India Tour Packages

History of Swai Madhopur (Ranthambhore)

The oldest settlement in the area was around the Ranthambhore fort. The exact origin of the fort is still disputed but it is generally accepted that there was a settlement at the site of the Fort, as far back as the 8th century A.D. It is widely believed that the construction of the Fort was started during the reign of the Chauhan rajput King Sapaldaksha in 944 AD. Another theory stipulates that King Jayant, also a Chauhan rajput, built the Fort during 1110 AD. It is most likely that the construction of the fort commenced during the mid 10th Century A.D. and continued for a few centuries after that.

Since, the Fort controlled the trade routes between North India and Central & Southern India, it was highly coveted by the rulers of North India. The Fort had its golden moments during the reign of Rao Hammir, the last ruler of the Chauhan dynasty (1282 - 1301 AD). During 1300 AD, Ala-ud-din Khilji, the ruler of Delhi sent his army to capture the Fort. After three unsuccessful attempts, his army finally conquered the Fort in 1301 and ended the reign of the Chauhans. In the next three centuries the Fort changed hands a number of times, till Akbar, the great Mughal emperor, finally took over the Fort and dissolved the State of Ranthambore in 1558. The fort stayed in the possession of the Mughal rulers till the mid 18th century.

During the mid 18th century, the Maratha rulers of Western India were gradually increasing their influence in this region. In order to check the growing influence of the Marathas, Sawai Madho Singh, the ruler of Jaipur state, unsuccessfully, requested the Mughal emperor to hand over the fort to him. In 1763, Sawai Madho Singh fortified the nearby village of Sherpur and renamed it Sawai Madhopur. This town, which is now commonly known as the "City", lies in a narrow valley between two parallel hills, at the South Western edge of the National Park. Two years later, the Mughals handed over the fort to the Jaipur state.

During the end of the British Raj, Sawai Man Singh, the last ruler of Jaipur state, got a railway link constructed between Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur. A railway station was built about 4 kilometers away from the Sawai Madhopur town. Gradually, a small settlement came up around the railway station. This twin of Sawai Madhopur, known as "Man Town", has now outgrown the older "City".

Monuments of Swai Madhopur (Ranthambhore)

Khandar Fort in Sawai Madhopur

The invincible Khandar Fort in Sawai Madhopur is located about 40 km from the main city and is a popular excursion site for many visitors. The fort finds special mention in the history of medieval India and was earlier known as the "security post of Ranthambore". Owing to its strategic location on the top of a huge vertical hill, Khandar Fort in Sawai Madhopur could never come under easy attack by the enemy and is truly regarded as the "invincible" fort of the glorious bygone era.

It was for this reason that Khandar Fort in Sawai Madhopur remained the favorite for many a dynasty in India. The fort was long ruled by the Sisodia kings of Mewar after which it was taken over by the Mughals for a short while before coming under the direct control of the Maharajas of Jaipur in the 18th century. There are a number of attractive historic monuments within the imposing Khandar Fort in Sawai Madhopur that are worth a visit. The old Jain Temple is famous for its appealing idols of Jain gurus carved out of rocks. The Hanuman Temple is home to a striking single stone idol of Lord Hanuman with a demon under his feet. The temple attracts devotees in large numbers from all over the country.

The two enormous water tanks of the times Ramkunda and Laxmankunda are also worth seeing at Khandar Fort in Sawai Madhopur. Hawa Mahal is truly a masterpiece of architecture with intricately carved latticed windows, arches and pillars. The experience of feeling the mild breeze blow from the tiny windows and touch your face is simply delightful. The other famous temples that are a must visit during your tour to Khandar Fort are Chaturbhuja Temple that houses an impressive idol of the four armed God, Jhirikunda, Gobind Devji Temple, Jagatpalji Temple and Jayanti Mata Temple. The magnificent Rani Mahal perched on the fort's highest platform is perhaps the most splendid palace in Sawai Madhopur. A popular picnic site at Khandar Fort in Sawai Madhopur is Narsingha Dhar where water flowing from the rocks provides a spectacular sight to tourists.

