A Little Getaway to Ranthambore and Trinetra Shri Ganesha Temple

It has been ages since I was here on tripoto. It was in 2019 December that I went on a proper vacation trip to Sikkim. It was high time I broke the jinx in 2023 since covid lockdowns. But due to some unforeseen personal and financial challenges that I was and am still facing in life , the plans to explore the world, let alone India took a backseat. So, going to Ranthambore was more than anything else, an act of courage , albeit a small one in September 2023, to not let dark times bog me down.

I got my second ac train tickets booked ( 2nd ac chair and 2nd ac normal train). It was a delight that the weather gods were benevolent enough to send rains along the way unexpectedly and the rains were neither too much nor too less, just enough to male the mini journey memorable. The clouds hovered over green farms and fields and little Aravalli range hills. Upon reaching the Sawai Madhopur railway station I just took a couple of local taxis to reach my hotel. I had got a tent stay booked for me and I am glad that I did because it was a unique and different experience. Although , I was alarmed to see komodo dragon lizards around the tent, I enjoyed my stay with proper air conditioning and hills behind my tent.

The next day early morning I left for safari and couldn't spot the tiger but it was pleasant little outing. Later in the afternoon I tried to explore the Ranthambore fort via local tuk tuks to compare my experience the following day that was going to be a booked private taxi tour. It can be a bit tricky to explore the fort and go to Shri Ganesha temple without having ample time as well as not having booked a ride early morning because the local tuk tuks will take 10 people and charge you 20 times the amount if you want to go alone back and forth. The private taxi and tuk tuk experiences are quite different and you may prefer one over the other depending upon your choice.

The fort has its own history and multiple kings ruled and passed away after facing testing times of fate. But primarily it is known for Hammira, the Chahamana king of Ranthambore, who had granted asylum to some rebels from Delhi in 1299. He refused requests to either kill these rebels or hand them over to Alauddin, resulting in an invasion from Delhi from Khilji. The main attraction in the fort is Trinetra Ganesh Temple. The Ganesh Temple is located in the Ranthambhore Fort. Legend has it that in 1299 , Hammira Dev of the Chahamanas dynasty was fighting the invader Alauddin Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate at Ranasthambapura (present day Ranthambhore). King Hammira Dev was an ardent devotee of Ganesha.The defending army of Hammira Dev was facing starvation as provisions within the fort were depleted. One night, Ganesha appeared to the king in a dream and assured him that all his problems would be resolved.Next morning, an image of a three-eyed Ganesha appeared on one of the walls of the Ranthambore fort. Soon the war came to an end and the storehouses were replenished once more.A temple of Trinetra Ganesh was built in the fort where the murti was discovered by the king.

With hope in my heart that Shri Ganesh would bless me and everyone reading this little piece, I remember how I left the fort , wondering how come no one knows about this temple in Delhi. Nevertheless, I hope Shri Ganesh calls me once again to bless me and protect me from my enemies meanwhile.