India Travel
Bandhavgarh National Park in Eastern Madhya Pradesh
With Kanha becoming ever more popular, Madhya Pradesh’s second national park at BANDHAVGARH, tucked away in the hilly northeast of the state, is receiving increasing attention from tourists. The draw is that the park has the highest relative density of tigers of any of India’s reserves, shelters a collection of fascinating ruins, and offers the chance of trekking through the jungle on elephant-back. It’s a long haul to Bandhavgarh from either Jabalpur (195km) or Khajuraho (237km), but worth it - not only to track tigers and deer but also, as all the accommodation is close to the park gates, to watch the array of bird life, without even entering the park.
Bandhavgarh may be one of India’s newer national parks, but it claims a long history. Legend dates the construction of its hilltop fort Co the time of the epic Ramayana, when monkey architects built Rama a place to rest on his return from his battle with the demon king of Lanka. Excavations of caves tunnelled into the rock below the fort revealed inscriptions scratched into the sandstone in the first century BC, from which time Bandhavgarh was the base for a string of dynasties. Among them were the Chandellas, responsible for the temples at Khajuraho, who ruled from here until the Bhagels took over in the twelfth century, staking a claim to the region that is still held by their direct descendant, the Maharaja of Rewa.The dynasty shifted to Rewa in 1617, allowing Bandhavgarh to be slowly consumed by forest and by the bamboo and grasslands that provided prime hunting ground for the Rewa kings. The present maharaja ended his hunting days in 1968 when he donated the area to the state as parkland. In 1986, two more chunks of forest were added to the original core zone, giving the park a total area of 437 square kilometres.
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Visiting Madhya Pradesh
In addition to its historic sites, Madhya Pradesh boasts a number of wildlife reserves, of which two are amongst the finest on the subcontinent. In the sparsely populated east, remote savannah grasslands are an ideal habitat for deer and bison, while the shady sal forests and tarai swamplands that surround the maidans provide perfect cover for larger predators such as the tiger. Of the national parks hidden away in this area, Kanha is deservedly popular, though tiger sightings here are on the decline. For the big cats, trek out to Bandhavgarh national park to the north. Getting around Madhya Pradesh without
Eastern Madhya Pradesh
On the tourist trail, Eastern Madhya Pradesh is singularly and justifiably famous for its amazing abundance of wildlife. Amid the rolling terraced plains and craggy cliffs are hidden two of the country's finest national parks. Kanha and Bandhavgarh. In the few remaining fragments of a forest that until 150 years ago extended right across central India, the reserves are among the last strongholds for many endangered species of birds and mammals, including the tiger, gaur (bison) and barasingha (swamp deer). The whole eastern area is deep in adivasi country; the villages of the Gond and Barga tribes dot the scrubby
Accommodation and eating in Eastern Madhya Pradesh
Most of Bandhavgarh s new and established hotels, all of which are in Tala, cater for travellers on a higher budget, and offer "jungle-plan" prices - all-inclusive 24hr deals including meals and two Jeep safaris per person. However, there are also a few budget lodges and mid-priced hotels. The only option for eating outside your hotel is at one of the friendly, cheap dhabas on the main road.
