Bandhavgarh National Park

The safest abode for White tigers and leopards

The Bandhavgarh National Park is located in the Umaria District of Madhya Pradesh. It is known for being the reserve for the rare white tiger along with leopards. Rocky hilly terrain along with dense forests capture the topography of the national park. In fact, there are around 32 hills present in the park. The park is also known for providing the best probability of spotting a tiger with an impressive high density in this comparatively small park. Its name originates from the easily distinguished hillock called Bandhavgarh, where Lord Rama had asked his younger brother Lakshman to keep an eye on Lanka. The most photographed tigress Sita, who has been photographed a lot for the National Geographic, can be found in this national park

Before being transformed into a national park and reserve, it was utilised as a personal hunting reserve of the Maharajas of Rewa. In fact, hunting tigers was considered to be a good omen in the tradition of the Maharajas. For example, once the Maharaja of Rewa Shri Venkat Rama Singh held the record of hunting 111 tigers.  Maharaja Martand Singh had hunted the last tiger in 1951.  Even now, one can spot the old ruins of their forts in the territory of the national park. The forest reserve was finally declared as a national park in 1968. It is nestled in the Vindhaya Ranges.

Following are the main attractions of the Bandhav Garh National Park

Flora: The flora of Bandhavgarh National Park basically comprises of dry deciduous forests. One can also spot meadows, plateaus and cliffs. The lower slopes are covered with bamboo vegetation while the Sal forests are present in the valleys. High grasslands also mark the speciality of the national park, along with 300 different varieties of flora. Some of the common trees found in the national park are Saj, Dhaora, Palas, Bamboo, Madhuca, Khair, Babul, Banyan, Palas and Amla. The contrasting vegetation also includes Neem, Kakera, Khejda and Mohua. The floral diversity of the national park has been increased due to the mixing of the soil and the landforms. The park boasts of having 18 species of rare plants, 50 species of aquatic plants and 600 different varieties of plants.

Fauna: The park protects more than 22 different varieties of mammals along with 250 varieties of birds. One can also spot rhesus macaque and langurs in the park. The list of fauna in Bandhavgarh includes white tigers, leopards, sambars, barking deer, chinkara, Chausingha, sloth bear, grey monsoon and wild pigs. Some of the common birds found in the park are Plum headed Parakeet, House Crow, Common Snipe, Pond Heron, Little Egret, Spotted Dove, Lesser Kestrel, Common Tailorbird and Common Myna.

Excursions from Bandhavgarh National Park:

Tourists can explore the following locations, adding to their thrill and adventure of the Bandhavgarh National Park.

Bandhavgarh Fort: This exquisitely designed fort is perched on the Bandhavgirl hill, approximately 811m above the sea level. It is believed that this fort is 2000 years old and one of the oldest forts in India. According to mythology, it is believed that Lord Rama rested in this fort while returning after winning over in Lanka and had bestowed the fort as a gift to his younger brother.

Baghel Museum: Located quite near to the national park, this museum is known for carefully preserving the significant belongings of the Maharaja of Rewa. The museum also discloses the collection of  old  hunting equipments of the military and those of the Maharaja himself.

JawalaMukhi Temple: It is located 11 km away from the Bandhavgarh National Park and is known is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Jwalamukhi.

Best time to go:
Bandhavgarh National Park is open for the tourists from 15th of October to 30th of June. The ideal time to visit it is from October to March.

How to Reach:
Air: The nearest airport to the Bandhavgarh National Park is located in Jabalpur which is 200 km away.
Rail: The two new railway stations which are located next to the Bandhavgarh National Park is in Katini and Umaria . Umaria is located 35 km from the park while Katini is located 100 km.
Road: The nearby towns related to Bandhavgarh National Park are Katni, Jabalpur, Umaria, Khajuraho, Varanasi and Nagpur.