Jaipur diary

Express News Service
Double delight for tiger lovers Tigress T-111 in Ranthambore gave birth to four cubs last week, taking the number of tigers in Rajasthan to 102. On Saturday, the four cubs were spotted in the Kundera range. Rajasthan will soon have a new tiger reserve. After Sariska, Ranthambore and Mukandra, the NTCA has finally approved a fourth Tiger Reserve in the Bundi district. About 1000 square km area from Ramgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Bundi forest area has been approved for this. Mohan Lal Meena, PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden, said, “We are taking this step due to the excess population of tigers in Ranthambore.” Currently, Ranthambore has a total of 69 tigers though it has a tiger carrying capacity of 45.

Double delight for tiger lovers Tigress T-111 in Ranthambore gave birth to four cubs last week, taking the number of tigers in Rajasthan to 102. On Saturday, the four cubs were spotted in the Kundera range. Rajasthan will soon have a new tiger reserve. After Sariska, Ranthambore and Mukandra, the NTCA has finally approved a fourth Tiger Reserve in the Bundi district. About 1000 square km area from Ramgarh Wildlife Sanctuary and Bundi forest area has been approved for this. Mohan Lal Meena, PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden, said, “We are taking this step due to the excess population of tigers in Ranthambore.” Currently, Ranthambore has a total of 69 tigers though it has a tiger carrying capacity of 45.

Ajmer girl donates hair to create wigs for cancer patients Varsha Kumawat, a young girl in the Ajmer district, has donated her hair for a noble cause. She decided to shave her head and give away the hair so that wigs could be made from it for cancer patients. “I feel very free. Suddenly, I feel relieved of all the tension in my life,” Varasha said. “I would encourage all girls whose family supports this to donate their hair too and bring a smile to the faces of the cancer patients we help.”  She plans to donate her hair to an NGO in Gujarat that specializes in making such wigs. Varsha’s heroic decision seems a challenge to the patriarchal notions of many in Indian society. She says that she deliberated for a long time before finally taking the step. Though her decision was made as long ago as in 2019, she did not know how to proceed but gradually gathered sufficient information through social media. Varsha says her resolve to donate her lovely hair was strengthened by the support she got from her family which finally inspired her to turn her decision into a reality for a noble cause.

Monuments reopen as Covid threat declinesMonuments and museums reopened last week after being shut for almost two months due to the second wave of Covid. Though the number of tourists was quite low initially, the travel and trade industry expects that footfall will increase in the coming days. The major tourist spots of Jaipur, including Amber Fort, saw a sizeable turnout on the very first day. The Amber Fort has seen a revival of the royal elephant rides. Most tourist spots are now seeing a gradual return of activity and trade. The tourism industry is one of Rajasthan’s top revenue earners and provides direct and indirect employment to nearly 15% of people in the state. 

Rajesh AsnaniOur correspondent in Jaipur rajesh.asnani@ newindianexpress.com