Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is a multi-hop wireless network, without having pre-existing infrastructure and centralized administration. Each node participating in the network acts both as host as well as a router. Prominent characteristics of Ad Hoc Networks viz. Dynamic topology, Limited Physical Security, Energy Constrained operations throw challenge in the development of robust and efficient routing protocols. The Ad Hoc Routing protocols can be categorized broadly into Proactive, Reactive and Hybrid Routing Protocols. This literature is an attempt to understand the behavior of three Ad hoc routing protocols which falls in three different categories of routing. The protocols under consideration for study are Ad hoc On Demand Distance Vector Routing Protocol (AODV) which follows Reactive Routing scheme, Destination Sequence Distance Vector Routing Protocol (DSDV) is categorized as Proactive and Zone Routing Protocol (ZRP) is Hybrid in nature. The performance differentials shall provide an insight about the sensitivity of the protocols when operating in more challenging environment such as rapid change in network topology or the density of the network.