A Trip to Tiger Heaven called Bandhavgarh

Drive from Jabalpur

Driving through the wonderful Jabalpur-Shahpura highway is a picturesque treat to the eyes and the soul. Tree-lined and with not much traffic you get a holiday feel while driving. Yes, a holiday mood sets the mind right, and brings joy and peace, and so does this ride on a smooth road.  The Jabalpur-Shahpura Highway (70km) leads to Ghagua Fossil Park, a land containing fossils dating back 60 million years. The fossils are plant-based and in a perfect state of preservation, a short halt is good for freshening up, and for a visit to the museum and exploring the fossils. 

All through the drive, green fields, rustic hamlets, and tabletop mountains enhance your pleasure. In many places, the tree-lined forests are reminders of days whence the whole area was densely forested. Nevertheless, it is one of the best ways of reaching Bandhavgarh National Park situated in Madhya Pradesh. 

Leopard at Bandhavgarh

Shahpura to Umaria 

The drive from Shahpura to Umaria is palpable, a space without much urbanity in the picture. The isolated villages surrounded by green fields with ubiquitous pole fences full of cattle, and a makeshift cattle yard in most of the larger houses take you back to an earlier period when the time stood still as the urbanity had not yet made inroads. A bit paradoxical to call the drive into the interiors frozen in time nevertheless the indolent lifestyle cannot be experienced in the busy urbanity of the country.

Except for the villages and small townships, the rest of the 82 km drive is through the forests. The drive literally delivers a picture of what awaits upon reaching the holiday destination.  The townships offer a hint of time changing albeit at a snail’s pace. Normally dusty, with clusters of ill-designed and ill-planned antiquated thatched or tiled roof houses that smack of urbanity slowly making inroads, they still appear to be out of sync with modern agglomerations in India. 

Bandhavgarh

You can make a refreshing stop at a small but quaint MPTDC Resorts before Shahpura. It serves fresh snacks like idli, poha, and sandwiches along with hot chai or coffee. My bet was on sizzling hot pakoras served with chutney after eons of wait. If you are not hungry buy a packet of chips or peanuts and a cola to while away the time. The mountain landscape and a large man-made reservoir capped by a broad vista of tall trees on the road create picturesque settings for tired travelers.

Much cheaper options are the tea stalls at Shahpura the places sans the toilets are right on the street but some of them sell fresh hot vegetable pakoras and samosa that can make your day. Near the forest office, a diversion leads to Umaria which is at a distance of 50 km. From Umaria, the drive to Tala is 32 km most of it through the outskirts of the National Park.         

The whole drive is reminiscent of holiday tours when I was young in the seventies, the countryside was a lot greener due to dense forest patches all along the way. The complete lack of urbanity, metal roads, and quaint but primitive dwellings full of shy rustic inhabitants smacked of dismal backwardness to tourists in small cars that were popular in those days. The vehicles available with the taxi services in those days were Fiat and the rugged Ambassadors. In spite of the shock absorbers, the automobiles skidded and rebounded mercilessly on the unkempt metal pathways breaking every bone in the body. The noise inside the cars was of a terrifying decibel, and it corresponded with the jumps and bumps that we frequently encountered. The drive-by any means in sedans and luxury cars also used as taxis are much more enjoyable these days.    

Some modern amenities like cold beverages, basic medicines, and FMCG products are available in the roadside villages nowadays. The navigation through these townships is usually on a single narrow metal road. One has to be cautious driving through cow-littered roads and clusters of shops and houses. One element that I strive to see is the gaudy yellow stripped statues of tigers usually made of clay near the roadsides. Indians venerate all life forms, and the big cat holds a significant place in the Hindu pantheon. Ascribed the role of a vehicle for the Goddess, the idols refer to a period whence the tigers were everywhere in India. The figures are a sad reminder of what we practice alongside the preaching.

