The British Raj was the epitome of colonialism as the British took rule of India. During their time in India, the Raj committed many atrocities against the people, the environment, and the wildlife.

            While Ranthambhore National Park is now a reserve for the protection of animal, it was one of the bastion of English excess as the British hosted hunts without accountability.

            Today, the park is a tourist attraction for those who want to see the protected Bengal tigers. Located near Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, the park attracts thousands each year to the forest and the ruins of the old fort.

Ranthambhore Fort

            If you are in passable shape, you should be able to climb the stairs up to the fort. There are some interesting architectural features on the way up like a hallway that goes nowhere.

            Guides say that the reason for the design was to fool marauding enemies. Because the fort is build on higher ground, attacking armies would charge the stairs. When they got to the hallway platform, if they continued forward in the hallway they were in for a fatal surprise of a 200-foot dead drop into the ravine below.

            Today, the fort ruins is home to several temples and shrines to many of Hinduism’s gods, tourist shops, and restaurants. One of the shrines is to the monkey god Hanuman. Ironically, the shrine is overrun by monkeys who often take liberties with the tourists such as stealing water bottles or cameras. I was leaning against the wall and felt a hand push me. It was a monkey who wanted to get past me.

The hunting lodge

      

      We stayed at the Vivanta by Taj Sawai Madhopur hotel which is a converted lodge from the Raj era. The reading room is covered with artefacts, photographs, and other trinkets from that era.

            Each day, guests are taken for a pre-dawn and mid-afternoon safari to see the wildlife in the park. The tours are at 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. and are timed to get you back to the lodge in time for breakfast and dinner.

            Remember to bring a light jacket or a long-sleeved shirt on the morning safari because under the forest foliage it can be quite cold. Temperatures in the morning can be as low as 10 to 12C. But the moment you leave the park you are back in the 30-plus-degree weather that is normal in India.

            There is an air of authenticity on the pre-dawn trek where you meet at 5:30 a.m. in the main area of the hotel for biscuits and tea. It genuinely feels like you are about to go on a hunt, except, instead of guns, you are armed with cameras.

            Unfortunately, we didn’t see any tigers on our four treks into the forest, but we saw lots of other wildlife such as blue ox, deer, monkeys, and several bird species.