That morning, Pushpendra Singh Ranawat, a keen conservationist with a wealth of on-the-ground knowledge, steered me into the inner recesses of this “Leopard Country”
There is no other place like South Africa in the case of wildlife safaris. However, in India, a small place in the southwestern region of the state Rajasthan happens to be home to the magnificent wildcats~ Leopards, where they roam free. This big cat symbolizes strength and power, with chivalric features like none other. A fact about this place is that leopards are not man-eaters here. Jawai has been a home to these wildcats for more than hundreds of years. They display astonishing behavior and are known to live in harmony and peace without any chaos which is why it is the best leopard spotting site in India.
In the year 2016, a one-hour-long documentary based on Jawai’s Leopards, produced by Robin Roy Films was launched by Discovery India. The documentary was titled, “Jawai: India’s Leopard Hills” and won the award for Best Natural History/Wildlife Programme at the prestigious Asian Television Academy Awards which was held in Singapore.
“This recognition reflects Discovery’s ingenious and differentiated approach to connect and entertain the discerning Indian viewer. The program captures rarely-seen-before behavior of the leopards and urges the audience to rethink the future of these dangerous yet vulnerable species,” said Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific South Asia vice president- real-world products Sameer Rao. The documentary depicts the surprising behavior of leopards that coexist with human beings. The naturally formed brings a specialty to the whole lava constituted region of Jawai. The Rabari community is known to worship leopards in the face of God.
Various other documentaries such as ” Living with Maneaters ““Wild Cats of India” & “The Leopard Rocks” by National Geographic have also been launched in the past few years. The fact that the leopards live around humans have amazed the world and still keeps in doing so. The main attraction of Jawai is the astonishing behavior of leopards.
A leopard is a shy animal. In Jawai, a villager could be in close proximity to a leopard without realizing it. They used to be hideous when they were noticed by villagers and poisoned. Each time a shepherd takes his cattle to graze around the Jungle, the leopards look for a target and plan their hunt throughout the day. They either hunt right then and come back for the dead species later or hunt at night, once and for all. The cattle are very precious to the villagers. However, villagers are content to claim the modest recompense the State Forestry Department provides. The price paid to them is generally half the market price. Sometimes, they don’t even do this, considering the kill an offering to the god. “If any leopard kills my livestock, Lord Shiva will give me double,” says Kesa Ram, 27, a herdsman and part-time leopard tracker for tourists.
A leopard is known to lick its spots, black and white. They are persistent. They’ll hunt if they want, no matter how difficult it might be, and nobody will even know; another characteristic of them. They never announce their actions before they move. They’re smart, tenacious, and prefer solitude, unlike many humans. Leopards have an aura around them. Their acts of hunting, courting, relaxing and fighting can leave you bewildered. Jawai gives a wider chance to spot leopards in India, particularly Rajasthan. Jawai gives everybody a 98% chance to spot leopards in their lifetime. No guest can be disappointed after taking a safari to the wild and spot the big cat!
Leopards are known to be loners.
However, an astonishing fact about Jawai is that one can even spot 5-6 leopards together, if lucky. There are various laws and self-imposed curfews in Jawai by the rabaris. They do not intend to disturb the activities of leopards. Jawai guarantees leopard spots on your visit. Moreover, with the extensive information and knowledge provided by Varawal leopard Camp’s owner, your experience will get better.
Famous for its unbelievable ecosystem formed by the wildlife, specially leopards and village community here. Jawai is a place that is not yet touched by globetrotters. The Jawai leopard Reserve is not managed by any government organization and is solely handled by individuals. Along with calling this place, the ‘Land of Leopards’, the Jawai dam is also called as ‘The Land of Flamingos’. The Jawai Dam gives one of the most surreal views ever seen. Visit to explore more about these leopards!
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Exploring “The Land of leopards”
Do you know why you should never say no to exploring? Because there are a number of possibilities that you might come across and still wonder if such things exist in this world. Jawai is becoming a popular destination with the amount of wildlife and culture it holds. However, Jawai Leopard Reserve is not limited to just safaris in Jawai. There are various other activities that you can explore on your visit here. There are these top activities in Jawai that every guest who visits Jawai yearns for these moments twice and more!
LEOPARD SAFARI
The major activity and of course the most famous one; probably the only activity you’re visiting Jawai leopard reserve for. Personally, I have spotted 64 leopards in this area & I can’t stop exploring more. The unbelievable stories of leopards that I believe in and see these happen myself, leave me speechless. Leopards have an aura around them. Their acts of hunting, courting, relaxing and fighting can leave you bewildered. Jawai gives a wider chance to spot leopards in India, particularly Rajasthan. Jawai gives everybody a 98% chance to spot leopards in their lifetime. No guest can be disappointed after taking a safari to the wild and spot the big cat!