As you cross over the hamlets, the absence of cow dung and trash is a visible relief after a suffocating intersection. Before you reach Umaria, a jungle road leads to an ancient temple chiseled out of igneous rock which I have visited once. Ensconced in an enchanting grove surrounded by forests the temple is a pretty sight. It dates back to the 10th Century built perhaps by the Culchuris, the same ruling dynasty that built the Khajuraho Temples.           

After a short visit, you drive on to reach the Umaria Town, HQ of Umaria District in Madhya Pradesh. The Bandhavgarh FD Office is situated in this town. Preferred for consumer purchases, the town is cluttered and crowded at most junctions, it is a big disappointment for holidaymakers but then you get some modern consumables here. Make necessary purchases at Umaria before embarking to Tala township on the outskirts of Bandhavgarh National Park.  Use ATM or banking facilities if required. Umaria is a railhead and those who travel by rail alight here. The town is well connected by busses that ply on the road network and by the trains. Taxi services for long-distance travel are also available here. 

Thankfully, a side road with less traffic leads to the Tala - Manpur Road. Tala is a micro township situated at the doorstep of the tiger reserve. The 32 km drive is pleasant green and as usual, comprises humanity and fields.  The forests become apparent from Dhamokhar Range (11km) which is now included in the buffer zone for safari. Successful conservation measures have created a corridor for big cats of Bandhavgarh, and sighting does take place here. So drive slowly from here onwards since your safari has begun. Keep an eye on the roadside forests to sight a tiger or a sambar deer. After the local extinction, 50 Gaur have been relocated here and they can now be seen at Bhadrashila a small reservoir again. These massive beasts although gentle can be ferocious when disturbed so drive past if you come across them. 

From here onwards you get a glimpse of the steep cliffs and tabletop mountains that are a characteristic feature of this wild heaven. The drive turns into an exotic experience with an aura of grandeur cast by the cliffs. There are 32 steep cliffs that are spread across the reserve. They create an impression of magnificence as you drive through them during the excursions in the core. 

As you drive on towards the township, on the right is the MP Forest Rest House - the only accommodation years back whence tourism was at a nascent stage. It is reserved for officials and VIP Guests now. A little ahead, the township comprising of shops, and cluttered dwellings greet you. Old isolated huts suffocatingly squeezed now in between more stylish shops, and small restaurants selling various goods, You will overtake the Maharani Kothi, the Royal dwelling of erstwhile HH Queen of Rewa Estate. Part of the property has been converted to a resort and is much visited. 

The Tala Road comprises art shops, offices, a few budget guest houses, and a café besides small-time joints that sell chai and samosa. One of them was my favorite for the morning breakfast, they serve hot samosa and steaming strong cuppa chai.  During the stay, you can visit the Malaya Handicraft shop and café run by a lady from Ahmedabad -  Neelam Varma. The exhibit houses many traditional arts and crafts pieces made from all over India. This is a colorful collection of crafts that is priced reasonably and can be carried back home as a memoir or as a gift. Neelam also manages a small cafe that serves breakfast on a prior order.  

Tala Gate is the entrance to the Tala Zone of the park for excursions. If you have not booked a safari permit for Bandhavgarh then you book it here. Twenty percent of the park's core area is reserved for tourism. Tourism is also organized in the buffer. Each tourism zone has a separate entrance.     

Most of the hotels and resorts are situated near the Tala township while some are placed further in different locations. It is advisable to book the safari permits and the hotel accommodations much in advance. 

Jeep Safari

Bandhavgarh resorts and hotels offer various packages for a stay that range from budget to super luxurious. The best is to visit websites on the net and discover one that suits your style and the pocket.

Some of the accommodations here are a treat and can make your holiday a big success but please do not expect low prices since managing properties and serving food in remote locations requires a lot of resources. Choose a place with classic traditional interiors and exteriors away from Tala to experience local surroundings and architecture these properties nevertheless are equipped with all modern amenities and some offer great service.