Palamau (Betla) National Park
In a remote and lawless corner of the state, 170km west of Ranchi, the beautiful forests of the PALAMAU NATIONAL PARK (also known as Betla), cover around 1000 square kilometres of hilly terrain rising south towards Madhya Pradesh. Part of the Project Tiger scheme (see Contexts, p. 1532). Palamau has been hard hit by drought, and even optimistic estimates of its tiger population stand at a mere sixty.Tiger sightings, more common in the hot season, are proudly announced on a noticeboard at the park offices. Like many national parks, Palamau consists of a buffer zone, open to visitors, surrounding a core
Rajaji National Park and around east of Haridwar at Uttaranchal
Around 830 square kilometres of the Himalayan foothills immediately east of Haridwar are taken up by RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK (mid-Nov to mid-June; Rs100 for three days, Rs50 each additional day, plus Rs20 per vehicle, Rs500 with video camera), which belongs to the same forest belt as Corbett National Park, 180km east. Although not geared for tourism to the same extent as Corbett, the park is absolutely beautiful, with a similar range of wildlife -most notably elephants, but also antelope, leopard and even a rare species of anteater - although no tigers. There are eight entry gates into the national park
The Park in Eastern Madhya Pradesh
Though there are flat grassy maidans in the south of the park, Bandhavgarh is predominantly rugged and hilly, clad in sal trees in the valleys, and mixed forest in the upper reaches, which shelter a diverse avian population. The park headquarters are in the tiny village of Tala, a stones throw from the main gate in the north, connected to Umaria, 32km southwest, by a road slicing through the park's narrow midriff, jeep tracks wind through the park from the north gate in Tala, circling below the central fort through forest and grassland, and passing watering holes and streams, good
Practicalities in Eastern Madhya Pradesh
Central Railway trains arrive at the city's only railway station, 2km east of the centre. From here, it's a five-minute auto-rickshaw ride into town; less if you plan to stay in either of the slightly more expensive hotels at the top end of the cantonment district. The shambolic city bus stand is more in the thick of things, a short way south of the bazaar and west of Naudra Bridge, site of several cheaper hotels. MPTDC's friendly and efficient tourist office, inside the main arrivals hall at the railway station (Mon-Fri 6am-10pm; 0761/322111), can provide the usual range of hand-outs, give
Jabalpur and around in Eastern Madhya Pradesh
After running in tandem across an endless expanse of wheat fields and tribal villages, the main Calcutta to Mumbai road and train line converge on eastern Madhya Pradesh's largest city. Though an important provincial capital. JABALPUR. 330km east of Bhopal, harbours little of interest beyond a halt-decent museum, some stalwart Rajera buildings and the marble rocks gouged by the River Narmada nearby. It's only really worth visiting en route to the national parks and tiger reserves, Kanha and Bandhavgarh, both half a day's journey to the east. The city as it stands today is of comparatively recent origin. Formerly, access to
Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh
Widely considered the greatest of India's wildlife reserves, KANHA NATIONAL PARK encompasses nearly 2000 square kilometres of deciduous forest, savanna grassland, hills and gently meandering rivers - home to literally hundreds of species of animals and birds, including a stable population of tigers. Despite the arduous overland haul to the park, few travellers are disappointed by its beauty, particularly poignant at dawn, though many feel hard done by when it comes to tiger-spottmg: you will need several forays into the park to ensure a chance of at least one good sighting. Central portions of the Kanha Valley were designated as a
Panna National Park at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh
The vast PANNA NATIONAL PARK (Nov-June; Rs100 including obligatory guide, vehicle extra), known for its large cats (including tiger), deer and antelope (nilgai), lies a short way east of Khajuraho, spreading across a landscape of rocky hills and ravines covered mostly by scrubby deciduous forest. Access is easier than in some of India s better-known sanctuaries - you can even go in on foot if you take along an armed guide. It's best visited in winter, as the entire area gets extremely hot during summer - though there is a better chance then of seeing tigers as they emerge in
Park practicalities: Madia at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh
The village of MAD LA, 24km southeast of Khajuraho near bridge across the picturesque River Ken, is the most convenient point of access to the park, and has the nearest accommodation. Giles' Tree House, booked through the Raja Cafe in Khajuraho, is a fairly professional operation and serves meais (order all food at least 4hr before leaving Khajuraho). You can sleep on the beautiful opal platform of the branches or camp by the riverbank below. Car hire (alsorom Raja Cafe) for the roundabout trip to the Tree House is Rs500. Madias more upmarket Ken River Lodge consists of comfortable modern mud
Park practicalities in Eastern Madhya Pradesh
