The Land Of Legends

If a book was to be written about India’s relationship with the Bengal tiger, it would be incomplete without a chapter about Rajasthan. As much Rajasthan is famous for its Maharajas and their architectural forts, it is also known for some of India’s most famous tigers. The stories of National Parks such as Ranthambore, Sariska and Keoladeo, all of which were famous hunting grounds for the then Maharajas, began on a similar note when they were declared as protected areas.

While Ranthambore’s fame went from strength to strength thanks to illustrious tigers like T-16, T-24 and T-28, all of the tigers in Sariska were  sadly wiped out by illegal poaching. Thanks to conservation and relocation efforts put in by the Rajasthan Forest Department and other authorities, Sariska can once again boast of being home to tigers, with numbers increasing day by day.

The Keoladeo National Park, formerly known as the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, has always been heaven for birders and is one of those few places where visitors can spend days birdwatching. Add to this ancient monuments such as Agra’s Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, and you have the perfect combination of nature and history all in one trip.