I like to travel to beat the insipidity of mundane city life every now and then. Ranthambore  had been on my wish list for quite some time.  So having got a few days off, my friend and I along with four other members set off for Ranthambore. We reached Sawai Madhopur in the morning and proceeded to our hotel.  After lunch we left for our first safari with excitement and the hope of getting a glimpse of the elusive tiger.  Having heard tales from others of not having seen a tiger on their safaris we kept our fingers crossed.

The National Park is divided into zones which are allotted to each vehicle just before the safari. We were six of us in the jeep. We were greeted at the entrance by a group of monkeys and it was fun to watch their antics. As we moved further into the forest peacocks would be right in our path.

These brightly colored birds are shy and would dart into the bushes when we came close.  Birds of many hues from drab browns to brilliant greens and blues could be seen flying, walking, swimming or wading in the water.

Most of the trees in the forest had shed their leaves and were brown and dry, but scattered throughout the forest were trees which had  bright orange flowers. These flowers are used to make gulal. We returned from the first safari hoping that in our next safaris we would see at least one tiger. The next day the jeep driver took us to the favorite watering holes of the tigers. We saw a cluster of jeeps and then saw a partly hidden tawny head.  Soon, we saw a couple of tigers getting up and walking up the hill.  The sighting was at a distance but it thrilled us.

After lunch we left for our afternoon safari at 3 p.m.  As soon as we entered the reserve there was an old cement canopy and tigress Sundari(T 17) was asleep in it.  All  vehicles came as close as they could to get a glimpse of the tigress. Everyone waited for her majesty to wake up. There was excitement in the air and at last she woke up.  Oblivious to the noise, jeeps and humans surrounding her, she went across the road and disappeared into the bushes.  We were a happy lot that returned to our hotel that evening.

It rained sometime during the night so our hopes of sighting a tiger on the last day were dimmed. After our morning safari on the last day we visited a three eyed Ganapati temple in the Ranthambore fort. The belief here is that anyone desiring a house piles stones symbolizing a house near the temple and their wish is granted.  I was hoping to see a tiger basking in the sun on a stone ledge or stalking and hunting prey.  Next time perhaps. With a comfortable stay, good food and sighting tigers it was a perfect holiday.

- By Alka Kanetkar ,Math professor and travel enthusiast extraordinare