Bandhavgarh is open from November to June (6.15-10am & 2.15-5.45pm; Rs200 [Rs10], private vehicle Rs100, obligatory guide Rs90. Rs25 extra with camera, Rs200 extra with video), but the best time to visit, if you want to spot wildlife, is during the hotter months between March and June. This is when thirsty tigers and their prey are forced out to the waterholes and the park's three perennial streams. The heat can be trying, especially when the town's sporadic electricity supply precludes the use of fans or air-conditioning between 6am and 2pm. Visiting in the cooler months, when wildlife viewing is still
Eastern Andhra Pradesh
Perhaps India's least visited area, eastern Andhra Pradesh is sandwiched between the Bay of Bengal in the east and the red soil and high peaks of the Eastern Ghats in the north. Its one architectural attraction is the ancient Buddhist site of Amaravati, near the city of Vijayawada, whose sprinkling of historic temples is far overshadowed by impersonal, modern buildings. Some 350 km north, the major port of Vishakhapatnam is not as grim as it first seems, but it's not a place to linger long. For anyone with a strong desire to explore, however, pockets of natural beauty along the
Van Vihar Zoological Park in Madhya Pradesh
If you haven't made it to Madhya Pradesh's bona fide national parks, or if you have, but missed the big cats, it's well worth visiting Van Vihar Zoological Park (daily 7-1 lam & 2-5.30pm; Rs100 [Rs10], free for children under 5; Rs25 extra with camera, Rs2(X) extra with video; for transport around the park, a rickshaw is Rs100-150 plus Rs10 entrance fee, bicycle Rs3 entrance fee). A trip round the five-square-kilometre sanctuary ties in nicely with a visit to the Museum of Man next door- keep the same rickshaw for the whole trip. The star of the park is a
Simlipal National Park in Orissa
West of Baripada, the landscape suddenly changes from open fields to th thickly wooded slopes and ridges of the Eastern Ghats. At more than 1000m Khairbhuru, the peak visible from the outskirts of town, is the highest in th region and one of the last true wildernesses in eastern india. The mixed deciduous forests, perennial streams and glades of savannah grasslands draped aroun its flanks have allowed for an uncommonly rich diversity of flora and fauna. In 1979 the whole area (2750 square kilometres) around the mountain we declared a wildlife sanctuary - primarily in an attempt to revive its dwindling
Gir National Park in Gujarat
The Asiatic lion which, thanks to hunting, forest-cutting and poaching, has been extinct in the rest of India since the 1880s, now survives in the wild in just 1150 square kilometres of the gently undulating Gir Forest. Gir National Park (mid-Oct or Nov to mid-June daily 7-11 am & 3-5.30pm), entered from Sasan Gir. 60km southeast of Junagadh and 45km northeast of Veraval, holds almost three hundred Asiatic lions in its 260 square kilometres. They share the land with Maldhari cattle-breeders, whose main source of income is buffalo milk. Many families have been relocated outside the sanctuary, but those who
Bharatpur and Keoladeo National Park of Jaipur in Rajasthan
The walled town of BHARATPUR is just a stone's throw from the border with Uttar Pradesh, 150km east of Jaipur, and a mere 18km from Fatehpur Sikri, Akbar's deserted capital. Though it may not hold any especially distinguished attractions, it's fun to explore by bike or on foot, with traditional markets, mosques, temples and a massive fort encircled by a wide and murky moat. However, the real reason to come here is to visit India's most famous bird sanctuary, the Keoladeo National Park, just a short way south of the town. Even if you're not particularly interested in ornithology, this
Central Madhya Pradesh Bhopal
With well over a million inhabitants, BHOPAL, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, has a skyline of minarets jutting from tightly packed streets and sprawling from the eastern shores of a huge artificial lake. Yet to the west there are verdant hills hiding nouveau-riche suburbs and the more expensive hotels. Below them on Upper Lake, little fishing boats bob along the shore, while middle-class families get down to some serious pedalo action. In addition to the nineteenth-century mosques that bear witness to Bhopals enduring Muslim legacy, the packed bazaars of the walled old city are well worth a visit. Elsewhere, excellent archeological
Jharkhand
On the eastern extremities of the Vindhya hills, at the northern fringes of the Deccan, lie the forested hills and escarpments of the rugged Chotanagpur plateau.The area became a new state,JHARKHAND, in 2000, after years of agitation by its largely tribal population, though it seems unlikely that its extreme poverty and lawlessness can be dealt with by creating a slew of new government positions and changing some names. The state capital is Ranchi, although Jamshedpur in the southeast corner is one of eastern India's most important industrial towns, the headquarters of the steel conglomerate TISCO. The forests that surround Jamshedpur, at
National Philatelic Museum in Central New Delhi
To locate the National Philatelic Museum, at Dak Bhavan, Post Office Sansad Marg (Mon-Fn 9.30am-l2.30pm & 2.30-4.30pm; free), go to the entrance by the car park at the back of the post office on Sansad Marg and report to reception, where you will be given a pass to go up to the first floor and view the extensive collection of rare stamps. These include first-day covers and special cancellations from the pre- and post-Independence eras. A booth in the main post office sells special commemorative stamps to liven up your letters.