Ranthambore National Park: Roaming with Wildlife in Rajasthan

History and Tour of Ranthambore Fort

Ranthambore or Ranthambore Fort is a very magnificent fort of Rajasthan which belongs to the Chauhan royal family located in Ranthambore of the state. This royal fort is said to have been in existence since the 12th century and is a perfect tourist destination in Rajasthan for those who are keen to witness royal life.

This charming fort is situated amidst the forests of Ranthambore National Park, where both the view of the fort from the National Park and the view of the park from the fort are worth seeing. Ranthambore Fort has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site as it is a special hill fort in the state.

The dense forests of Ranthambore National Park were once the hunting grounds of the royal family. Ranthambore Fort is surrounded by large walls, which have strong stone passages and stairs that lead up to the fort.

The Rajasthani architecture of this fort with its large gates, pillars and domes, palaces, and temples attracts tourists visiting here. Here the reserve area of ​​the park is home to a variety of animals and birds.

Tourists usually find a lot of monkeys near the fort. If you are lucky then here you can also see peacocks living in the national park. If you want to go to see this fort, then want more information about it, then keep reading this article, in this, we are going to give you information about the history, architecture, and tour of Ranthambore Fort.

Everyone in the whole world knows about the Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary, located at a distance of 11 km from the Sawai Madhopur district of Rajasthan.

This Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary Ranthambore National Park is very famous due to the tigers living here, and this wildlife sanctuary also remains the main center of attraction for tourists visiting here.

But do you know about the huge historical fort located in this wildlife area? Very few tourists who come here know that this place also has one of the largest forts of Rajasthan which was once the favorite hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur.

And even before that, this fort used to be the center of the political and historical background of Rajasthan. So let’s find out the history of this historical fort of Ranthambore before visiting the wildlife sanctuary.

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History of Ranthambore Fort

The real name of Ranthambore is Ranthapur, that is, the city situated in the valley of the Rann. Rann is the name of the hill which is a little below the hill of the fort. And the Thumb on which the fort of Ranthambore is built. Due to this, its name became Ranthambhore, which later came to be known as Ranthambore.

After the second battle of Tarain, Govindraj, son of Prithviraj Chauhan III, sat on the throne of Ranthambore as a feudatory ruler, after that Aibak, Iltutmish, and Balban succeeded in capturing this fort.

In 1282-1301 AD, Hammir Dev Chauhan was the ruler of this place. That time Jalaluddin Khilji attacked Ranthambore in 1292 AD, but he did not get success. Then he giggled and said – He does not consider even a hundred kilos equal to a hair of a Muslim. Due to the betrayal of Hammir’s ministers in 1301 AD, Alauddin Khilji was successful in capturing the fort.

At this time, under the leadership of Hammir’s wife Rangadevi and daughter Deval De, Jauhar took place in the fort, which is called the first Saka of Ranthambore. Rana Kumbha and Rana Sanga also ruled this fort. In 1534, Mewar handed it over to Bahadur Shah, the ruler of Gujarat. In 1542 AD, it remained under the authority of Sher Shah Suri and then Surjanhada.

In 1569, Mughal supremacy was established in Ranthambore. Akbar established a royal mint here. It was also used as a royal prison during the Mughal period. During the defeat of the Mughals, Jaipur Maharaja Madho Singh took control of the fort. It remained under the possession of Jaipur till 1947.

Naulakha Darwaza, Hathi Pol, Ganesh Pol, Suraj Pol, and Tripolia Pol are the main entrance gates of the fort. The main buildings of the fort are Hammir Mahal, Rani Mahal, Hammir Ki Kachari, Supari Mahal, Badal Mahal, Jaunra Bhaura, Thirty Two Pillar Ki Chhatri, Rani Had Talab, Mir Sadruddin’s Dargah, Laxminarayan Temple. The Padmala pond is situated on the side of the fort. India’s famous Trinetra Ganesh ji temple is situated in this fort.

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The story behind Ranthambore Fort

It is one of the most prominent forts of Rajasthan, which was built by Raja Jayant Singh in the fifth century and this fort is almost 16 years old. This fort became very famous during the reign of Rana Hammir Dev Chauhan. It is not that this fort (fort) has not been ruled by another ruler before them, but the history of this fort was terrible during the time of Rana Hammir Dev.

