Location
Situated 107 kms from Jaipur, the Sariska National Park is in a wooden
valley, surrounded by barren mountains. The dry deciduous forests of the
ancient Aravali range encompass the forest cover of the Sariska National
Park and Tiger Reserve.
Accessibility
Sariska is 35 km from Alwar, which is a convenient town to approach the
sanctuary. Frequent buses ply between Sariska and Alwar. From Jaipur,
Sariska is 120 km away and it takes three hours by road. Jaipur is well
connected by air, rail and road to most of the important cities in India.
The best way to visit the park is by jeep and these can be arranged at the
Forest Reception Office on the Jaipur Road.
The royal preserve
Sariska, in Rajasthan, the erstwhile royal preserve of the rulers of Alwar,
became a sanctuary in the year 1958. The sanctuary came under the Project
Tiger in 1979 and became a national park in 1982. It is located at Kankwari
fort, near Alwar, on the Delhi - Jaipur Highway. The terrain is
predominantly hilly, as it lies in the Aravali range. It has total area of
788 sq. kilometers, with a core area of approximately 474 sq. kilometers.
The beautiful Siliserh Lake runs along the edge of the reserve, with a
quaint hunting lodge overlooking it.
Tourist spots
Sariska National Park :
Sariska is best known for being Tiger country and home to a Tiger Project
Sanctuary set up in in the former hunting grounds of the royal family of
Alwar. The romance of Sariska is never ending. From the time the Buddhists
built their monasteries to the time the Pratiharas rulers their temple and,
closer down history, to the time the Mughals set up their camps, Sariska is
wrapped in a tradition as old as the Aravali mountain ranges it is situated
in.
The Fort :
At a short distance from Alwar is a diversion taking one past the small
fortress of Kushalgarh to Talbraksha (36 km). The moist palm grove valley
transports one mentally to India's coastal areas and it is difficult to
believe that one is geographically in a desert state. Langurs compete in
numbers with busloads of constantly arriving pilgrims. Side by side at
Talbraksha are hot and cold springs with immense healing capacities.
A cluster of temples :
In a clearing is a cluster of temples of varying ages and one might almost
miss the gem of them all, a 10th century temple relegated to the background.
This temple, in the typical panchayatna (five houses) pattern, was probably
built as a Vaishnava temple, but was converted for Shiva worship. The Vishnu
legend is represented in the relief of Hiranyakashyap, Vishnu's great
antagonist, being killed by the Narsimhavatar.
