Bandhavgarh National Park

The forests though dominated by Sal Trees like at Kanha and Corbett are much drier and this is evident from February onwards moving into summer. There is a good mix of the scrub forest as well. Though many might scoff at the idea of bird watching, Bandhavgarh National Park is an excellent birding destination with good visibility of birds. It has a very good population of vultures such as the Indian Vulture, White Rumped Vulture which roost along the cliffs. The Asian paradise flycatcher, Golden Oriole, Indian Pitta as well as the sight of the not so common White-capped Bunting.

Hunting grounds for the Maharajas of Rewa in the past, Bandhavgarh is set in a glistening 168 sq. miles (437 sq. km). Its fame is owed to one of the most enchanting Tigresses, Sita, and the most aggressive Tiger, Charger. Every wild Tiger has a short life span for which it remains dominant in the park; though Charger, was something different. He lived an unusually long life and ousted every male Tiger who tried to take over the reins in Bandhavgarh. However, it was only a matter of time when his age gave in.

Two other Tigers B1 and B2, cousins to each other, tried to ambush his territory as he grew older and the latter succeeded. B1 died an uncertain death while B2 ruled as King for the next few years. He became the poster boy for Indian wildlife and put Bandhavgarh on a pedestal for wildlife tourism in India. BBC, Discovery, National Geographic, and even Icon Films could not resist but share the stories of these true legends. Their anecdotes continue to resonate with the park’s silence.

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 as well.

Various dynasties have ruled the fort, for example, the Maghas from 1st century A.D. and Vakatakas from 3rd century A.D., Ever since then Bandhavgarh has been ruled by a succession of dynasties including the Chandela Kings of Bundelkhand who built the famous temples at Khajuraho. 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.

Other than the fort, other tourist attractions in the Tala Zone of Bandhavgarh park are Shesh Shaiya, Charan Ganga, and Badi Gufa. Don’t forget to ask your guide about these! Therefore, it is safe to say that a tiger safari in India is incomplete without experiencing all that Bandhavgarh National Park has to offer.