Raja Hammir Singh Chauhan ruled this fort from 1282 AD to 1301 AD i.e. for 19 years. When Rana Hammir Dev was the ruler here, Jalaluddin Khilji, the ruler of Delhi at that time attacked the Ranthambore fort, but he could not conquer this fort and went back to Delhi after accepting his defeat.

Alauddin Khilji was the nephew of Jalaluddin Khilji, who tried several times to conquer the Ranthambore Fort, but was always defeated. One of the main reasons Alauddin Khilji came to Delhi was that he wanted to kill his uncle Jalaluddin Khilji, which he did. After killing his uncle Jalaluddin Khilji, Alauddin Khilji did not even once raise his eyes towards the Ranthambore Fort.

Alauddin Khilji had a minister, Muhammad Saha. He had an immoral relationship with the wife of Alauddin Khilji, after knowing about which Alauddin Khilji expelled him from his kingdom saying that I will continue to fight with the king who will give shelter to my minister.

Saha roamed all over India, but he could not find shelter anywhere and he eventually came to Rana Hammir Dev, the ruler of Ranthambore Fort in Rajasthan. Rana Hammir Dev Chauhan gave refuge to Saha in his kingdom, because giving shelter and protecting the guest who came into the shelter was the first religion of Rana Hammir Dev Chauhan, which he followed and gave refuge Saha in his kingdom.

As soon as he came to know about this, Alauddin Khilji came to fight with Rana Hammir Dev with his army, but this time also he was defeated. When Alauddin Khilji felt that he could not conquer the Ranthambore fort, he used his mind. Alauddin Khilji sent a letter to Rana Hammir Dev, in which it was written that I want to make a treaty with you, so you should go to my campus. Rana Hammir Dev understood Alauddin Khilji’s cunning and did not go to Alauddin Khilji’s campus himself and sent his three commanders, Samant Gujrai, Rantipal, and Ranmal.

Alauddin Khilji left no stone unturned to welcome the three commanders of Rana Hammir Dev. Alauddin Khilji lured those three commanders and said you get my victory over the Ranthambore fort and after that, I will hand over the burden of Ranthambore to you so that my victory over Rana Hammir Dev can be completed. All the three commanders agreed to Alauddin Khilji and Rana agreed to fight with Hammir Dev.

When Rana Hammir Dev came to know about this, he called all his queens to one place and told them that I am going to fight with Alauddin Khilji. As you all know that the flag of our state is of orange color and the flag of Alauddin Khilji is of black color. So if I am killed in battle, then you commit Jauhar. If I am defeated, you will see an army marching towards this fort with a black flag, and if I win, you will see an orange flag. So if you see the art flag, then do Jauhar. Explaining this to all his queens, Rana Hammir Dev set out toward the battlefield.

In the end, Rana Hammir Dev Chauhan was victorious in the war, but after killing Alauddin Khilji, an incident happened, knowing about which your blood will boil. When Rana Hammir Dev moved towards his fort with his army, he saw that all three of his commanders were marching towards the fort carrying black flags.

Rana Hammir Dev, seeing the Kala Jhanda in the hands of those three commanders, started chasing those three commanders, but by then it was too late. When the queens saw the army bringing a black flag toward their fort, the queens committed Jauhar as per the orders of King Hammir Dev.

The king followed the three commanders to the gate of the fort and beheaded a commander named Ranmal at the second gate of the fort, called the Elephant Pole (Gate).

Rana Hammir Dev could not enter the fort, so both the other commanders locked Ganesh Pol from inside. When Rana Hammir Dev saw the Ganesh pole closed, he prayed to his presiding deity, Lord Shiva. It is said that after the prayer, Lord Shiva had given the wind power to the horse of Rana Hammir Dev as if the horse of Rana Hammir Dev climbed on top of the rock.

After entering the fort, Rana Hammir Dev also beheaded the other two commanders. After beheading both the commanders, when Rana Hammir Dev reached to his queens, he found all his queens dead, seeing which he became very angry and after going to Lord Shiva, he cut off his own head. Dedicated to Shiva. Lord Shiva asked to make everything right, but Rana Hammir Dev was so stubborn that he flatly refused to live because of the incident that happened to his queens.

