| I am writing this in the glow
of the bonfire. Everyone has gone to sleep except Bhawani, who is
keeping first watch. Villagers told us there is some rogue animal about,
but could not tell what sort of animal. The fire is still burning
strongly; we have enough firewood to keep it going. Thank God! What lies
beyond that circle of light makes my skin crawl... |
An extract from a camper's diary
(23rd November 1945)
Somewhere in the forests of Satpura range,
Central Provinces |
Bandhavgarh
is truly one of India's magnificent wildernesses with a relative abundance
of tigers and an imposing Fort atop a plateau which dates back to 300 AD.
However its true claim to international fame is the discovery of white
tigers by the Maharaja of the princely state of Rewa, in 1951. Unfortunately
white tigers are not found in the wild state anymore and survive only in the
various zoos around the world. The progeny of the white tigers captured by
the Maharaja can be seen at the National Zoological Garden in New Delhi.
The Park covers an area of around 448km2 and although the National
Park was constituted in 1968, this area has been a centre of human activity
and settlement for over 2000 years. Legend has it that the fort at
Bandhavgarh which lends its name to the National Park and literally
translated means "Brother's Fort" (Bandhav = brother; Garh =
fort), was given to Lakshman by his brother Lord Rama, hero of epic
Ramayana, to keep watch over Lanka, ruled by the demon king Ravana. At one
time around 10th-14th century AD, this region was ruled by the Chandela
dynasty, which built the famous temples of Khajuraho
.
Presence of adequate water-bodies, grasslands and dense forests
make Bandhavgarh an ideal habitat for the animal life of the region. 25
varieties of mammals inhabit the jungles of Bandhavgarh and Nilgai,
Chowsingha, Chinkara, Wild Boar, Jackal, Wild Dog, Fox, Porcupine, Ratel and
three species of deer - Chital, Sambar and Barasingha - may be seen in the
Park, along with the Leopard and the Royal Bengal Tiger.
Nearly 250 species of birds have been spotted inside the Park which include
Hornbills, Leafbirds, Woodshrikes, Drongos, Fantails, Bee-eaters, Parakeets
and Flycatchers, to name a few. As the Park is relatively new this checklist
is not exhaustive and keen birdwatchers have ample scope of discovering more
birds and adding to the current list. The Bandhavgarh Fort is a treasure
trove of Indian heritage and no trip to the National Park is complete
without a visit to this awesome memorial of India's misty past. Special
permission is required to enter the fort.
