Ranthambore Travel Guide

Ranthambhore Fort 

The history of Sawai Madhopur revolves arround the Ranthambhore Fort, which is surrounded by Vindhyas and Aravallis, amidst vast and arid denuded tracts of Rajasthan. Ranthambhore name came from the two hills, Rann and Thambor which are in close proximately of each other. Fort lies on an isolated the Thambhore hill and 481 metres (1578 ft.) above sea level and Rann is adjoining the  hill of Thambhore which covers some breathtaking views and the entire top of a hill at the heart of the Park.

The Ranthambore Fort spreads over an area of 7 kilometers in circumference and includes an area of nearly 4 square kilometers. The fort had many buildings inside of which only a few have survived the ravages of wars and time. Among the remaining ruins, the two pavilions, Badal Mahal , Dullah Mahal, 32 Pillared Chhatri and Hammirs court give an idea of the old grandeur.The Fort also has many cenotaphs, mosques,temples, barracks, step-well and gates. All around the fort you can see many old ruins with remnant of walls are mute testimony of past.For water supply there are two rain fed reservoirs in the fort. The fort is surrounded by massive stonewalls which are strengthened by towers and bastions. The entire stone for masonry work has been mined from fort area itself and the mines were later turned into ponds for water storage.

Ganesh Temple

The Ganesha Temple is major attraction of the Ranthambhore fort, Thousands of people come here from every corner of the country,and seek blessings from the Lord for happiness and prosperity. The Ranthambore Ganesh Temple is very old temple and located at Ranthambore fort. It is very heart touch place for devotee and visitors. Ranthambore Ganesh Temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha, and around 12 kms from Sawai Madhopur.It is said that; in 1299 AD, there was a war between King Hammir and Alauddin Khilji.A good day to visit the fort is Wednesday, the day of the Lord Ganesh, when a lot of local people visit the Ganesh temple.One interesting aspect is the mail that is sent to Lord Ganesha consisting mainly of wedding invitations. These letters are delivered daily by the local postman. The Fort is good place for bird watching. There are large numbers of birds, Langurs, the odd small cat and elusive Fishing cat use the area.

Chamatkar Jain Temple

The Shri Digambar Jain Atishaya Kshetra Chamatkarji is situated in the historic city – Sawai Madhopur of Rajasthan,which is surrounded by beautiful hills of Arawali mountain Range. The temple is situated only at a distance of about 3 km from the Railway station. Chamatkar Temple is a superlative place for those who belong to Jain religion. One of the most well known pilgrimage site for Jains all love the world, the Chamatkar Temple is one of the most famous Jain Temples in the city. The word 'Chamatkar' means miracle. It has such a name as there are a number of miracles attached to the temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Adinath. The prime attraction of the temple is the number of Jain Tirthankaras idols (24 Guru of Jain). There is also a belief attached to the temple. It is believed that wishes made at this temple are always fulfilled.

Kala Gaura Bhairav Temple

The Kala Gaura Bhairav Temple is one of the famous and unique temples in Sawai Madhopur city. It is a very exotic temple made in a unique style that practices kriyas by tantric. This is a unique temple and probably one of the few temples in the country where Tantrik rituals are practiced. The temple is a Nagara architectural style of temple with curvilinear structure built slicing a hillock. The temple originally belonged to the Bhairav brothers. They were known as Kala bhairav and Gaura Bhairav. The idols of both are found inside the temple. In fact the both the brothers are worshipped by thousand of devotees. Inside the temple you will find idols of Lord Ganesha,Goddes Durga and Lord Shiva along with the idols of Bhairav brothers.Ganesh idol at Kala Gaura temple is a rare thing in Indian culture. The temple houses the idols of Lord Ganesha and his entire family. It is believed that all ceremonies go well if you send an invitation to Lord Ganesha in this temple. Wedding invitations from different parts of the country were piled up inside the temple. We were amazed to know that the main priest reads out all invitations before the idol of Lord Ganesha. The place is visited by number of tourists all round the year.

Amreshwar Mahadeo Temple

Amareshwar Mahadeo Temple on the way to Ranthambhor National Park and approx 7 km from Railway station. This is oldest Shiva temple popularly known as Amareshwar Mahadeo It is located in the middle of high hills and is considered as a sacred temple. The Temple is one of the major religious attractions near the town of Sawai Madhopur with the beautiful green hills. Amareshwar Mahadeo is around 1200 years old temple as old as Ranthambhore Fort. Apart from its religious and historical significance, the temple has emerged as a major picnic spot for the residents of Sawai Madhopur with enchanting waterfall, nullah and beautiful groves in its vicinity during rainy season. There are different bath areas for men and women. The Temple attracts a number of tourists because of the surrounding natural beauty.  

Black Buck Sightseeing

Village Devpura is a home to the beautiful Black Buck, Devpura is approx.14 km from Sawai Madhopur.The black buck (Antilope cervicapra) is an antelope species native to the Indian Subcontinenl.Males and females have distinctive coloration. Male blackbucks are dark brown, black, and the belly and eye rings are white and have long twisted horns, while females are fawn-coloured (light-brown) with no horns.The horns of the black buck are ringed with one to four spiral turns, with rarely more than four turns. They are not found in the National Park.They generally live on open plains in herds of 15 to 20 animals with one dominant male. They are very fast. Speeds of more than 80 km/h (50 mph) have been recorded.Their chief predator was the now extinct Indian cheetah. They are now sometimes preyed upon by wolves and stray dogs.The diet of the blac kbuck consists mostly of grasses, although it will eat pods, flowers and fruits to supplement its diet. The maximum life span recorded is 16 years and the average is 12 years.During the drive to village Devpura for black buck you can take a chance to see idle village life and culture. A walk around the village is an interesting option also, you can observe bandhani and lahariya, and block printed textiles, silver jewellery, wood, and carpets made by local women.

Bird Watching

Ranthambore is popularly known as the Tiger reserve of the north-west, but one is surprised to find that Ranthambore is also a sustainable habitat for migratory birds that arrive during the winters, courtesy the large water bodies in the park and around area. Apart from the migratory birds the resident birds of Ranthambore are a sight to treasure. The reserve is home to over 300 species of birds. A keen birder can easily count net over 120 species in 3 days. Though the park is great for birding but the restrictions that are placed inside the Ranthambore National Park, may not appeal to the very serious birders. Bird watching tours are done by a jeep or canter safari inside the park. Some of the best locations for bird watching in the park are - Malik Talao, the Ranthambore Fort, Rajbagh Talao, Padam Talao and Jhalra area.There are some great birding spots outside the park and here one can walk around, which you cannot do inside the park. In fact, some of the best birding areas are on the outskirts of the park is Soorwal Lake, Mansarowar Lake, Amlideh (Banas River) and Helipad area.

For more details log on to : http://www.ranthambhorenationalpark.in/LocalAttraction.aspx