The architecture of Ranthambore Fort

Ranthambore Fort is situated on a large rock in the middle of Ranthambore National Park. This fort has a very huge security wall and seven gates namely Navlakha Pol, Hathi Pol, Ganesh Pol, Andheri Pol, Delhi Pol, Satpol, and Suraj Pol. A court is also located in the fort, which is called Hammir Kachari, this court has three chambers the central chamber is the largest. The structure has pillars to support the terrace of the verandah.

A palace built during the reign of Hammir Singh is also located inside this fort, which is called Hammir Palace. The palace has chambers and balconies which are connected by small traditional doors and staircases. This three-story building has 32 pillars that support the chhatris or domes. The structure of this fort has a verandah that leads to each level of the building.

The fort of Ranthambore also has a large hall with 84 pillars whose height is 61 meters. This hall is known as Badal Mahal and was used for conferences and meetings.

A Ganesh temple is also located inside the fort complex, which is quite famous among the devotees and tourists visiting here. According to the beliefs, if someone sends a letter to Lord Ganesha with his wishes, then his wishes are definitely fulfilled.

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Temple in Ranthambore Fort

Inside the Ranthambore fort, you get to see temples associated with Hinduism and Jainism. Three Hindu temples of Lord Shiva, Ganesh Ji, and Ramlal Ji are found in this fort. These temples were built in the 12th and 13th centuries with red stone found here in the nearby Karauli district.

Inside this fort, you get to see some temples related to Jainism, inside the fort the Jain temple of Lord Sambhavanath and the 5th Jain Tirthankar Lord Sumatinath has been constructed.

Trinetra Ganesh Temple Ranthambore

Trinetra Ganesh Temple, located in the back part of Ranthambore Fort, is also famous by the name of “Rantbhanwar” among the devotees of this temple, according to the belief, this ancient Ganesh temple is one of the oldest temples in India. Lord Ganesha is seated in this temple in the form of three eyes.

Due to which he is called Trinetra Ganesh Ji, including this idol of Ganesh Ji, a total of four more Ganesh idols are present in different places in this country.

According to the story related to this temple built by Rana Hammir Dev, when the foreign invader Alauddin Khilji surrounded this fort for many months to capture this fort, then Lord Ganesh appeared in a dream to Rana Hammir Dev. And asked King Hammir Dev to worship him, then according to the place mentioned in the dream, when Rana Hammir Dev reaches that place, he gets the idol of Lord Ganesha there. Then Rana Hammir Dev gets the temple of Lord Ganesha built at that place.

The faith of the devotees about this temple is such that if any auspicious work is done within the Hindu family, whether marriage or childbirth, invitation letters to this temple of Lord Ganesha keep coming throughout the year for all the auspicious works, the devotees believe that By doing this, God himself will come to bless them and all their wishes will be fulfilled. Even today, a lot of letters are always coming to this temple by post and courier.

The third eye of Lord Ganesha, who is seated in the form of Trinetra Ganesha, is considered a symbol of knowledge, in this temple God is seated with his entire family, his two wives Riddhi and Siddhi, as well as both the sons of God, auspicious and beneficial visions. Happens in the temple This is the only temple in the whole of India where Lord Ganesha is seated with his entire family.

There are four such Ganesh temples in the whole country. In which the place of Trinetra Ganesh ji located in Ranthambore is the first. Apart from this Ganesh temple, other Ganesh temples are located in other states of the country, which Siddpur Ganesh Temple is located in Gujarat, Avantika Ganesh Temple in Ujjain, and Siddpur Sehore Temple located in Madhya Pradesh. Every year on the Chaturthi of Bhadrapada Shukla a huge fair is organized in the temple in which lakhs of Ganesh devotees come to see the Lord.

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Jogi Mahal Ranthambore

In the 17th century, Ranthambore came under the rule of the Jaipur royal family, after which the kings of Jaipur started developing this place for their hunting and entertainment. The Jogi Mahal, built near the Padam pond and painted in red, was also built by the Maharaja of Jaipur as his hunting ground.

The royal house of Jaipur used this place for their entertainment and hunting for years, presently this place has been converted by the Forest Department as a tourist’s rest house. There is an old banyan tree near Jogi Mahal, which is said to be the second largest banyan tree in India.

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Rajbagh Ranthambore

The huge domes and the broken minarets, the old stairs, and the natural structure of the palace create such a sight that will be imprinted in your mind for a long time. When you go to see the ruins of Rajbagh, then you get to see some such scenes which you usually see in the movies. The ruins of Raj Bagh are built between Padam Talab and Rajbagh Talab and are completely turned into ruins today.

