Tiger reserve – VAGABOND IMAGES

Ranthambore Fort: Red lake, langurs and a Ganesha with three eyes

Upendra SwamiOctober 25, 20204506 Views11

It is said to be one of the strongest forts in India. It isn’t a surprise as a fort sitting on a hilltop with deep trenches on three sides, surrounded by many other hills covered by severely dense tiger infested forests could have been nothing else but a very formidable one. Currently the fort is right in the middle of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve and National Park. It is said that this region was part of the Chahamana Kingdom of Shakambhari. Shakambhari is where present day Sambhar is. Those who have visited Sambhar Lake will know that there is a very famous and revered Shakambhari temple at Sambhar. The kingdom ruled the many parts of the present day Rajasthan for many centuries until the 12th century. Some historical references say that Chauhans were derived from Chahamanas. Th...

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In memory of a Star on International Day of Forests

Upendra SwamiMarch 21, 20181193 Views2

Star breathed its last yesterday and it is certainly the most disheartening news to hear on the International Day of Forests. Star, also called as Sitara was actually one of the stars of the forests of Ranthambore National Park and Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan. As per news reports Star or Sitara, which was named T-28 in forest records died after being tranquillised. Perhaps a tranquilliser overdose took its life. He was tranquillised in attempts to rescue him from a village in Khandar area on the park's periphery. It is said that this 13 year old male tiger had strayed close to a village where people had surrounded it. Forest officials reached there and in attempts to rescue, tried to tranquillise it. Ironically, the theme of this year's International Day of Forests is : Fores...

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A Den of wilderness

Upendra SwamiMay 13, 20172053 Views2

Its vacation time and also plan some quick trips. Besides regular beach and hill station trips, national parks, especially the tiger reserves are the most preferred ones. For two reasons precisely- it is time to go to tiger reserves before they close for yearly four month monsoon vacation period. Secondly, in this sweltering heat, chances of wildlife sightings around water bodies is more likely. (Read: Some wild moments in Sariska!) Had done quite a few posts about Sariska Tiger Reserve and places around it of lately. Now it is time to look at places of stay.So here is the review of the place, where we stayed- RTDC’s Tiger Den, located at the Sariska Gate of the Tiger Reserve. I have stayed in these government tourism properties at various places across North and had mixed ex...

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Some wild moments in Sariska!

Upendra SwamiFebruary 9, 20172548 Views26

SO finally the cliché of the visit. Earlier four accounts- Bhangarh, Kankwari, Neelkanth and the Birds were quite fascinating and actually different from usual routines of visit to the national park. But then what about the wild inside you? Bhangarh might not haunt you but not sighting a tiger in the tiger reserve is certainly going to haunt you to a certain degree for a considerable duration of time. Purely on that terms Sariska has been third time lucky for me. My first trip to Sariska was almost thirty years ago when tiger safari was not a fancy idea, and second one 17 years ago when tiger was always second in my thought. (What was the first?) But then as I have always said that though its always fascinating to watch a tiger in the wild, but not watching it doesn't creates a sort

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Returning to the tiger in Panna

Upendra SwamiMay 2, 20161794 Views10

Panna tiger reserve has a special place personally for me. I have three personal firsts associated with this national park. It was here that I had my very first tiger sighting in the wild. This was also the place where I had my first and only tiger sighting while sitting on an elephant. Lastly, this is the only tiger reserve where I visited twice and had tiger sightings on both the occasions. And this time around, it was fortunate sighting of two cubs (photo above and below). Unluckily though, their mother remained elusive, although she was around. The gap of almost eleven years between these two visits to Panna had been a period of turmoil for this Tiger reserve. The story of Panna Tiger Reserve has not an ordinary one. A story of all hopes lost to an extraordinary resurrection. By

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

White Tiger: When Mutation becomes Exhibit!

Upendra SwamiApril 7, 20164713 Views8

This might be a very rare happening in the history of wildlife conservation. A gene mutation has become something exotic and an aberration is been celebrated. Perhaps, beauty of a white tiger has lot to do with that. So fascinating that we have gone very far in actually preserving and breeding that mutation. That has brought us to a point where we have world’s only white tiger safari at Mukundpur in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh. The safari was thrown open for public this Sunday. I was there at that occasion. Why Mukundpur? White tigers have association with this region. Although Mukundpur is in Satna district, it borders adjoining Rewa district. Erstwhile royal family of Rewa has been the corner stone of conservation of white tigers. Actually, fact is that there has been no ...

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Tiger population in India rises from 1,400 to 2,226 in 7 years

Upendra SwamiJanuary 20, 2015884 Views0

30 per cent rise in Tiger population since 2010 Tiger population in the country is estimated to be around 2,226, a rise of over 30 per cent since the last count in 2010, according to the latest census report. The total number of tigers were estimated to be around 1,706 in 2010. Tiger population had dipped to an alarming 1,411 in 2006 but has improved since then. Termed as a “success story”, this phenomenon notes that while the tiger population is falling in the world, it is rising in India. Unique photos of 80 percent of tigers Most of the tigers in the world are presently in India. 70 per cent of the world’s tigers are now in India. India has the world’s best managed tiger reserves. India also has unique photographs of 80 per cent of tigers for which around 9,735 cameras were bei...

IndiaPhotogallery

Photogallery: A monkey ‘business’ in Ranthambore

Upendra SwamiJuly 8, 20141259 Views8

They might be most less talked about animal, when it comes to Ranthambore- we talk about tigers, crocs, monitor lizards and much more, but certainly not about monkeys. Although monkeys are integral part of the tiger reserves and ones to give the indication of spotting a tiger, but still here we are talking about monkeys of Ranthambore fort, which is located inside the tiger reserve and is claimed to have only temple in world of Trinetra (three-eyed) Ganesha. Devotees throng this temple, many of them on their foot for kilometres and some do encounter an odd tiger on the way. Well here is a peek into monkey 'business'! ...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Dudhwa sans Tigers

Upendra SwamiAugust 9, 20131143 Views0

Dudhwa Tiger reserve is one of those tiger reserves in India which are loved by conservationists. What else to prove that Dudhwa is known for one of the most popular names associated with tigers in India- Billy Arjan Singh. Dudhwa, not as glamorous as Bandhavgarh or Ranthambore or Corbett, but is a beautiful forest. Don't go there with a single point ambition of seeing a tiger, and you will enjoy much more what the jungle has to offer. Dudhwa is located in Kheri district of Uttar pradesh in the terrain bordering Nepal. Travel to Lucknow or Shahjahanpur via train and then go towards Palia by road. Dudhwa main gate is another twelve kilometres from Palia. Dudhwa is the only place in India where you can see one-horned rhinoceres in wild besides the Kaziranga in Assma, which ofcourse is...

AdventureIndiaPhotogallery

Tale of two Tiger sightings in Ranthambore

Upendra SwamiAugust 4, 20131236 Views3

Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan in India is one of the most celebrated tiger parks in world alongwith Bandhavgarh in Madhya Pradesh. Ranthambore has been home to one of the most revered tigress 'Machli', a lead in one of the most well known wildlife fights between a tiger and a crocodile. Sighting a Royal Bengal Tiger in its territory is altogether a different experience. I had the chance of doing it twice in two days. On a cold winter day, after a blank morning safari, we had a lucky afternoon to watch tiger T-20 (as the tigers are normally named) in its full glory but not before we had a sprint (ofcourse in our zeep) in the wild upon hearing a call about presence of tiger in the Rajbagh area of park. So here it was, in front of us enjoying his evening st...