Sawai Madhopur : The land of legends, Ranthambore National Park (established in 1980), boasts of the presence of a large number of Royal Bengal Tigers. This is where you get to see the majestic tiger, with its black vertical stripes and muscular body in action. Once upon a time, what is known today as Ranthambore used to be the private hunting ground for the kings of Jaipur. Almost every tiger in Ranthambore has a special reputation and legend that predates their lineage. Interestingly, every tiger lover who visits Ranthambore National Park has a delightful tiger story to take home.
Machli aka T-16 will probably always be remembered as the most famous tigress of Ranthambore who loved to pose for tourists and observers. Her growing popularity among tourists and wildlife lovers led to her being featured in a film “The World’s Most Famous Tiger” which also won a National Award. She is also mentioned in Katie Yocom’s book “Three Ways to Disappear”. Unfortunately, Machli, the most photographed tigress in the world, died on August 18, 2016. She was 20 years old.
Sundari, also known as T-17, was the daughter of Machli, another famous tigress of the Ranthambore National Park. However, she died in October 2006. Her daughter, tigress T-73, gave birth to 3 cubs in 2019. Born in 2012, she is known for her shy nature and is mostly seen in an area of the park called Kachida Valley.
Similarly, tourists are equally attracted to the lover named Romeo (T-6), who tries his best to attract the attention of his younger companion Laila (T-41), who in turn attracts her regular companions and flirts with others; it looks really interesting. Laila, the tigress known as T-41, attracts tourists with her love affair with T-6, known as Romeo. Laila can be seen mostly in Zones 4 and 5, and is identified by the diamond symbol on her body.
The names of the Royal Bengal Tigers in Ranthambore are as interesting and diverse as their stories. One of them, T-25, known as Dollar, was named so because of the dollar-like symbol on his belly. He was also called Zaalim (cruel) because he did not like humans much and was known to chase vehicles carrying tourists. Despite his nickname and stories about his terror, he surprised everyone by raising 2 orphaned tiger cubs. According to wildlife officials, he died in January 2020, reportedly due to territorial fighting. Some other famous tigers of Ranthambore National Park are T-24 (Ustad), T-39 (Mala), T-41 (Jungli), Bina One, Bina Two and T-28 (Sitara). There are many stories and life-stories of Royal Bengal Tigers that will fascinate, delight and surprise you in equal measure.