Rajasthan and Wildlife offers online booking for tour packages to Khandar Fort and other Forts in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India. For more information, or to book your tour, please enter your query in the form below.

Ranthambore National Park is dotted with structures that remind you of bygone eras.There are many water bodies located all over the park, which provide perfect relief during the extremely hot summer months for the forest inhabitants. A huge fort, after which the park is named, towers over the park atop a hill. There are many ruins of bygone eras scattered all over the jungle, which give it a unique, wonderful and mixed flavour of nature, history and wildlife.Tigers at Ranthambore National park have been known to even hunt in full view of human visitors. These tigers are famous for being seen in the daytime too, due to their lack of fear of human presence in vehicles. This lack of fear of humans is excellent for tourists, as they get to see the tigers often.

This National park is a wildlife enthusiast and photographer's dream. It offers excellent accommodation and internal transportation facilities. The park remains open every year from October to May.Famous for the exciting and frequent tiger sightings captured dramatically in several books, this park is today affected by ecological pressures and poaching.

In Nutshell, Ranthambore National park is a wildlife enthusiast and photographer's dream. It offers excellent accommodation and internal transportation facilities and remains open every year from October to Mid June.

Festivals of Swai Madhopur (Ranthambhore)

Ganesh Chaturthi marks the birth of Lord Ganesha and is celebrated all over the country. This is also symbolic of the advent of all festivals dedicated to other Indian Gods.

The temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha is located in the fort of Ranthambhor, about 12 kms from Sawai Madhopur and it is one of the most important Ganesha temples in the State. There is always a lot of activity at the temple because people believe that the first invitation to a marriage should be sent to Lord Ganesha. This temple is the site for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations attracting devotees from all over to join in the singing of devotional songs.

This temple is the site for Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations attracting devotees from all over to join in the singing of devotional songs. The Orange color in which the idol is painted as well is the holy colour for this festival. The idol is lavishly decorated with golden ornaments and every day felicities with huge garlands of marigold. There are markets around the temple attracting the tourists and visitors.

It is preferable to approach Ranthambhor from Sawai Madhopur, which lies on the main Delhi-Mumbai railway line and is also connected to Jaipur by rail. A road link with Jaipur exists as well.

How to Reach?

By Air: Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is the nearest airport to Ranthambhore. Ranthambhore National Park is about 140 Km from Jaipur. You can fly to Jaipur and proceed to Sawai Madhopur by road or rail.

By Rail: Sawai Madhopur which is just 11 Km from Ranthambhore National Park is accessible by rail and is on the main route from Delhi to Mumbai. You can arrive at Sawai Madhopur by rail and take a car or bus to Ranthambhore National Park.

By Road: Ranthambhore is easily accessible by road from all destinations across Rajasthan. If you're traveling by road, there are many options from luxury air-conditioned coaches to private taxis and local buses of the Rajasthan Transport Corporation, in which you can reach Ranthambhore National Park.

Hotels in Ranthambhore

Budget Hotel
Hotel Vinayak, Ranthambhore
Hotel Ganesh Ranthambore, Ranthambhore

Heritage Hotel
Hotel Castle Jhoomar Baori, Ranthambhore

Deluxe Heritage Hotel
Hotel The Sawai Madhopur Lodge, Ranthambhore

Resort
Hotel Ranthambhore Regency, Ranthambhore
Hotel Ankur Resort, Ranthambhore
Hotel Tiger Den Resort, Ranthambhore
Hotel Hammir Resort, Ranthambhore
Hotel Ranthambore Bagh, Ranthambhore
Hotel Tiger Machan Resorts, Ranthambhore

Deluxe Resort
Hotel Vanyavilas Resort, Ranthambhore
Hotel Tiger Moon Resort, Ranthambhore
Hotel The Pugmark Resort, Ranthambhore
Hotel Dev Vilas, Ranthambhore

Tent Accommodation
Hotel Sher Bagh, Ranthambhore