Bandhavgarh National Park
In
1217 A.D. a young adventurer departed from his native Venice on a voyage of
discovery. Among the other incredible stories he related in his "Book of
Marvels", he spoke of a wondrous land filled with curious animals, like
elephants, rhinos and the great striped cats. That land was India. The man was
Marco Polo.
For long, Africa has been regarded as the Mecca of Wildlife. Justifiably so,
but in the recent years the natural wealth of the Indian Subcontinent has begun
to offer naturalists, tourists and researchers a fascinating alternative to
the once dark continent.
Now, imagine yourself in an open Gypsy slowly and silently cruising along a
dense forest trail, listening to the alarm calls of a Langur warning the presence
of a Tiger. You feel a tingling sensation in the nape of your neck as the forest
floor quietens, and you silently watch, through the early morning mist, a faint
image of yellow and black stripes crossing the trail ahead. You move on, as
the early rays of the sun make an array of magical shapes through the trees
across the forest floor, and your lungs revel in the fresh morning air.
Such is the experience at Bandhavgarh National Park; one of the few remaining
havens for the pride of Indian Wildlife - the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Bandhavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya
hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq kms) it contains
a wide variety of habitats and a high density of game, including a large number
of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the
old state of Rewa for many years. The last known was captured by Maharaja Martand
Singh in 1951. This white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the
Palace of Maharaja of Rewa.
Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandhavgarh had long been
maintained as a Shikargarh, or game preserve of the Maharaja of Rewa. The Maharaja
and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife was well protected.
It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His
Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914.
History
Bandhavgarh
has been a center of human activity and settlement for over 2000 years, and
there are references to it in the ancient books, the Narad-Panch Ratra and the
Shiva Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama, hero of the Hindu epic, the Ramayana,
stopped at Bandhavgarh on his way back to his homeland after defeating the demon
King Ravana of Lanka.
Two monkey architects, who had engineered a bridge between the isles of Lanka
and the mainland, are said to have built Bandhavgarh's fort. Later Rama handed
it over to his brother Lakshmana who became known as Bandhavdhish "The
Lord of the Fort". Lakshmana is the particular God of the fort and is regularly
worshipped in a temple there.
The oldest sign of habitation in the park are caves dug into the sandstone to
the north of the fort. Several contain Brahmi inscriptions dating from the 1st
century B.C. Various dynasties have ruled the fort, for example, the Maghas
from the 1st century A.D., the Vakatakas from the 3rd century A.D., From that
time onwards Bandhavgarh was ruled by a succession of dynasties including the
Chandela Kings of Bundelkhand who built the famous temples at Khajuraho.
The Baghel Kings, the direct ancestors of the present Royal family of Rewa,
established their dynasty at Bandhavgarh in the 12th century. It remained their
capital till 1617 when the center of court life moved to Rewa, 75 miles (120Kms)
to the north. Without royal patronage Bandhavgarh became more and more deserted
until forest overran the area band it became the royal hunting reserve. This
helped to preserve the forest and its wildlife, although the Maharajas made
full use of their rights. Each set out to kill the auspicious number of 109
Tigers.
At independence Bandhavgarh remained the private property of the Maharaja until
he gave it to the state for the formation of the National Park in 1968. After
the park was created poaching was brought under control and the number of animals
rose dramatically. Small dams and water holes were built to solve the problem
of water shortage. Grazing by local cattle was stopped and the village within
the park boundaries was relocated. The Tigers in particular prospered and the
1986 extension provided much needed forest to accommodate them.
The Fort
The
fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and permission is required to visit
it. However permission is available locally and no trip to Bandhavgarh is complete
without making an effort to climb up the fort.
The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside.
Vultures wheel around the precipice, which also attracts blue rock thrushes
and crag martins. The fort has a small population of Blackbuck, which have been
reintroduced and to some extent protected from Tigers in the park below by repairs
to the masonry walls at the edges of the fort.
Thus Bandhavgarh offers excellent game and bird viewing and a historical interest
which most other parks lack.
Geography Flora and Fauna
There are 32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort
at its center. The fort's cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000 feet
(300 meters) above the surrounding countryside. Over half the area is covered
by Sal forest although on the upper slope it is replaced by mixed forest of
sal, saj, dhobin, and saja. Winter temperatures (Nov-mid-February) vary from
almost freezing at night to around 68 degree Fahrenheit in the daytime. Summer
nights are also cooler than the daytime temperature, which rises to 104 degree
Fahrenheit. This park is closed during the breeding season, which coincides
with the monsoon (July-October). Rainfall in the park averages 50 inches (120cm)
per year.
Within the Park
Bandhavgarh is justifiably famous for its Tigers, but it has a wide range of
other game. The undergrowth is not as dense as in some northern terai forests,
but the best time to see the park inhabitants is still the summer months when
water becomes more scarce and the undergrowth dies back.
The most effective way to search for Tigers is on elephant back. It's advisable
to book your elephant in advance and to wear plenty of warm clothings if going
for an early morning ride in winter. The mahouts are kept well informed of the
whereabouts of the nearest Tigers. However there are many tigers in the park
and the elephants are able to take you up steep, rocky hillsides and down marshy
riverbeds, which are impassable to vehicles.
There
are several good weather roads in the park. Jeeps are definitely recommended
over other vehicles and can be hired from the Tiger's Den resort. A forest guide
must accompany all visitors into the park. Entry in to the park is allowed only
during daylight hours. For both elephants and jeep rides the hours immediately
after dawn and before sunset are best.
Chinkara, still rather shy, can be sighted on the grassland areas of the park,
particularly on the formerly cultivated land in the southern extension area,
on the edges of the main viewing area. Also to be seen in the grasslands are
nilgai, chausingha, and sounders of wild boar, as well as the occasional jackal
or fox. Muntjac and sambhar prefer denser vegetation. The main prey animal,
however for the Tigers and the park's rarely sighted leopards are the chital,
which now number a few thousand.
There are two types of monkeys common in the park, the rhesus macaque and the
black-faced langur. Drives can also reveal jungle cats, hyenas, porcupines,
ratels, and a variety of other mammals. Bandhavgarh attracts many migratory
birds in the winter months, including the birds of prey like the steppe eagle
and a variety of wildfowl.
If the early morning Safari is a thriller then the late afternoon rendezvous
to get another glimpse of the Tiger, and watch the shadows grow taller as dusk
approaches and the cacophony of birds grows louder in the trees, is not to be
missed experience.
The nights in Bandhavgarh are an enigma- the twigs of the bonfire crackling
in the resort lawn, combined with the calling of the jackal, the silhouettes
of the trees against a starlit sky and perhaps, a distant rumbling roar deep
in the heart of the forest.
It's an experience of elation and sadness. Elation; to have experienced a part
of our rich bio-diversity. Sadness; considering the state of the dwindling Tiger
population and our depleting forest reserve …will our children ever be
able to witness nature in all its pristine glory? I wonder….
Bandhavgarh National Park , Wildlife Parks in India
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Note » Bandhavgarh National Park Close Between 30th to June 1 October
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