If you wish to stay near Tala the Tiger Den is best. I love to stay at this resort for the great service and food. It is well structured with a manicured garden hence the outside noise does not make inroads. 

For tiger safari, an extended stay of a week or more is recommended for wildlife enthusiasts, professional photographers, and filmmakers.  Holidaymakers usually stay for 2 or 3 days. 

Jabalpur Airport and Railway Station are well connected with Mumbai, Kolkatta, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and some other destinations. The drive to Bandhavgarh is four hours via Shahpura-Umaria Highway.  

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Uday is a blogger and offers Seo + Content For Digital Marketing Services. 

He teaches digital marketing (SEO) in Jabalpur.

He freelances as a naturalist/birder at Kanha National Park. He loves to write about travel. 

He can be contacted at: 

pateluday90@hotmail.com

09755089323                 

  

Jabalpur to Kanha Via Mandla - Road To Tiger Heaven

The Journey on Road to Mandla

The jerks and bumps are unbearable and the ride long. These are the travails of a bus journey  to Kanha.  Who cares? I am going to the tiger heaven.

Mandla Fields

Jabalpur to Mandla Road is being built since ages, and I am used to the rough patches that arrive intermittently but with a stressful certainty. The sight of broken culverts, rocks and gravel and piles of sand alert you in advance as to what is about to come. The terrible jerks. OOf!

The crowd inside is bone crushing, and my lungs heave as bodies pile up on me whenever the bus vacillates on the rough patches. The beautiful landscape is a solace as the bus moves forward painstakingly on a non existing road. 

Banzar River

I sit tight on a badly designed seat that could challenge the best of the designers to rectify. You can see the cushion rotting, brittle, yellowed by age as it peers through the jagged edges.  

The whole picture is that of absurdity since the rattle is called a luxury bus. 

It stops every now and then to pick roadside passengers, some in small groups. The conductor pushes them all inside to the back where there is no space. They are duped easily, the rustic rural populace. 

"Go back there are empty seats behind" his standard speak every time he loads the bus. There are none, the travellers are mercilessly cramped up in the little suffocating passage between the rows of the seats - two on left and three rows on the right. 

Kanha Village

I am lucky for being on seat with kids beside who barely occupy much. In summers it gets worse with heat insulated between those on board and windows too small to let fresh air in. Anyway it gets too dusty hence people keep the windows closed most of the time. 

When I look outside, I see no work going on. The idle machinery - caterpillars and road rollers tell a sad story of indefinite delays in Government managed projects. This means more such horrible experience till the highway is eventually complete. The finished patches in between are like a breath of fresh air and future travel seems promising on the cement structure that will let ply the vehicles to and forth. Bus rolls smoothly as if on a rink...too difficult to believe.  Then the next patch awakens you out of the reviere. 

Mandla Village

The journey over unfinished patches is an absolute shock, and tests my body whence catapulted towards the roof and back onto the seat. Thanks to a long association with this road to Mandla, I have gained expertise in twisting and turning on time, and using these very acrobatic skills I always land back safely on the seat - me and my laptop and yes the baggage. But nobody is perfect many a times my goggles and hat are thrown astray and crushed under the unruly impending feet. They are all around. 

The bus stops for few minutes for refreshment at a market place called Narayanganj a small filthy town still living in the past. I go for tea and samosa from the roadside cart making sure they are hot. It is a hurried affair, the small shops well some of them selling eatables pass on adulterated stuff since there would be no fight back by unsatisfied customers due to lack of time. The toilet facilities are non existent, I hope they build some along with this new highway.     

After a hot cup of tea and samosas, I feel bit relaxed and this gives space to my cramped feet. In fact the stop is good to unwind my whole body ....crushed as it is.    

