

The Wildlife

Rajasthan is a heaven for wild life as it ranges from the barren desert, scrub-thorn arid forests, rocks and ravines to wetlands and lush green forests. Each of these areas houses a large variety of animal and bird life, some of them rare and some endangered. The jungles and dessert are home to tigers, leopards, black bucks, chinkaras, the rare desert fox, the endangered caracals, the great Indian bustards, gavials, monitor lizards, wild boars, Sambhars, nilgais etc. The land is also host to migratory birds like the common crane, ducks, coots, pelicans and the rare Siberian cranes, falcons, buzzards, imperial sandgronse. Rajasthan boasts of two National parks, over a dozen Sanctuaries & two closed areas.

Koeladeo Ghana National Park- This park is the largest bird sanctuary in Asia. The rare near extinct Siberian Cranes visit no other waters in India except the marshes of Keoladeo, Mammals like Sambhar, black buck chital, niglai, fishing cat, otter & mongoose also roam about freely here.

Sariska Tiger Reserve- The reserve is dominated by sharp cliffs of the hills and the narrow valleys of the Aravallis. Tiger’s sambhar, chital, nilgai, four horned antelope, wild boar and common langur can be spotted here.

Darrah Sanctuary- This sanctuary established from Kota is hilly terrain with thick forests. The animals here include wolf, slothbear, chinkara & leopard.

Kumbhalgarh Sanctuary- This is perhaps the only sanctuary, where Indian wolf is breeding successfully, the sanctuary also support leopard, sloth, chow singha, sambhar, hyena, flying squirrel, crocodiles & a variety of birds.

Ranthambhor National Park- Here Sanbhar, chital, chinkara, nigai, wild boar and common langur provide a spectrum of prey range for the resident tigers and leopard & jackal. Sloth bear & hyena also live in this unique habitat of dry deciduous forests.

Jai Samand Sanctuary- Jaismand Sanctuary harbors sloth bear, leopard, chital chinkaras, crocodiles, wild boar and variety of birds in open forests on the adjoining hills.

Mt. Abu Sanctuary- It is home to the common langur, wild boar, sambhar, leopard & grey jungle fowl, besides a number of flowering trees.

Desert National Park- The wild life wealth here comprises fox, desert cat, hare, spiney tail uromastix and sand fish. Thousands of sparrows, imperial sand grouse, bustards, falcons and eagles migrate here during the winter. Best time to visit is September to March.

The Forts

The glory of Rajasthan’s past is well preserved in the majestic forts and palaces. Braving the unmerciful desert winds and oppressing heat of the scorching sun, they have stood invincible against many-a-sieges……..>

Amber Fort - Raja Man Singh built Amer Palace in 16th century. It is a blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture. The Amber Fort was used by the Rajputs both for defense purpose as well as the residential purposes. Within its walls, there are fascinating gardens and magnificent palaces made from marble and precious stones, richly decorated with intricate stonemason works and paintings, which represented royal splendor and luxury.

Chittorgarh Fort- The Rajput style of architecture is clearly visible in the fort, which is said to be the Gahlot and Sisodia ruler of Mewar. Named after Chittrangad Mauraya, the magnificent fort rises 150 m above the surrounding region. The entrance of the Chittorgarh has seven massive gates, the two towers known as the 'Kirti Stambh' (Tower of Fame) and the 'Vijay Stambh' (Tower of Victory) along with several temples, reservoirs, and palaces dating between the 9th and 17th centuries.

Jaisalmer Fort- It is more than 800 years old. Made of golden yellow sandstone, the fort stands in the heart of the Thar Desert. The intricately carved stonework in its palaces and havelis marked the old city of Jaisalmer. The fort, amongst the amber hued sands of the city, is surrounded by the fortification walls and 99 turrets. The four entrances of the fort, Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, Bhoot Pol and Hawa Pol, lead you to havelis with the most delicate, latticed windows and a group of Jain temples that date back from 12th century to the 15th century.

Jal Mahal Palace- of Jaipur is made of red sandstone intricate architecture casting beautiful reflections in the calm waters of the Man Sagar Lake, full of hyacinths. Surrounded by Nahargarh Hills, Jal Mahal is known for its majestic architecture and sophisticated design. Set opposite the cenotaphs of the royal family, the first four floors of Jal Mahal is under water and only the top floor is above the water level.

Junagarh Fort- was built by Raja Rai Singh. The fort is surrounded by a high wall and deep moats. There are 37 bastions guarding the fort with only two gates as the entrance pathway to the fort, the main one being the Suraj Pol or the Sun Gate.