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Bandhavgarh National Park
In a game of
cricket, the saying goes that it is foolish to predict the winner till
the last ball in bowled. Similarly, no one can assure of a tiger on a
visit to a National Park or Sanctuary. But ask anyone with a little
knowledge about Bandhavgarh, and there will be quite a number of
acquiescing nods on a tiger sighting even before you start your
journey. A park, where the population of the big cat is supposed to be
the densest, Bandhavgarh was declared a tiger reserve under 'Project
Tiger' in 1993.
In fact, it was my
first trip to this park that brought back embarrassing memories of
infancy with full force (pun unintended). As a 27-year-old wildlife
activist tracking tigers on census trail for sometime in different
tiger reserves, I almost wet my pants. And here's a total recount of
the discomfiture of the incident…
…A fine morning in the Chakradhara grasslands; just as yours truly and his friend were chatting up the mahout
on the daily elephant rounds, the elephant turned sideways with a
sudden jerk, catching us all off guard. In seconds our alertness level
peaked and we were looking around us in the thick elephant grass for
the cause of such rabid reaction. Our jungle instinct warned us about
imminent danger lurking in the thick undergrowth. The mahout was weighing upon the chances of "it" being a python
slithering in the thick undergrowth. And lo! Without any cue, with a
guttural noise (which was actually a growl) dashed something just
beneath my dangling feet. It took some seconds to realize that it was a
huge male tiger jumping out of the thick undergrowth. The tiger first
snarled and then charged, sending our elephant in a tizzy. It trumpeted
and momentarily stood up on its hind legs leaving us dangling
precariously over the jaws of this mighty beast. Frozen to the bones,
we burst out on a cacophony of screams and to this day I can never
recall those hair-raising minutes that elapsed.
We somehow (I still
don't know how) managed to hang on to dear life. We were caught in
somewhat a merry-go-round with the charging tiger and the edgy elephant
going round and round crushing the tall elephant grass.
I cannot recollect for how long this went on but in the end we came out safe albeit shaken. The mahout
somehow managed to pull it off. Minor bruises, a broken camera, and the
reflexes on my left leg going berserk (yes, the muscles on it kept
cascading like waves at high noon for a good 10 -15 minutes), were the
high price we paid for this tingling stupefying incident.
This male tiger was named 'Charger'
and later rose to an iconic status in Bandhavgarh National Park. And
with passing time it became imperative that he would charge at
elephants as well as forest vehicles. And the reason remained a
mystery. Charger was the
dominant male and reined the forest like a true king. He is no more but
I am told that a commemorative board has named the spot where the
mighty beast died a natural death as 'Charger Point'. Quite apt, I say.
In the four days
that we stayed at the Park, tiger sightings were galore. We got used to
no less than two to three sightings per day. This was quite
extraordinary; I know of many friends and acquaintances who made
countless trips but never had the blessings of a tiger sighting.
Nestled in the
Vindhya hills, Bandhavgarh was the erstwhile hunting ground for the
royal family of Rewa before acquiring the status of a National Park and
a nature reserve. In fact, it was here that the white tiger was
discovered.
No trip to
Bandhavgarh is complete without a visit to its most famous landmark—the
2500-year-old Bandhavgarh Fort. Standing tall in the heart of the
forest, it draws reference to the mythological legends of Ramayana. The
fort is dotted with temples and statues dating back to the 10
th century. A trek to the top of the fort is the most rewarding jaunt as you get a breathtaking view of the entire sal and bamboo forest spread over 32 hills.
A
forest rich in bird life of over 250 species, it's also home to a
number of prey species from the Sambhar to the Chausingha as well as
over 100 species of butterflies. The Common Crow, Common Rose, Common
Wanderer, Plain Tiger and Blue Pansy are the most easily spotted
butterflies.
Once inside the park, trips to 'Bari Gufa', Gopalpur waterhole, Mahavan
talav, Sukha dam, Chakradhara, Sehra, Rampur, Sitamandap, Akla pahari, Jaamuniha, Sesh Shaiya and Ghora Demon are a must.
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