Bandhavgarh National Park

Often overshadowed by the nearby Kanha park, Bandhavgarh is 170Km northeast of Jabalpur and curiously reminiscent of a theme park. Rocky hills center around the ancient ruins of the 2000-years-old Bandhavgarh fort, which can be visited as an afternoon tour separate from the safaris (entry fees last all day, but vehicle and guide fees must be paid each time you enter the park). These Sanskrit-scrawled caves below the fort can be unlocked for tourists-the rest house tigers. The park has 60 tigres, with at least half of those in the 67 sq.km tourist zone, creating one of the heightest dentities in India. Given its relatively easy accessibility from places like Varanasi and Khajuraho, The park has been attracted an increasing number of tiger-seekers. As a result ,the small park can get quite crowded during peek season(Nov.-June). There are accommodations near the park gate in Tala.

If tiger spotting is the only reason you'd venture into a jungle, you need to Bad straight for Bandhavgarh. This is one national park in which tiger sightgs are almost taken for granted, as the 448-sq-km park is reputed to have the largest density of tigers of any park in India. To ensure that you see the big cat, mahouts set out early in the morning, track one down and ferry groups of tourists for a dekho when the tiger settles down for a rest. If the fixed show is to tame for your taste, you can opt for a two-hour elephant safari, in which the guide does the tracking right in front of you. The latter may not assure you of a sightings, but it's definitely more exciting.

In The Park

Bandhavgarh is famous for its Tigers, but it also has a good range of other game. The best time to see the park is in the summers. Visitors are advised, to book their own elephant in advance so that it become easier to see the rocky hillsides and down marshy riverbeds, which are not possible in vehicles and to wear plenty of warm clothings if going for an early morning ride in winter. As Jeeps can be heired from the Tiger’s Den resort. Entry in to the park is allowed only during daylight hours. Chinkara, is also available on the edges of the main viewing area. Nilgai, Chausingha, and sounders of wild boar, as well as the jackal or fox can be seen in the grassland. There are two types of monkeys common in the park, the rhesus macaque and the black-faced langur.

History

Since 2000 years Bandhavgarh has been a center of human activities their references can be found in Narad-Panch Ratra and The Shiv Purana. It has been saud that Bandhavgarh’s fort was built by two monkey architectures, who had made a bridge between the mainland.The oldest signs of Bandhavgarh are caves dug into the sandstone to the north of the fort. People who have ruled the fort are Maghas from the 1st century A.D, Vakatakas from the 3rd century A.D. In 12th century the Baghel King, the direct ancestor of the present Royal family of Rawa, established their dynasty at Bandhavgarh.It remained their capital till 1617.Bandhavgarh remained the private property of the Maharaja until he gave it to the formation of the National Park in 1968. After the creation of parks number of animals rose dramatically. Smalll dams were built for water storage.

How to reach Bandhavgarh

From Jabalpur, take a train to Umaria(4½hr., 5:50am., Tu, Th, F, Su 10pm; sleeper Rs121). If you are coming from the north, catch the train to Umaria from Katni, 18km south of Satna. Buses sometimes run between Umaria and Tata Village, the sole gateway to Bandhavgarh; a better bet is the shared jeeps that depart from the market.

Orientation

Bandhavgarh have 32 hills, with large natural fort at its center and its cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet (300 meters). Almost half of the area of Bandhavgarh is covered by Sal forest and the upper slope is replaced by mixed forest of sal, saj, dhobin, and saja. Temperatures in (Nov-mid-February) are extreamly cold specially at night almost around 68 degree Fahrenheit in the daytime. In Summer also nights are cooler than the daytime temperature, which rises to 104 degree Fahrenheit.

Flora

About 70 % of Kaziranga National Park is covered with grasses. The tall grasses are called 'elephant grass' which grow up to a height of five metres during the rains. The grasslands are dominated by species such as Saccharum elephantinus, Imperata cylindrica, Poinia ciliata, Erianthus ravannae, Saccharum arundinaceum, Arundo donax and Phragmites karka among others.

Fauna

Kaziranga is known for its one horned rhinoceros, which is more than a thousand now. Other major wild attractions include tiger, leopard, Indian elephant, Indian bison, Swamp Deer or Barasingha, Hog Deer, Sloth Bear, cat, Jungle cats, otter, capped langurs, hog badgers, wild boar, jackal, Hoolock gibbons, wild buffalo, pythons, monitor lizards etc.