“RANTHAMBORE IS PERHAPS MORE FAMOUS FOR ITS GUAVAS THAN ITS WILDLIFE…”

next 20 minutes waiting for her to get up. She did not. We gently backed the jeep. The safari was closed. The markets had opened.

Town and

For breakfast, the Aman had chosen a guava orchard as a setting. I chose to go to the hotel where an outstanding breakfast of fresh methi paranthas along with a dill and green chilli chutney had been assembled by Chef Yadav.

It was a close shave at the markets that morning as far as I was concerned, but the shave at the poolside under a century-old tree by the resident barber, Roop, was far more comforting.

I decided to skip lunch at the hotel. Instead, I chose to discover the wildlife in the old city of Ranthambore, complete with gems such as a vintage silversmith, an attar manufacturer and some impeccable street food. While there, do try the dal vadas from Bhagwan Sharma. He makes them on a wood-fired stove so as to enhance the flavour. And he refuses to bastardise their taste with a chutney.

Girij Nama’s kachoris were magnificent, pregnant with heaps of fresh masala. Finally, do visit Pachu Halwai for his rich rabri.

With the taste of fine food still lingering, we then went to get a taste of Ranthambore’s great textile tradition at Dastkaar, where I picked up two gorgeous dresses for my niece.

It was an exhausting day. But at the end of it, if Anand Shekhawat invites you for a drink, you do not say no. Anand regaled me with stories ranging from the legendary Daulat Singh to the bunga mushroom, the graceful eating habits of the tigers and how the camp manipulates the minds of snakes. It was an education.

The next morning it was time to head home. We pelted towards Jaipur. Gulped downed a brilliant lassi at Lassiwala in Jaipur, and had the amazing Air Fry toast at Jaipur airport.

It had been a packed two days. But every bit of me had been touched by those two days. It was multi-sensorial seduction at its very best.

As someone famously said, “Dil mein mere meri jaan tere liye sheron ka shor hai. Kehte hain ye duniyawale, yeh dil nahi humara, yeh Ranthambore hai.” ("In my heart, for you my love, is the roar of the tigers. People of this world say this heart is not ours, this

is Ranthambore.")

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Swapan Seth is the Founder of This Content, a content and conversation management firm.