SARISKA NATIONAL PARK

The Sariska Tiger Reserve sprawls across 800 square kilometres of the Aravalis and is perhaps one of India’s most exciting wildlife reserves. Spread over a core area of 474 sq km, 250 m above sea level, the park is easily accessible, lying just three hours away from Delhi by road. Sariska is one of the few remaining forest pockets in the Aravali range that has survived the onslaught of modern times. Situated in the state of Rajasthan with a backdrop of the Aravali Hills, the park boasts of quite a few tigers and other interesting flora and fauna. There are also historical ruins and monuments within Sariska’s confines that are symbolic of its rich past. The park offers a unique opportunity to observe keenly the behavioural patterns of the animals at waterholes. With luck, sighting a tiger, chital, sambar, leopard, chinkara, or crocodile basking in the sun on the shores of the Siliserh Lake are not rare.

The Sariska National Park offers a wide range of activities such as motor driving in and around the park in the mornings and evenings, observing the wildlife at the waterholes, or photographing wildlife from the many hideouts provided in the park. There are also many ancient temples scattered throughout the park, as well as the Kankwadi Fort that can be visited. There are many tribes in and around the park and observing their lifestyle can be an interesting option.

Sariska became a wildlife sanctuary in 1958 by a government notification. In 1979, it was decided to make it a part of the ambitious Project Tiger and in the same year its status was enhanced to that of a national park. After getting proper protection from the wildlife authorities, the number of wild inhabitants has increased here significantly and this region has become one of the rare sanctuaries in India where sighting the fauna is not difficult.

The landscape of Sariska comprises hills and narrow valleys of the Aravali hill range. The topography supports scrub-thorn arid forests, dry deciduous forests, rocks and grasses. The wide range of wildlife here is a wonderful example of ecological adaptation and tolerance, for the climate here is variable as well as erratic, especially in terms of rainfall, which is scant at times. The major plants that one can find here are dhok, khair, tendu, and ber. The plants remain lush and green during the monsoon period and in the summer.

The Sariska National Park is known for its tigers. According to the latest available data, there are about 35 tigers in the park here. Other predators of the forest include the panther, jungle cat, jackal, hyena, and fox. Also found are sambhar, chital, wild boar, hare, nilgai, civet, four-horned antelope, gaur (Indian bison) and porcupine. Birds found here include peafowl, grey partridges, quails, sand grouses, tree pies, white-breasted kingfishers, golden-backed woodpeckers, crested serpent eagles, vultures and horned owls. Since the last decade, caracals have also been spotted here.

The Siliserh Lake is at the edge of the tiger reserve, just off the Alwar-Sariska road, and has a palace overlooking it, which has been converted into a tourist resort. Crocodiles are the major inhabitants of this lake and observing them basking on the shores of the lake can be an interesting experience.

The Kankwadi fort is Sariska’s link with Mughal history. Now overgrown with weeds and shrubs, it stands majestically on a hill overlooking the Kankwadi plateau and a small lake surrounded by a few Gujjar (a tribe) villages. Located inside the park are ruins of medieval temples of the Hindu God Shiva (Neel Kanth Temple). The ruins of the temple Garh-Rajor, built in the 10th century, are scattered all over the jungle.

Summers (April-June) have high temperatures but the monsoon season is not marked by very heavy rainfall and due to this, the fall in temperature is not more than a few degrees. The best season to visit the park is from November to June. June is the best month for game viewing. The park remains closed during the months of July and August and any visit to the park is limited to the daylight hours (dawn to dusk) to protect tigers from night poaching.