GATEWAY TO THE TIGER'S DEN Lying on the main Delhi - Mumbai railway line, Sawai Madhopur is the gateway to the world renowned Ranthambhore National Park - the famous Tiger Reserve, just 12 kms away from here. Ranthambhore has been a witness to the rise and fall of many rulers and a series of battle scenes.
In the 13th century AD, Govinda, the grandson of Prithviraj Chauhan took over the reign of the land. Later his successor Vagbhatta, beautified the city and built a noteworthy temple at Jhain.
In the middle of the 15th century AD, Rana Kumbha captured the fort and gifted it to his son to be occupied later by the Hada Rajputs of Bundi and Mughal Emperors, Akbar and Aurangzeb. Mughal Emperor Shah Alam gifted it to Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh I of Jaipur in 1740's and since then it was maintained as the hunting preserve of the Maharaja. (Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh were part of the royal hunting parties who stayed here.
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