| Crumbling forts and temples lie strewn about in
the dry deciduous forests of the Sariska Tiger Reserve... inanimate
reminders of an animated past. It was here in the 17th century,
that Aurangzeb, the youngest of Emperor Shah Jahan's four sons,
imprisoned their brother Dara Shikoh, in the famous Kankwadi
Fort. An intolerant despot, Aurangzeb was fanatically devoted
to Islam and took it upon himself to destroy several Hindu places
of worship. Yet many temples still stand like sentinels of faith
for a conquered people.
The imposing temple at Pandupole, believed to have been built
by the Pandava brothers during their exile, is still visited
by thousands of pilgrims each year, as is the Bharati temple.
Others such as Neelkanth (6th -13th century) are in ruins
though one of them still attracts Shiva worshipers. Tigers
and leopards are sometimes seen amidst the scores of deserted
Hindu and Jain temples and outposts that dot the forest. These
often serve as daytime refuge for owls, bats porcupines and
civets. Nature has recolonised Sariska, thus ratifying Project
Tiger's philosophy, that leaving nature strictly alone is
the best way towards restoration of health of degraded habitats.
The wildlife of Sariska has actually enjoyed a long tradition
of protection. In the days of the Raj, when Maharajas still
ruled, their abode was set aside as a shikargah, or private
hunting preserve, of the house of Alwar. The late Maharaja
Jai Singh who built his palace here in 1894, was an avid hunter
and many tigers were cold-bloodedly hunted by him or his guests.
But as a consequence the forest was mercifully saved from
the plough and axe.
When the privy purses were abolished, Sariska's worth was
recognised by democratic India's new rulers. It was declared
a sanctuary in 1955 and a Project Tiger Reserve in 1979. It
was declared a National Park in 1982 and now stretches over
866 sq kms with a core area of 497 sq km.
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