Rajaji National Park: Elephant’s Paradise-
Introduction:
Situated at the foot-hills of Shivaliks Range of mountains, this 820sq.Km. national park is spread across three districts of Uttaranchal- Dehradun, Haridwar and Pauri Garhwal. This park was established in the year 1983 by amalgamating three wildlife sanctuaries- Rajaji, Chilla and Motichur. As one enters the forest he is greeted by Langoors jumping on tree branches ( however langoors are now rarely visible) and exotic birds.
Flora and Fauna:
Rajaji National Park consists of various vegetation zones. These include broadleaved deciduous forests, revine vegetation, grasslands and pine forests in the upper reaches. Inhabiting these dense green jungles are an impressive array of creatures- furred and feathered, docile and dangerous. 23 species of mammals- including tigers, leopards, elephants, deer, jungle cat, wild boar and sloth bear- and 315 species of birds are found in Rajaji. The most prominent avian species include pea fowl, woodpeckers, pheasants, kingfishers and barbets, supplemented by a number of migratory species during the winter months. Besides that, the rivers which flow through the park harbour fish such as trout and mahseer.
Rajaji’s history of conservation has been rather rocky in the recent past. The park’s been besieged by a host of problems, ranging from soil erosion to poaching. Besides this railway line passing through the forest is posing a great threat to the lives of elephants. Every year elephants die on this track at the rate of one every month, due to speeding trains. Despite all these issues, Rajaji continues to be one of northern India’s major wildlife reserves- and one of the best places to see the fauna and flora of the terai.
Access
Rajaji National Park is just 231Kms from New Delhi. The nearest railhead is Haridwar, just 8Kms away. There are convenient night trains from New Delhi to Haridwar. Also Haridwar is well connected to New Delhi, Lucknow and Chandigargh through buses. The best time to visit any national park is early morning, when the animals are still out of their hide outs. Therefore it is a good idea to reach Haridwar at night (if your sole objective is to visit Rajaji). From Rajaji, the nearest airport is Jolly Grant, 16 Kms from Rishikesh.
Rajaji is accessible through different gates; the Ramgarh Gate and Mohand Gate are within 25 km of Dehradun, while the Motichur, Ranipur and Chilla Gates are just about 9 km from Haridwar. Kunao Gate is 6 km from Rishikesh, and Laldhang gate is 25 km from Kotdwar.
Within the park, the only way of getting around, if you haven’t got your own vehicle, is by elephant. Raja (elephant) is the most favourite among the tourists. Elephant rides of about 2½ hours each are organized by the park authorities and cost between Rs 50 and 100 per person.
Entry Requirements
All visitors to Rajaji National Park need entry permits in order to be allowed into the park. Permits are available at each of the gates to the park, and cost Rs 30 for Indians and Rs 350 for foreigners. These permits are valid for three days; if you wish to stay longer, you’ll have to pay Rs 20 a day (if you’re Indian), Rs 175 per day if you’re not. Additional charges are levied for cameras and vehicles. Still cameras are free for Indians and Rs 50 for foreigners; vehicles are Rs 500 for both Indians and foreigners.
Best time to visit
Rajaji National Park is open to visitors between November and June. The months from December to March are usually the best time to visit, as the weather’s at its best. Beyond April, things start hotting up, though it never gets unbearably hot.
Accomodation:
There are ten forest rest houses in Rajaji National Park. These rest houses are situated in- Beribara, Chilla, Ranipur, Dholkhand, Kunnao, Motichur, Kansrao, Satyanarain, Phandowala and Kasarodi. These rest houses do not provide food, so it is advisable to carry lunch boxes if one intends to take shelter here. These rest house charge Rs 75-150 (for Indians) and Rs 225-450 (for foreigners). There is one tourist rest house operated by Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam. Outside park one can stay at hotels in any of three cities- Haridwar, Rishikesh and Dehradun.
Best time to visit
Rajaji National Park is open to visitors between November and June. The months from December to March are usually the best time to visit, as the weather’s at its best. Beyond April, things start hotting up, though it never gets unbearably hot.
Conclusion:
Rajaji National Park is a place where nobody gets bored. One feels the pleasure of being in the lap of Mother Nature. I advice readers to visit this place with family, friends or alone, in any case you enjoy. But please keep the place clean. Due to increasing pressure of tourist and garbage left by them, today the park has lost much of its biodiversity.