Travel: In search of tiger stripes in Sariska

In the shimmering heat of a midsummer morning, everything in the forest seemed still and silent. Even though we had entered Sariska Tiger Reserve just after sunrise, the dry desert air held no hint of coolness. This was Rajasthan, after all, with Sariska being just a couple of hours drive away from the capital city of Jaipur, and three from Delhi-NCR.

The summer months are supposed to be ideal for tiger spotting, since the big cats tend to come out into the open more frequently in search of water and shade. Given Sariska’s history, though, I had set my expectations low — but more on that later.

On the jeep with me were manager Vishwajeet Singh and naturalist Franklin Dolder from Utsav Camp Sariska, the eco-friendly resort I was staying at, just 15 minutes away from Tehla gate. A forest official on his way to a mid-forest observation point jumped on at the gate, walkie talkie in hand.

As we drove through the bumpy mud tracks, dry leaves crackling under the wheels of the safari jeep, I could see only brown all around. High above us on the tree branches, jungle babblers carried on an animated chat, while a Scops owl peered out tentatively from its hollow home inside the trunk. Along the sides of the road, herds of chital (spotted deer) tucked into their grassy breakfast, heads down and ears alert. Ahead of us, a peacock signalled his search for a potential mate with a spectacular dance, feathers fanned out in all their colourful glory.

Conversation on the jeep was minimal, all ears and eyes tuned to any animal movement, especially that of the big cat we were there for. As we got closer to the observation tower, the ranger’s walkie talkie suddenly buzzed with activity: a tigress had been sighted by the pond just behind. Off we went hurtling towards her, fingers crossed and hopes high.

And there she lay, perfectly still under the shade of a large tree, moving only while panting fiercely to cool herself, or flicking her tail to ward off the pesky summer flies. We watched in silent awe — although I have been to several tiger reserves across the country and seen dozens of these magnificent beasts in their natural habitats, the thrill never wanes. With a radio tracking collar on her neck, she was a new entrant to Sariska Tiger Reserve.

While seeing a tiger in any forest is exhilarating, it takes on greater significance in this region. Like many other Indian forests that are now protected tiger reserves, Sariska was once the hunting ground for the royal family of Alwar. It was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1958, and eventually brought under Project Tiger, one of the largest and most successful species conservation programmes in the world, in 1978.

However, Sariska gained notoriety in the early 2000s for losing its entire tiger population to hunters and poachers, leaving the forest devoid of its star attraction. In July 2008, two tigers from Ranthambhore National Park were relocated to Sariska Tiger Reserve, with another female added in February 2009. Today, there are over 27 tigers within this forest, making it a rare wildlife reintroduction success story. And given the 881 sq km sprawl of this dry deciduous forest, chances of actually seeing a tiger on safari are slimmer than anywhere else.

Back at the resort, I decided to have my breakfast on the open terrace overlooking the green-brown Aravalli — believed to be the world’s oldest fold mountain range — in the distance. I paid no need to the scorching sun, near delirious with joy as I was at the morning safari experience. Wherever I turned, there was green cover to soothe the eyes and cool the senses. Utsav Camp Sariska is the brainchild of naturalist and conservationist Luv Shekhawat, and entirely built using sustainable materials like stone and wood sourced from the area. The resort also works closely with the local community, training and employing people from villages surrounding the forest and the resort.

Shekhawat said that his dream was to build a place where people could come to disconnect from the digital world, while reconnecting with the natural one — a sanctuary for the human soul, if you will. Indeed, when he first bought the land over 10 years ago, Sariska was not a tiger tourism destination, or even the easy weekend getaway that it is today.

What I loved most was how the outdoors merged seamlessly with the indoors everywhere within the resort, providing space for native birds and animals to roam freely. As a rare luxury, I managed to do a spot of birdwatching from the comfort of my own bed inside the stone cabin. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls on the rear of the cabin led straight out into scrubby open spaces where plum-headed parakeets and golden orioles vied loudly for my attention.

While delightful, this was not surprising, given that dozens of bird species thrive within the semi-open boundaries of this resort itself. The cold winter months bring with them many more avian species to Sariska in the form of migratory birds like bar-headed geese, Sarus cranes, Eurasian griffons and critically endangered birds like white-rumped vultures.

On an evening walk around the property, Franklin casually mentioned how jackals and leopards have wandered into the camp in the past. However, I had no luck with leopards on this trip, even on my dedicated tracking excursion next morning, when we searched high and low along the brown boulders for any signs of leopard and hyena movement. “Come back in the cooler months,” Vishwajeet said. As if I needed an excuse.

While all the meals at Utsav Camp Sariska were served with warm dollops of Rajasthani hospitality, my most memorable experience was the evening tea amidst the barren landscape of rocky boulders and scraggy bushes. The sun was just beginning to come down in the horizon, painting the skies a muted pink-orange. At that moment, tiger or no tiger, Sariska seemed like heaven on earth.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com