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The park, for the wildlife and nature enthusiasts, offers a unique opportunity to observe keenly the behavioral patterns of the animals at waterholes. But, to be a witness to these fascinating sights, one needs to be a bit patient and let the inhabitants go about their life in the natural way. With luck, sighting a tiger, chital, sambar, leopard, chinkara, or crocodile basking in the sun on the shores of the Siliserh Lake are not rare. Situated in the state of Rajasthan with a backdrop of the Aravali Hills, the park boasts of quite a few tigers and other interesting flora and fauna. There are also historical ruins and monuments within Sariska's confines that are symbolic of its rich past. Sariska National Park is the part of Jaipur-Sariska-Alwar circuit of Rajasthan.
There is no time to sit idle once one reaches the park. There are a lot of activities in which one can participate like motor driving in and around the park in the mornings and evenings, observing the wildlife at the waterholes, or shooting the wildlife with the lens from the many hideouts provided in the park. If one has interest in history, then a visit to the many ancient temples scattered throughout the park and the Kankwadi Fort can be a good option. There are many tribes in and around the park and observing their lifestyle can be an interesting option.
| Fast Facts |
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| Area |
474 sq. km(core area),800 sq. km (gross area) |
| Altitude |
250 metres above sea level |
| Best Time To Visit: |
November-June |
| STD Code: |
014441 |
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History:
Sariska is not only famous for its wild life but it has a significant history too. Pauranik (pertaining to ancient sacred Hindu texts) literature links this place with the stories of the epic, Mahabharata. It is said that the Pandavas took shelters in this region in the years of their seclusion till they reached Viratnager. In the medieval time, Aurangzeb, the Mughal Emperor imprisoned his brother Dara Shikoh in the Kankwadi Fort located in this park after the war for the throne ended between the Mughal brothers. There are remains of around 300 Jain and Hindu temples in the park constructed between 8th-12th century AD.
Sariska in the early 20th century was an integral part of the Alwar princely state. Being a part of the Aravali range, this region had great flora and fauna. It could not escape attention of royal family of Alwar and the whole area became the shooting preserve of the royal family of Alwar. Maharaj Jai Singh was the first person who tried to make this whole area a protected region.
Sariska became a wildlife sanctuary in 1958 by a government notification. In 1979, it was decided to make it a part of the ambitious Project Tiger and in the same year its status was enhanced to that of a national park. After getting proper protection from the wildlife authorities, the number of wild inhabitants has increased here significantly and this region has become one of the rare sanctuaries in India where sighting the fauna is not difficult.
Best Season, Climate, and Clothing:
Summers (April-June) have high temperatures but the monsoon season is not marked by very heavy rainfall and due to this, the fall in temperature is not more than a few degrees. Even then, many people prefer to travel to Sariska in the summers, as, due to the heat, the wild animals are found hovering around the jungle's watering holes. Weather, however, becomes chilly in winters (October-March). The best season to visit the park is from November to June. June is the best month for game viewing. The park remains closed during the months of July and August and any visit to the park is limited to the daylight hours (dawn to dusk) to protect tigers from night poaching. Cotton clothing is apt for summers and woolens are required for winters.
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