BIRDWATCHING
Do you miss the sound of sparrows in the city? There is a huge bunch of sparrows here! Birdwatching in Jawai is another major activity. The area around the Jawai Dam goes by the name, “The Land of flamingos”. You can see various other species of birds flying around such as bar-headed goose, Sarus Crane, Indian Eagle-Owl, Ruddy Shelduck and many more. The sound that these birds make is the most melodious music one can hear in their life. The water is calm and gives a feeling of restfulness. There are more than 100 species of birds around here. The Jawai Dam is blend of the complete landscape of Jawai. Everything can be observed in one view.
CROCODILE SIGHTINGS
Jawai Dam can also give a great view of the water monsters living inside the lake. Yes, Crocodiles! One of the laziest creatures on earth can be seen in Jawai from your Gypsy at a proximate distance. There are, approximately, 300+ crocodiles known to live in the lake. Their crystal eyes are known to reflect light from the moon and the stars, which is why these eyes glow at night. These crocodiles, might be lazy, but are still one the most dreadful creatures on earth. So, on our expedition to Jawai Dam, be careful and do not get down unless you’re allowed.
JUNGLE SAFARI
Jawai might be a land of leopards, but that doesn’t mean it lacks wildlife. Jawai has a huge amount of wildlife species to spot. On your visit to Jawai, you’ll spot Striped Hyenas — Leopard’s enemies, which are known to kills leopard’s cubs. There are various stories known. You’ll also observe huge packs of Indian Jackals, Mongoose blabbering messages to each other, the dazzling & shy Blue Bull (Nilgai), mother-sloth bears carrying their babies on back, hedgehogs crawling around and many more. Just explore the wilderness inside you and come on this journey for an unforgettable experience.
LEOPARD TEMPLES VISIT
There are various temples in Jawai which have legends related to them. All these temples have great stories of leopards related to them. One such temple is Devgiri temple which has a history with the Pandavas of Mahabharata living here. Highest leopard spotting temple in Jawai. Another is Kambeshwar Mahadev ji temple which is known for Sloth Bear spotting. It is located on the biggest & longest hill of Jawai. Few more temples such as Lilora Mahadev Ji temple (known for its most famous leopard named Ziya), Perwa Mahadev Ji temple (where 12 different leopards live together), Bilaspur Mahadev Ji temple and Naag Bavji Temple Sena. All these stories have different legends and stories related to them. You’ll be amazed to hear the stories about them.
WALK WITH RABARIS
An activity that gives you a chance to experience the lifestyle of a Rabari. A way to learn new culture and listen about it from the living tribe itself is an experience that is raw & unique! Rabaris are not huntsmen. They’ve seemed to develop a bong with the leopards. They praise leopards in the face of God. You’ll be surprised to see a leopard cross by a Rabari without any intentions of attack!
HAR-HAR GANGE TREK
A wonderful location to all those seeking adventure in Jawai hills. Har-Har Gange is a hidden gem in Rajasthan that leads to a waterfall. This trail is much more beautiful during the monsoon season. It is for adventure seekers to relax themselves and take a bath in this natural and holy pool of water. According to the legend, the Pandavas from Mahabharata stayed here during exile. The story concludes that they were thirsty & needed water, which is why Goddess Ganga appeared herself and provided them water in the form of a natural pool.
HIGH TEA ON JAWAI HILLS
The idea of “Chai by the Dam/River” might excite and bring some sense of calmness to you. Almost, all human beings dream of living in a beach house or a one on hill with least amount of people and traffic buzzing around. Well, Varawal leopard camp makes that dream come true. The area around the dam gives a perfect and full-fledged view of what jawai is~ a peaceful destination! The best time for this activity is sunset and sunrise!
Varawal Leopard Camp can provide you all experiences together. I can personally claim on the fact your stay with us will be the most memorable stays of your life. I can claim that this experience will actually change your perspective towards various things. You’ll fall in love with yourself and this place!
I believe in serving wildlife and nature. If I am allowed to live on earth, the wildlife should too. From 6 years I have been keenly observing & studying the Leopards behavior and have gained recognition as a naturalist. I personally take care of everything when YOU are here. Its bold and beautiful life here in the wild, come and explore India’s Leopard hills of Jawai with us!