Manisha Gawade
National park in Uttarakhand, India
A large part of the district is forested, and Rajaji National Park is within the bounds of the district, making it an ideal destination for wildlife and adventure lovers. Rajaji is accessible through different gates; the Ramgarh Gate and Mohand Gate are within 25 km (16 mi) of Dehradun, while the Motichur, Ranipur and Chilla Gates are just about 9 km (5.6 mi) from Haridwar. Kunaon Gate is 6 km (3.7 mi) from Rishikesh, and Laldhang gate is 25 km (16 mi) from Kotdwara.
Rajaji National Park is a national park and tiger reservein the Haridwar, Dehradun and Pauri Garhwal districts of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It encompasses an area of 820 km2 (320 sq mi) in the Sivalik Hills. In 1983, three wildlife sanctuaries in the area, namely Chilla, Motichur and Rajaji, were merged into one.
Rajaji National Park is located in Sivalik Hills in Dehradun district, Haridwar district and Pauri Garhwal district. It covers total area of 820 km2(320 sq mi). It has constituted Rajaji wildlife sanctuary, Motichur and Chilla. The elevation ranges from 300 to 1400 meters. The Ganga river flows through the national park and divides the park into two parts, the western Rajaji and motichur sanctuary and the eastern Chilla sanctuary.
Rajaji National Park hosts many wild animals including Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, Chital, sambar deer, barasingha, Northern red muntjac, Indian hog deer, nilgai, wild boar, sloth bear, Asian black bear, rhesus macaque, common langur, leopard cat, jungle cat, dhole, Bengal fox, golden jackal and yellow-throated marten, goral and Himalayan tahr.The goral and the Himalayan tahrmainly stay on the precipitous, pine-covered slopes. The Himalayan black bear inhabits the higher reaches of the park.
It was rather hot even in early April to visit the national park. I felt a sense of unrest while I crossed the dried up river bed in the open jeep as my body burnt with the dry heat of the afternoon sun.
I was shocked to see no water in the jungle as I thought deeply and wondered about the plight of all the birds and animals. Even though the Ganga canal flows so close outside the park, maybe it’s time for the authorities to act up on the issue.
Small jungle fires erupted right in some parts in the long 3 hour jungle safari, while the jungle department had to rush up and deal with.
Just as we exited a small group of deers and peacocks danced to bid us their good byes.
