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Home » Rajasthan Wildlife » Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary
Sariska Wildlife SanctuaryAbout SariskaSariska lies in the heart of the dry deciduous forests of the ancient Aravalli range, it is a wooded valley surrounded by barren mountains on all sides. It gained fame initially as one of the few places that guaranteed a tiger sighting. In the olden days these grounds were a favourite hunting destination of the erstwhile royalty.There was a time when goats were tied to poles to attract tigers for these shikar outings but those days are now long past, in 1958 Sariska was turned into a sanctuary and since then hunting, shooting, trapping and capturing of wild animals has been made illegal. In 1982 Sariska became a national park and in 1979 it came under aegis of the Project Tiger. The main entrance of the park through the Sariska Gate will bring you to the center of the park and all around lies the forest, just waiting to be explored. The main path will take you first to Pandupol which is not only a beautiful spot but also has a mythological significance, it is believed that the Pandavas spent part of their exile here. A picturesque 35-ft waterfall is another attraction here and next to the fall is a charming little Hanuman temple. This area is abundant in langurs, peafowl, spurfowl, and ubiquitous tree pies. On the way to Pandupol you will pass through Karnakabas Lake, Brahmnath, Kalighati Chauki and Bhaironghati. Riding in a jeep through this hilly terrain, in chase of a tiger is quite an adrenalin rush. The rust coloured leaves of the Dhok and the overgrown Guler and Pilkhan, line the path and provide a tree fringed protection to the wildlife within. Some of the common sights you can expect to see are the eagles attentively watching for their prey from atop the evergreen trees, porcupines scurrying across paths seemingly in a hurry, Langurs climbing up on trees, sambars concealed in grass and maybe even a tiger, just ambling along or drinking water from a water hole. Sariska also boasts of two vast plateaus, Kankawari and Keraska, each of these is 5 km wide. The three large lakes within the park are the Mangalsar, Siliserh and Somasagar, they provide a perennial supply of water and are some of the key places for spotting the wildlife that comes here to quench its thirst. On a clear day one can even see crocodiles in the water, besides water birds. Sariska has a captivating variety of wildlife, at last count in 1985, there were 35 tigers here, the carnivores of the area are the panther, jungle cat, jackal and hyena. The sambar, chital, wild boar, hare and porcupines can also be spotted easily. The 'Chowsingha' (four horned antelope) is commonly found here is exclusively Indian, it is the world's only wild creature, which has two pairs of horns. The Park's terrain is also congenial to the chinkara (Indian Gazelle) and nilgai. Ferocious by nature the langur at Sariska, surprisingly enough, tolerate human closeness with astonishing equanimity. The bird-life comprises of the pea fowl, gray partridge, quail, sand grouse, tree pie, white breasted kingfisher, golden - backed woodpecker, crested serpent eagle and great Indian horned owl. Other than the wildlife an alluring part of Sariska is its innumerable temples and monuments. Magnificent ruins dot this landscape and add to the regions fascination.The Neelkanth (Shiva) temples (6th-13th century AD), houses the ruins of old Hindu and jain temples. It has some beautiful carvings which resemble those of the Chandelas of Khajuraho. Talvriksh is another ancient temple here which attracts pilgrims from far and near. The Bahratrihari temple is located at the edge of the sanctuary and is very famous for its fairs. The ancient Kankwari Fort inside the Reserve, stands on an isolated hill, surrounded by a vast plateau, it was here that Emperor Aurangzeb once held his brother Dara Shikoh captive. A beautiful palace complex built in 1902 has been converted into a hotel. Best time to visit Sariska is open to visitors throughout the year, although certain jungle tracks are closed during the monsoon and the breeding season. The best time to visit the park is late in the winter around January or February. If you are adventurous enough to beat the heat, April to June is a great time to see animals at the water holes. Getting There The town closest to Sariska is Alwar, and the park itself lies off the Delhi-Alwar-Jaipur highway, just over 100 km from Jaipur, and about 200 km from Delhi. Air : The Delhi and Jaipur airports are both well connected. Bus : Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe buses from Jaipur. Regular services link Alwar with key destinations in Rajasthan and Delhi. The roads are very good, and it takes around 3-4 hrs from Jaipur to reach. Private taxis are also available. Train : Alwar, a mere 21 km from Sariska, is the nearest railhead, and has frequent trains from Deeg, Bharatpur, Jaipur and other towns, some important train connections are : Shatabdi Express(New Delhi-Alwar_Ajmer) : Superfast Express (New Delhi-Alwar-Ajmer); Intercity Express (Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Alwar-Jaipur); Marudhar Express (Varanasi-Alwar-Jodhpur) : Mandore Express (Delhi Sarai Rohilla-Alwar-Jodhpur Entry Requirements All visitors to Sariska Tiger Reserve need entry permits to get into the park. for these permits, available at the office of the Field Director, or at the gate to Sariska. Within the sanctuary jeeps can be hired from the Forest Reception Office to tour the park. The other option for avid wildlife-watchers is to hire a machan or `hide' near one of the water holes.
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