incredible india: Bandhavgarh National Park

Wednesday 30 January 2013

Bandhavgarh National Park

23:44 | Posted by Unknown | Edit Post

Bandhavgarh National Park is a famous national park of India found in the district of Umaria in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The Bandhavgarh Park was declared as a national park in theyear 1968, and engrosses an area of about 105 km². The buffer is found to be spread over the Umaria and Katni forest divisions and covers 437 km². This park derived its name from the most renowned hillock of the area, and is believed to be given by Hindu Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana for keeping an eye on Lanka (Ceylon). Therefore, it got its name Bandhavgarh which means Brother's Fort in Sanskrit.

One can find a large biodiversity in this park. In India, Bandhavgarh has got the highest population of tigers known in the country. This park has got even a large population of Leopards, and several species of deer as well. In the year 1951, Rewa’s Maharaja Martand Singh caught the first white tiger here in this region. Mohan, this white tiger, is now stuffed as well as exhibited in the palace of Rewa Maharajas.

General Information

State	Madhya Pradesh.
District(s)	Umaria
Established	1968
Nearest city	Katni
Time zone	IST (UTC+05:30)
Area	446 square kilometres (172 sq mi)
Elevation
Climate
Precipitation	1,173 mm
Temperature
Summer	42 °C
Winter	2 °C.

History

As per the history, the state of Rewa dates back its origins to the establishment of a state in the year 1234 by a descendant of Vaghelas , Vyaghra Dev, in Gujarat. Vyaghra Dev tied a knot with the daughter of Raja of Pirhawan and also acquired the territory from Kalpi to Chandalgarh. Then Karan Dev, son of Vyaghra Dev got married with the daughter of Raja of Ratanpur, and brought Bandhogarh, which is at present known as Bandhavgarh as her dowry. In the year 1597, the Bandhogarh legendary fortress fell into hands of Mughals accidently. In 1593, after the death of H.H. Maharaja Virbhadra Rao , his younger son had succeeded as H.H. Maharaja Vikramaditya. When he went to Delhi for the purpose of safety, the emperor advantaged his absence and sent one of his loyal nobles as governor on temporary basis. Once he took control of the fort, the nobles and officials of Maharaja were expelled and the fort was conquered by the Mughals. When he returned to his remaining domains, H.H. Maharaja Vikramaditya was compelled to incorporate a new capital at Rewa.

Bandhagarh National Park has a rich historical past. Before becoming a national park, the forests in the surroundings of Bandhavgarh had been maintained for the purpose of Shikargah, or game preserve, meant for the Maharajas along with their guests.

Rewa State had a merger with Madhya Pradesh in the year 1947 and therefore Bandhavgarh fell under the regulations of Madhya Pradesh state. The Maharaja of Rewa had the hunting rights still and no special measures for conservation of wildlife were taken till 1968, when it was declared as a national park. A number of steps have been taken since then, for retaining Bandhavgarh National Park as a safe natural habitat.

Best Time To Visit

The best time and ideal season for spotting tigers here is from the month of November to June. The park remains closed form 1st July to 30th September. The Best Season for visiting Bandhavgarh is November to March. However, November to June can be considered good for visiting the Park and the park remains closed from July to October. The peak monsoon days are good for seeing the sights.

March to June is considered good for various wild animals to be spotted including leopards and tigers. In this season one can click beautiful photos of wild animals found to be moving freely in this park.

The time from July to October is nice for short outings and sight- seeing when the natural splendor is at its zenith.

Location Map

Distance from - National Park

Umaria : 35 km/ 45 min

Khajuraho : 270 km/ 6 hrs.

Jabalpur : 190 km/ 4 hrs.

Satna : 120 km

Delhi : 978 km

Gwalior : 565 km

Katni : 102 km

How To Get There

By Air

One can fly from Delhi, Varanasi or Agra to Khajuraho and take a drive of 7-8 hours to entrance of Tala park at Bandhavgarh. The close by airport is Khajuraho.

Getting By Rail

The closest railway station is Umaria from where it has around 40 minutes drive to Nature Heritage. Or one can go for the overnight train from Delhi to Umaria and drive 30 minutes to reach the park. One can avail only jeeps for transfers. Khajuraho / Bandhavgarh is at a distance of 250 Kms.

Things to Do in - National Park

The Fort has no records to reveal that when Bandhavgarh Fort was built. It is however, believed to be 2,000 years old and one can refer for it in the ancient books, the Siva Purana and Narad-Panch Ratra. Several dynasties ruled the fort, some of them being the Maghas from first century AD, the Vakatakas from third century, the Kalchuris from the tenth century etc to name a few.

Baghel Museum : Found barely 100 meters from the resort, it has some precious assets of Maharaja of Rewa who sustained Bandhavgarh as his Shikargah, or a game preserve, for many years. A stuffed white Tiger is still found in the museum apart from various personal things that belonged to Maharaja.

Village Tala: To have a glance of life in an Indian village, where the pace of life is still being measured by the rhythm of seasons. To have a look at a typical village life, Tala Village is the right place to visit.

Mahaman Pond – This place can be considered to quench the thirst and is surrounded by bamboo clumps. A variety of carnivores and herbivores can be seen here.

Ketkiha - Pendanus Point: This patch is aromatic and wet with "Pendanus " i.e. Kewra having lofty jammu and arjun trees shadow and is known as the actual treasure of flora wealth of Reserve.

Climber's Point – there is immense Natural splendor having woody climbers like Bahunia Wahlii and butea superba besides the gigantic sal trees offering views for visitors.

Bari Gufa – it is an ancient monument and is the largest man made cave found in the reserve that dates back to tenth century.

Three Cave Point – There can be seen Archaeological remnants of past and are visible from Ganesh hillock.

Rajbahera- This Bandhaini Hillock View has marshy meadow as it originated from a river Dammer. One can see the storks, herds of chital, vultures, samber and wild pigs. The view of this Hillock adds beauty to the Park.

Accomodation

There is no accommodation in this park except the nature camp of trekkers. So people stay at district of umaria. One can avail the luxury resorts as well as the Guest houses of government in umaria.

Nature Heritage Resort: Natural Heritage Resort is situated among the Madhya Pradesh hills near Bandhavgarh National Park. It is a popular place for staying.
Tiger Den Resort: Tiger Den Resort is located Village Tala nearby bandhavgarh park. This Resort is at a distance of 240 km from Khajuraho and lies 35 Kms away from Umaria.
Tiger Trails Resort: It is a jungle lodge located at Bijaria village, and is 2 km from Bandhavgarh National Park. It engrosses an 11 acre wooded estate.
Bandhavgarh Jungle Lodge: It is at a walking distance from the major gate of the park. It is found in the periphery of this park. Resort had been established on a theme of Indian Village.

Weather

This park experiences 3 types of seasons – the winters from mid of October to end of February and the summer season that lasts from March to mid of June and the monsoons can be experienced from mid of June to mid of month October.

The average annual rainfall is found to be 1,173 mm that can be received in the rainy season i.e. from mid of June to September. The temperature varies from a maximum 42 degree Celsius in May and June to about 4 degree Celsius in the winter season. One should prefer casual and cotton clothes meant for summer with natural colors are best from March to May. It is advisable to wear Sunglasses and sunhats. It should be taken as an advice that from November to Febuary warm clothes should be carried for chilly mornings as well as evenings that are misty.

Photo Gallery