These are my thoughts, but I am confident that those who have done safaris in Kanha will relate to these lines of mine.
Yes, Kanha is a physical entity but for me Kanha is much more that that, to me it is the soul of Indian Wildlife. The tangible Kanha is visible to all, but it is the unseen, and the intangible that has made a dent on me.
Kanha does not have the highest tiger density, neither does it boast of most frequent tiger sightings, so what is it that pulls me and several others to this magical land called Kanha?
I think it is an inexpressible experience that puts Kanha on a unique pedestal. While on a safari here it seems that the Sal trees talk to you, the wind flowing through its meadows caresses you on your forehead in peak of summer thus calming your body, mind and soul. Every element of Kanha is conversing with you provided you are listening with your ears, eyes, and nostrils.
Kanha has played a significant role in protecting tigers and has several successful conservation stories. So, it is safe to say that it is the flagship National Park of central India, and amongst the top 3 in the country.
Reasons that you must visit Kanha at least once.
1. The real foundation of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Several points and locations in Kanha, Pench like the Banjar Valley, Seoni Hills and some more indicate the basis of the legendary Jungle Book on these parks.
2. The tigers of Kanha are amongst the biggest in India. A big reason for the same is the healthy Pench-Kanha corridor, which allows traversing of tigers thus creating a healthy gene pool of tigers. Kanha also forms a corridor with Achanakmar Tiger Reserve in the state of Chattisgarh.
3. Several wildlife experts have mentioned Kanha along with Corbett as the last bastion for tigers in case and ever tigers’ population goes below viable numbers. This itself is a reason worth exploring, Kanha, whether it is the landscape, the local community, or the forest management that makes Kanha a secure fort for the tigers.
4. Hard Ground Barasingha: to revive their population from the brink of extinction, from just 66 few decades back to over 1000, is one of the most successful conservation stories worldwide. Needless to mention that it is now the mascot of Kanha, the first national park to have an official mascot named “Bhoorsingh the Barasingha.”
5. Landscape diversity; the sal canopies, the high-altitude plateaus (Dadars), bamboo forests, and the massive meadows set Kanha apart from other central Indian National Parks.
6. Kanha pioneered the first village relocation in 1969 thus giving more space to its fauna.
7. Kanha is a source park for wildlife; It has not only donated tigers to other parks like Panna, Noradehi, Satpura, and Satkosia, it has donated other species like hard Ground Barasingha to Satpura, and Bandhavgarh. Gaur was also relocated to Bandhavgarh quite successfully. It has also received a small Black Buck population and lately the Wild Buffalos in Supkhar range.
8. The night sky in Kanha is still amongst the clearest in central India. Due to the vastness of Kanha National Park, and relocating villages, the dark sky of Kanha is amongst the best for star gazing.
9. The tribals in Kanha, i.e. the Gonds and the Baigas are still in good numbers and less affected by the changing lifestyles in the nearby towns. Some of them still practice shifting cultivation and are known to peacefully co-exist with tigers. They worship the tigers and the Saja tree species and have played a significant role in protection of the flora and fauna of Kanha.
10. Kanha national park has the best managed tourism amongst other parks. A huge credit for this goes to the park management who lay down rules, and the local drivers and guides who follow them religiously thus not increasing habitat or animal stress due to tourism.
Visit MeruVann Safari Lodge in Kanha National Park, a boutique wildlife lodge for you to connect with nature more closely.