Rajbagh Ranthambore National Park is built in the middle of Ranthambore National Park, due to this the natural environment around these ruins is such that you cannot even imagine being in such a place.

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Best time to visit Ranthambore Fort

Although Ranthambore fort is open throughout the year, if you are coming only to see the fort, then you can come here anytime except during the summer season. But if you are coming to visit Ranthambore Tiger Reserve then you have to keep in mind that Ranthambore Wildlife Sanctuary remains closed during the monsoon season, after that it remains open from October to June.

The possibility of seeing a wild animal or a tiger in the winter season becomes useful. Therefore, if you come to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve after March, then the chances of seeing a tiger here increase a lot.

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Tips for Visiting Ranthambore Fort

• Whenever you visit the Ranthambore fort, carry enough drinking water with you so that you can keep yourself hydrated.
• Wear suitable clothing to protect yourself from the sun while trekking to the fort.
• Tourists who wish to explore the national park can book a jungle safari in advance.

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Famous food in Ranthambore

Ranthambore is an ideal tourist destination for its fort and wildlife but you don’t get any special food here as Ranthambore does not have any significant culture or unique cuisine, but there are many resorts available for you to eat here. Apart from this, you can also try the many local dhabas here. You can taste the local Rajasthani and Punjabi cuisine at the dhabas here.

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Time to visit Ranthambore Fort

• 06:00 am to 06:00 pm

Entry Fee to Ranthambore Fort

• Entry Fee for Tourists – 15/- INR
• Entry Fee for Children – INR 10/-

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How to reach Ranthambore Fort

Tourists visiting Ranthambore fort can easily come here by traveling by flight, train, bus or their personal vehicle –

How to reach Ranthambore Fort by Airplane

If you want to travel to Ranthambore Fort by flight, then tell me that its nearest airport is located in Jaipur. The fort is located just 180 km away from the city of Jaipur. You can hire any cab or taxi to go from Jaipur airport to the fort, as well as you can take bus service.

How to reach Ranthambore Fort by Train

To travel to Ranthambore Fort by rail, one has to catch a train to the nearest major railway station, Sawai Madhopur. This railway station is well connected to the major cities of India by rail. You can take the help of any cab or taxi to reach Ranthambore from Sawai Madhopur Railway Station.

How to reach Ranthambore Fort by Road

If you are planning to go to Ranthambore Fort by road, then let us tell you that Ranthambore Fort is located at a distance of just 16 km from Madhopur. Several buses are available between Sawai Madhopur and Ranthambore. You can also reach the fort from Sawai Madhopur with the help of taxis or cabs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ranthambore National Park

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan offers a remarkable wildlife experience that leaves visitors awe-struck. With its diverse range of wildlife, including the majestic Bengal tiger, Ranthambore National Park has become a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and wildlife lovers.

The park’s picturesque landscapes, dotted with lakes, ancient ruins, and dense forests, create a stunning backdrop for wildlife sightings. The thrill of encountering a tiger in its natural habitat is an experience that lingers in the memory of visitors.

The best time to visit Ranthambore National Park is during the months of October to June when the weather is pleasant, and wildlife sightings are more frequent. It is advisable to book safaris in advance to secure your preferred timing and zone.

Apart from wildlife safaris, visitors can also explore the magnificent Ranthambore Fort, a testament to the region’s rich history and architectural grandeur. Nearby attractions such as Surwal Lake, Padam Lake, and the Ganesh Temple offer additional opportunities to immerse oneself in the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Accommodation options near Ranthambore National Park cater to a variety of preferences and budgets, ensuring a comfortable and memorable stay.

Ranthambore National Park serves as a conservation success story, showcasing efforts to protect and preserve the wildlife and their habitats. The park authorities, along with local communities, play a vital role in sustaining the delicate balance between wildlife conservation and responsible tourism.

A visit to Ranthambore National Park offers a unique opportunity to witness the splendor of Rajasthan’s wildlife and immerse oneself in the captivating natural beauty of the region. The awe-inspiring encounters with wildlife, the serene surroundings, and the rich cultural heritage make Ranthambore National Park an unforgettable destination.

So, pack your bags, embark on a thrilling safari adventure, and discover the wonders of Ranthambore National Park, where the wild meets the grandeur of Rajasthan.

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