IN THE EYE OF THE TIGER

Seasoned adventurers embark on a safari through Ranthambore National Park, a prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, ancient 400-year-old banyan trees and the grand Ranthambore Fort serve as a picturesque backdrop for encounters with the park's iconic inhabitant: The Majestic Tiger.

- Gustasp and Jeroo Irani

The cool embrace of dawn caressed us as we drove into the depths of Ranthambore National Park in south-eastern Rajasthan. Slowly, the forest uncurled itself in the warmth of the rising sun; we felt its pulse and heard its song.

Our jeep bounced its way through the park's entrance, where 400-year-old banyan trees bowed in greeting and towering palms stretched skyward like ancient totem poles honouring forgotten gods. Soon, the sandstone contours of the thousand-year-old Ranthambore Fort, perched on a dry rocky outcrop in the forest, rose against a cloudless blue sky. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, its massive sandstone walls run for 7 km. (Incidentally, located in the fort is a Lord Ganesh temple, one of the most sacred Ganesh temples in India, whose presiding deity receives wedding invitations from all over the country.)