Day1 : Delhi - Bandavgarh
We
will receive you at the hotel and then after picking up some fruits, juice and
water for the journey proceed to station for train to Umaria (Bandavgarh).
Overnight will be on the train.
Day 2 : Bandavgarh
Reach Bandavgarh in the morning and check in at resort.
Bandavgarh is a new National Park with a very long history. Set among the Vindhya
hills of Madhya Pradesh with an area of 168sq miles (437sq km) it contains a
wide variety of habitats and a high density of game, including a large number
of Tigers. This is also the White tiger country. These have been found in the
old state of Rewa for Many years. Maharaja Martand Singh captured the last known
in 1951. This white Tiger, Mohun is now stuffed and on display in the Palace
of Maharaja of Rewa. Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandavgarh
had long been maintained as a Shikargah, or game preserve of the Maharaja of
Rewa. The Maharaja and his guests carried out hunting - otherwise the wildlife
was well protected. It was considered a good omen for Maharaja of Rewa to shoot
109 tigers. His Highness Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot 111 Tigers by 1914.
There are 32 hills in this part of the park, which has a large natural fort
at its center. The fort’s cliffs are 2625 feet (800 meters) high, 1000
feet (300 meters) above the surrounding countryside.
Bandavgarh has been a center of human activity and settlement for over 2000
years, and there are references to it in the ancient books, the Narad-Panch
Ratra and the Shiva Purana. Legend has it that Lord Rama, hero of the Hindu
epic, the Ramayana, stopped at Bandavgarh on his way back to his homeland after
defeating the demon King Ravana of Lanka. Two monkey architects, who had engineered
a bridge between the isle of Lanka and the mainland, are said to have built
Bandavgarh’s Fort. Later Rama handed it over to his brother Lakshmana who
became known as Bandavdhish "The Lord of the Fort" . Lakshmana is
the particular God of the fort and is regularly worshipped in a temple there.
The oldest sign of habitation in the park are caves dug into the sandstone to
the north of the fort. Several contain Brahmi inscriptions dating from the 1st
century BC. Various dynasties have ruled the fort, for example, the Maghas from
the 1st century AD, the Vakatakas from the 3rd century AD. From that time onwards
Bandavgarh was ruled by a succession of dynasties including the Chandela Kings
of Bundelkhand who built the famous temples at Khajuraho. The Baghel Kings,
the direct ancestors of the present Royal family of Rewa, established their
dynasty at Bandavgarh in the 12th century. It remained their capital till 1617
when the center of court life moved to Rewa, 75 miles (120Kms) to the north.
Without royal patronage Bandavgarh became more and more deserted until forest
overran the area and it became the royal hunting reserve. This helped to preserve
the forest and its wildlife, although the Maharajas made full use of their rights.
Each set out to kill the auspicious number of 109 Tigers.
At
independence Bandavgarh remained the private property of the Maharaja until
he gave it to the state for the formation of the National Park in 1968. After
the park was created poaching was brought under control and the number of animals
rose dramatically. Small dams and water holes were built to solve the problem
of water shortage. Grazing by local cattle was stopped and the village within
the park boundaries was relocated. The Tigers in particular prospered and the
1986 extension provided much needed forest to accommodate them.
Check in at the resort and overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day 3 : Bandavgarh
Enjoy a full day game viewing inside the jungle. (Two safaris)
Trip to the Bandavgarh Fort: The oldest fort in India - considered to be more
than 2500 years. One-hour trek up the fort is worth the effort. The charm of
this trek lies in discovering these monuments in the jungle, unspoiled and unexplored.
Some of the statues lie off the main path and so it is best to take a guide.
Apart from the avatars, well worth seeing are three small temples of around
the 12th century. These temples are deserted but the fort is still used as a
place of worship. Kabir Das, the celebrated 16th century saint, once lived and
preached here. The natural ramparts of the fort give breathtaking view of the
surrounding countryside. The fort still belongs to the Maharaja of Rewa and
permission is required to visit it. However permission is available locally
and no trip to Bandavgarh is complete without making an effort to climb up the
fort. The staff of the resort carries your lunch while you are busy negotiating
the trek to the fort.
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 4 : Bandavgarh
Jungle exploration on elephant back and Jeeps.
Enjoy bird watching and a walk to the fort.
Overnight will be at Bandavgarh.
Day 5 : Bandavgarh - Kanha
By Road : 250 km in 6 hr
After breakfast drive to Kanha.
This is the place that has been described by RUDYARD KIPLING in his great book
"The Jungle Book". Located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh,
Kanha National Park is a tiger reserve that extends over an area of over 940
square km. A horseshoe shaped valley bounded by the spurs of the Mekal presents
an interesting topography. Steep rocky escarpments along the edges offer breathtaking
views of the valley. Realizing the danger on the Tiger population in the country,
the Government started the "Project Tiger"
at
Kanha and in 1974 the area was declared a Tiger reserve. The park is also the
habitat of the high ground Barasingha.
In 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries - Hallon and Banjar
of 250kms to 300kms each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded .The
area remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population
in the year that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in
1952.
Patient watching should reward the visitor, with a sight of Indian Fox, Sloth
bear, Striped hyena, Jungle cut, Lepord, Mouse Deer, Chausingha or four horned
antelope, Nilgai, Ratel and Porcupine Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers
should station themselves in the hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests harbour
many species and in the grassy forest clearings. Water birds can be seen near
the park’s many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by
water birds and the area in front of the museum.
Excursion to Kawardha just east of the Maikala Range (up to 1100m) to the south
east of Kanha National Park, Kawardha is a small town in Chhattisgarh (34 forts)
region of M.P. In this remote area Maharaja Viswaraj Singh has recently opened
his palace to visitors. It provides a delightfully quite unspoiled contrast
with India’s big cities and with the much busier tourist circuit of Rajasthan’s
‘palace circuit’. This town is in the center of the Baiga tribe, who
live in forest surrounding the town, and these are several eleventh century
temples in the immediate region.
Reach in the afternoon and relax at the resort.
Overnight will be at the Kanha Resort.
Day 6 : Kanha
Spend the full day viewing game and spotting TIGERS inside the jungle. (Two
safaris)
Overnight will be at the resort.
Day 7 : Kanha - Nagpur
By Road : 250 km in 6 hr
Proceed for the morning GAME DRIVE into the forest.
Proceed to Nagpur.
Nagpur, popularly known as Orange Capital of India is also the second capital
of Maharashtra. The Gond King of Deogad, “Bakht Buland Shah” laid
the city’s foundation in the year 1702. This city derived its name from
the river Nag that flows through it. Nagpur was the capital of Madhya Bharat
State (C.P. and Berar) after Indian independence and in 1960, the Marathi majority
Vidarbha region was merged with the new state of Maharashtra.
Overnight will be at Nagpur.
Day 8 : Nagpur - Delhi
Breakfast will be at hotel.
Transfer to airport for flight to Delhi. Reach and transfer to airport for connecting
flight home. If your return flight is late in the evening we would be organizing
a hotel for day use which can be used for relaxing.
TOUR ENDS
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