LOST TIGERS PLUNDERED FORESTS: A report tracing the decline of the tiger across the state of Rajasthan (1900 to present) Citation: Singh, P., Reddy, G.V. (2016) Lost Tigers Plundered Forests: A report tracing the decline of the tiger across the state of Rajasthan (1900 to present). WWF-India, New Delhi. The study and its publication were supported by WWF-India Front cover photograph courtesy: Sandesh Kadur Photograph Details: Photograph of a mural at Garh Palace, Bundi, depicting a tiger hunt from the Shikarburj near Bundi town Design & Layout: Nitisha Mohapatra-WWF-India, 172 B, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi 110003 2 Table of Contents FOREWORD 5 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 7 INTRODUCTION 11 STATE CHAPTERS 26 1. Ajmer................................................................................................................28 2. Alwar.................................................................................................................33 3. Banswara...........................................................................................................41 4. Bharatpur..........................................................................................................45 5. Bundi.................................................................................................................51 6. Dholpur.............................................................................................................58 7. Dungarpur.........................................................................................................62 8. Jaipur................................................................................................................68 9. Jhalawar...........................................................................................................76 10. Karauli..............................................................................................................80 11. Kishangarh........................................................................................................85 12. Kota..................................................................................................................88 13. Marwar..............................................................................................................98 14. Pratapgarh.......................................................................................................103 15. Shahpura.........................................................................................................107 16. Sirohi...............................................................................................................110 17. Tonk................................................................................................................116 18. Udaipur (Mewar)............................................................................................121 3 © GOVIND SAGAR BHARADWAJ 4 Foreword The study conducted by Priya Singh to retrace the distribution of tigers across the state of Rajasthan is an attempt to document the species in the recent historical context. In conversations on changes in natural landscapes in Rajasthan, there appeared a need to document presence of tigers in different districts of the state, by collecting both historical and anecdotal accounts and where possible, recording evidences. The period of study focuses the decades 1940s to 1970s; the study documents various habitats occupied by the tigers and their decline during this period including those of co-predators and prey in the regions covered. This has been a tremendous effort by Priya Singh: in travelling to capitals of the erstwhile princely states, looking through old records and libraries, and interviewing numerous individuals who shared memories and knowledge. This collation of information itself bears testimony to the vast cultural and heritage related knowledge that resides in our country and that needs collation and documentation for generations to come. My thanks go to Priya Singh for her commitment and dedication to her work. Thanks also to the Forest Department of Rajasthan, and to Dr. G.V. Reddy in guiding Priya Singh to carry out this study. It was the guidance and thought of Dr. Reddy that formulated the outline of this study. Gratitude needs be expressed to those who shared their knowledge and records where available. Apart from placing on historical record, the period under study highlights the decline of tigers in the western parts of our country where it was networked with both cultural tradition and custom and the larger heritage. The recent efforts for conservation of the species should also be seen in this positive light with due appreciation of the tremendous efforts for the conservation of the tiger and its habitat in Rajasthan. I hope this report inspires other studies to be brought out both to document India’s heritage and to provide continuing inspiration and need for conservation of India’s unique wildlife. Ravi Singh Secretary General & CEO, WWF-India 5 © GOVIND SAGAR BHARADWAJ 6 Acknowledgements Given my ancestral association with Rajasthan, this was an exciting assignment that I loved working on. However, I put myself against a massive challenge by agreeing to conduct a study of this magnitude in a period of three months. Executing any research on the tiger requires caution. It is a species that has been so extensively written about that few pieces of popular literature forget to mention it. This means having to deal with large volumes of data. To compound matters, my work involved deriving information from a multitude of sources, logistically the most difficult being, conducting interviews, most of them with people having aristocratic leanings. This meant going through several layers of communication before actually being able to speak with the person concerned. However, hurdles aside, this was an enlightening experience through which I extensively expanded my knowledge of not just the tiger but also the history of Rajasthan. This assignment allowed me an opportunity to interact with scores of wildlife enthusiasts and nature lovers across the state of Rajasthan which was intellectually stimulating. The genesis of the idea for this study can be traced back to an article written by Shri. R.G. Soni, ex-Chief Wildlife Warden, Rajasthan, on the same topic. In 2014, Dr. G.V. Reddy, Chief Wildlife Warden, Rajasthan shared his idea of conducting a state wide study on the same topic with Mr. Ravi Singh, Secretary General and CEO, WWF India, who enthusiastically agreed to fund the study. Mr. Ravi Singh hoped that the information obtained through this study would expand our knowledge of the tiger in its global westernmost distributional limit and aid present and future conservation interventions and management. I thank him and his team at WWF-India for all their help which includes funding this study, providing me access to an incredible collection of books and for intellectual assistance while I wrote this report. I am highly indebted to Dr. Divyabhanusinh and Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan for guiding me as I embarked upon this near impossible journey. I started my interviews in Delhi, the first being with M. K Ranjitsinhji. I would like to thank him immensely for taking out several hours for this interview and for sharing his incredible stories on the tiger. The other important contributors to this study include Shri Salauddin Ahmed - who granted me uninterrupted access to his remarkable collection of books; and Mr. Shatrunjay Pratap Singh- an amazing friend, always enthusiastic to help. The staff at the State Archives in Bikaner was very helpful and I would especially like to thank Shri Mahendra Singh Khadgawat who went out of his way to help me and ensure I lost out on no time at the State Archives due to bureaucratic issues. 7 I am extremely grateful to all interviewees who took time out to answer my many questions and share their vast knowledge about wildlife and tigers with me. While this list is extensive and I have cited all of them in the respective erstwhile State chapters, I would want to especially thank Maharaja Gaj Singh, Maharaj Sobhag Singh, Maharaja Krishna Chandra Pal Deo, Rajadhiraj Indrajit Singh, Maharaj Mahijit Singh and Rao Raja Raghuraj Singh. I thank Maharawal Jagmal Singh for making my work easier by agreeing to meet me in Udaipur while on a work trip and Pradhyuman Singh for helping contact him. I greatly acknowledge the support I received from M. K Harshvardhan Singh and Thakur Raghunath Singh, both from families synonymous with the name of the ‘tiger’ in Rajasthan. I met several officers from the Forest Department, some of who left me thinking deeper than I have before. These include Shri V.D. Sharma and Shri Vijai Salwan. Shatrujeet Singh and Jai Singh, thank you for sharing information with me and making me feel at home in Shahpura. Urva Sharma and her family deserve a special thank you for hosting me and helping me with everything in Kota. Shaz Syed, thank you for the interview with Captain Sahibzada Shamshir Khan, it was of great help. In Bikaner, a special thank you to my cousin Siddhi Kumari and to Kunwar Vishwajit Singh for all the help. Thank you to my cousin Kunwar Pradeep Singh, for his help and a very special thank you to my mother who handled all domestic challenges back home while I went about doing my work. At WWF, I thank Sunny Shah for sharing with me interviews of Maharao Brijraj Singh, Shri Balendu Singh and coordinating with Maharaj Veer Bahadur Singh’s family in Antarda. All this information