Travel to Second Home: Ranthambhore

The whole country was buzzing about cricket, but I found myself back in Ranthambhore, a paradise for tigers. This time, I brought along my one-year-old daughter Maurvi to introduce her to the wonders of wildlife. We were a bit nervous about how she would handle the three-hour safari, but she surprised us by showing a budding enthusiasm for the animals.

 

Our first day's safari had its ups and downs. Our friend, Rais Bhai, did his best to show us a tiger, driving us all over the area. We heard Sambhar alarm calls as we entered Lakkad Da, a sign that Machli, the famous tigress, might be nearby. However, we were unlucky and didn't spot her. We continued our search in Semli and Berda, but still no luck. Time passed, and we began to feel disappointed. We had to return to the entry post before the cut-off time. However, just a few kilometres from the exit, we saw a line of vehicles indicating a sighting. We rushed to the spot and saw T25, the dollar male, crossing the road right in front of our vehicle. It was a thrilling experience, and Rais Nhai captured Maurvi's excitement perfectly in a photo.

In other news from Ranthambhore, Priyanka Gandhi and her family, who are regular visitors, were also in the park and had rushed to the same spot we had just left. We caught a brief glimpse of them as they headed off in search of the tiger.

During our trip, we also observed the construction of an Anicut at Semli. These man-made waterholes were supposed to hold rainwater during the monsoon season, but they are already dry, while natural water holes like Baba ki Gufa, Aadi Dant, and Aadi Dagar still have plenty of water. The construction has stopped, but the damage to the habitat has already been done, with dhonk trees being destroyed. We hope that in the future, more consideration will be given to preserving the natural environment.

 

This was a short trip, and we have many items on our wish list for the next visit.