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Ranthambhore is a small village near Sawai Madhopur (10 Kms) and is named after the two hills, Ran and Thambhor which are in close proximity. The ancient fort is built on the Thambhor hill, and is believed to be the oldest fort in the state. The massive gates and mighty ramparts of the fort have faced many attacks valiantly. The chivalry of King Hammir who faced Alauddin Khilji, is still remembered. The fort houses many palaces but most of them are in ruins. The most interesting and famous site in the fort is the temple of Lord Ganesha (Elephant God). The fort forms the backdrop of the famous Ranthambhore National Park, which is nestled in the lap of Aravalli and Vindhyan ranges. It is a success story of 'Project Tiger' and can almost guarantee tiger sightings, although we were not so lucky. The best times to visit the park is November and April.
Chittorgarh is the pride and glory of Rajasthan. The town is known for its glorious fort which can be singled out for its glorious past and valor. The fort is perched on a 180 meter high hill, covering an area of 700 acres and can be reached through several gates. The fort is studded with several historical monuments and memorials, the important one's are Vijay Stambh (Pillar of Victory), Kirti Stambh (Pillar of Fame), Rana Kumbha's Palace, Padmini Palace (Padmini was the queen and was said to be very beautiful. The story goes that her husband was friendly with the Mughal emperor who caught a glimpse of her on one of his visits to the palace and desired her. He attacked the kingdom and when the Rajputs lost the war, Padmini along with all the other women who were wives of the soldiers killed in the war jumped into a fire to save their honor.), Meera and Kumbha Shyam Temple. (Meera was a very well-known devotee of Lord Krishna. The story goes that one day when Meera was a small girl she happened to watch a wedding procession and asked her mother who would be her husband. Her mother gave her a statue of Krishna and told her that was her husband. Meera was completely in love with the statue and considered Krishna to be her husband all her life. She was married to a Rajput king who, it is said, was quite upset by her behavior and tried to kill her a few times but Krishna saved her each time.). The imposing fort has witnessed some bloodiest battles in the Indian history, three great sieges, and some of the most heroic deeds of valor, which are still sung by the local musicians.
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Today we went on safari to Ranthambore National Park. |
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Just a shot through the woods. |
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A bit hard to see, but this is a cat print. That's cat as in tiger. |
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A nice pond. |
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Yes she did have her coffee. |
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Bison, or something like that. |
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Oh deer. |
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Look, it's the Palace on Wheels! |
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A slightly different auto. |
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"Brother, can you spare a banana?" |
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Ummm, moving right along... |
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Up on Chittorgarh fort, looking west. |