In any case, this would be a good time for you to seek the tiger's darshanbecause with the mercury rising, tigers and other animals visit waterholesmore often. That's where you get to watch them.

Like all things in Rajasthan, the remains of Central India, the 400-sq-kmRanthambhore reserve is steeped in history. Interspersed with lakes andrivers, the reserve houses a surprisingly well preserved 10th century fortatop steep rocks. Located near the town of Sawai Madhopur, midway betweenBharatpur and Kota, the virgin forests around the fort had become theprivate hunting grounds of the maharajas of Jaipur in the early 20thcentury. Nestled around the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges, the dry deciduousforests offer habitat to a large variety of animals. Leopards abound, butare not easily seen.

However, sighting hyenas, jackals, jungle cats, sloth bears and antelopeslike sambhar, chital and the graceful chinkaras should not take much effort.Tiger expert Tariq Aziz asserts, ``More than any other park or sanctuary inIndia, tigers are now encountered in Ranthambhore in broad daylight and arenot disturbed greatly by man's presence. It is perhaps also the best placeto photograph them.'' Photo-freaks had better get some 400 or 1000 ASA filmas the undergrowth is dense and unusually dark. The big cats have got usedto garrulous tourists in jeeps. No attacks have been reported, yet. But thenumber of vehicles is restricted and not more than two-three jeeps areallowed on each of the four trails in the forest. Open-topped trucks,seating 20 people, also ply, but only on two trails. Wildlife is best seeneither in the early morning or in the late afternoon.

The nearest airport is Jaipur, 175 kms away, and the nearest rail head isSawai Madhopur. Excursions to the park have to be booked at the ProjectTiger office. Contact The Field Director, Castle Jhoomer, Baori ForestLodge, Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), Ranthambhore Road,Sawai Madhopur-322 001.

You can also contact RTDC's office in New Delhi on phone numbers (011) 3382823 and 338 6069. RTDC's stunningly located Castle Jhoomer Baori (Tel:(07462) 20 495), a former royal hunting lodge, offers even a Panther Suiteand a Tiger Suite. There is no dearth of other upmarket resorts, includingthe Taj Group's Sawai Madhopur Lodge.

Second honeymoon
It's the time to tie the knot and whiz away for a honeymoon. Everybody seemsto be doing that. The bug seems to have bitten the much married ones too,for they are celebrating their second honeymoon.

Taj Romantic Holidays South Asia offer exciting venues for celebrating love.Valid till March 30, these packages from the Taj Group are divided into fourgroups-beach resorts, garden retreats, palaces and historicals.

Among the beach resorts are the Taj properties in Goa, Chennai, Sri Lankaand the Maldives. The special `All of Goa' package offers two nights eitherat the Taj Holiday Village or Fort Aguada in the North and one night at theTaj Exotica in South Goa or two nights at the Taj Exotica Goa and one nightat the Taj Holiday Village or Fort Aguada.

The rate for two persons for three nights is Rs 22,000. Of course, there areseparate packages for the four Taj properties in Goa (including the TajAguada Hermitage) and all offer candle-light dinner on the beach or atsunset point. In Chennai, the couple gets to stay in sea-facing rooms in theTaj Fisherman's Cove. The tariff is Rs 9,200 for two nights.

For climes exotic, there are the Taj Samudra, Colombo, and the Taj Exotica,Bentota, in Sri Lanka. Among the complimentaries at both the properties isbreakfast in bed with two glasses of buck fizz. The package rate for twopersons for three nights is $445.

In the Maldives, there are the Taj Lagoon Resort, offering a private sunsetcruise around the island with a bottle of champagne, and the Taj Coral ReefResort, offering a private one-hour getaway to a small deserted island aboutthree kms away. Rates for three nights for two persons vary from $375 to$450 at the Lagoon and from $450 to $525 at the Reef Resort.

For sylvan surroundings, go for the two-persons-two-nights packages, GardenRetreats. The garden view room in Savoy Hotel in Ooty costs Rs 7,900 andbrings a candle-light dinner with a fire in the room plus a bottle of winecomplimentary with it. There is also half an hour of horse-riding.

For the same tariff comes a standard room at Taj Garden Retreat, Coonoor,with a walk to Tiger Hill thrown in as a complimentary among other goodies.There are four options in Kerala. A harbour facing room at the Taj Malabar,Kochi, costs Rs 9,200, inclusive of a sunset cruise on a boat for an hourwith a bottle of sparkling wine.

At Taj Varkala, a superior room costs Rs 9,100, inclusive of a specialAyurvedic body massage for the couple and candle-light backwater cruise in atraditional boat with a personal valet serving wine and exotic snacks orchoice of a lunch or dinner in an exclusive, traditional Kerala housecourtyard along with a classical dance performance.

At the Taj Kumarkom (Rs 9,900), one is picked up by speed boat fromThanneermukkam jetty. This is followed by sightseeing in Kottayam, a visitto a bird sanctuary and a lantern cruise in a country boat on the backwatercanal in the evening between 7.30 and 8.30 pm, with Indian wine servedaboard. The stay in the Taj Thekkady cottages involves a boat ride on LakePeriyar, a visit to a spice plantation and a special candle-light dinner bythe poolside. Among the other retreats are Taj West End, Bangalore (Rs13,650), Chikmagalur (Rs 7,660) and Taj Garden Retreat, Madurai (Rs7,900).

In the Palaces' two-persons-two-nights packages are the famed Rambagh (Rs16,999-19,999) and Jai Mahal Palace (Rs 15,999-17,999) in Jaipur, and theLake Palace (Rs 25,000) in Udaipur.

The Historicals Package of the same duration comprises of the Taj Residency,Lucknow (Rs 5,300), where you get to enjoy a tonga ride through the city,Hotel Chandela, Khajuraho (Rs 7,900), with its exclusive dinner at the TreeHouse and lunch at the Neem Bar, the Taj View Hotel, Agra (Rs 5,800), HariMahal, Jodhpur (Rs 14,999-15,999) and Hotel de L'Annapurna, Kathmandu (Rs15,000-17,000) offering visits to Patan City, Swayambhunath Stupa, Bhaktapurcity and Pashupatinath Temple. That should be enough to ignite the fire ofromance in you or, if need be, stoke its dying embers.

Contact Taj Reservation Network, New Delhi; Tel: (011) 332 2333; Fax: (011)331 0750; E-mail: trn.delhi@tajhotels.com.