The bus journey ahead is as terrible and throws you into throes of convulsions. The twists and turns are more severe, and after frequent stoppages the bus is jam packed. The luxury bus I mean. There is no more halts worth their time only pick ups now and if you are feeling like it hold on tight.  The smell of edible lingers on for a long time in the cramped space of the rattle and an occasional burp  from the passenger smells like a bad fart! 

The journey is nevertheless amusing with wide variety of crowd that has mingled inside in perfect harmony. In India it is the crowded places that open up the region's culture. You learn how people carry on in adversity unbearable. I do not experience the World when I travel to Kanha National Park in a luxury SUV! All I experience is sleep and little shop talk with my clients...those which land at Jabalpur Airport. 

Mandla Township

After what seems an eternity full of bone breaking experience I land, lock, stock and barrel in one mutilated piece after three hours and run to the next bus. Sometimes the connecting bus to Kanha is late, and I get time to freshen up and for a cuppa chai!

Courtyard House Kanha

The journey to Kanha from Mandla onwards appears to be luxurious whence compared with the earlier one. Yet it is a painfully slow journey with innumerable halts. Eventually I reach Mocha township in the buffer from where I am picked up to take me to Courtyard House Kanha wildlife resort at Patpara Village. This is a high end property and I will get the much needed rest. I freelance here as a naturalist in the tiger heaven and love my work immensely. 

Bus ride anyone? 
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Uday is naturalist, a writer and loves to blog on travel and wildlife.
He provides SEO Service and Website Contents in English.
He Teaches Internet Marketing in Jabalpur in Summer
Contact: pateluday90@hotmail.com
09755089323

Traveling to Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh (MP) in India 

Invariably the discussion points to the road and the roads in general. "Corruption," my friend says. "Yeah, nothing new about it. He continues. "The khuds (ditches) jerk our innards as we proceed at turtle's pace. My friend who owns a resort at Kanha turns and twists the beleaguered steering of his expensive car.  I can see the grimace on his countenance as he desperately avoids injury to his precious vehicle. His face and belly muscles twitch and twist around vigorously. 

"You are lucky that there is no swelling or cramping of your muscles" I speak pathetically. "I have been driving on these roads for ages," he says and does not bother to offer further explanation.    

The road from Jabalpur to Kanha goes through one of the most scenic highways. The teak forests beside the road loom large and create a picturesque landscape. Once home to tigers and leopards, they are devoid of life now.  With few good patches, the ride continues to be bumpy and at times becomes dangerous on steep climbs.

After a drive of more than two hours, we reach Mandla Town which is about 96 km from Jabalpur. Like a majority of townships in India, this one too is populated with a maddening crowd and embedded in chaos and confusion. The sounds and smells are the same as that of any other sleepy habitation. This town is the HQ of Kanha National Park and houses the Chief Conservator or Field Director of the park. Mandla is a district of MP, and the township has many Government administrative offices.   

We do not stop here, rather we cross over the bridge over the Narmada River and halt for a cup of tea. This part of the river yields the finest freshwater fish not available anywhere near Jabalpur. A short drive from Maharajpur the road bifurcates. On the right, it is the Raipur Highway and on the left, it is the way to Nainpur. We turn left and negotiate the narrow gauge railway crossing. This one is unmanned and dangerous.

As we proceed towards Bahmni Banjar, a small township, the greenery gives way to human habitations, small hamlets, green fields, ubiquitous petrol pumps, tire wallahs, small retail shops, and dhabas (roadside eateries). Chai wallahs and Paan Shop abound.  For the resorts in Kanha, this is the supply point for groceries, sweets, and eatables. From here onwards, for a considerable distance, there is no township with modern facilities. I buy some medicines here and we proceed.

Large stretches of empty land greet us as we turn further left toward the Indri Village. After Indri, we cross over many fields and overgrown villages but what we like best to see are the quaint little hamlets of the tribal. Cows cross over the road at will making it difficult to maneuver the ditches. Soon human habitations give way to small patches of forest, the remainder of the extensive ecosystem this tiger reserve was in the earlier times. The forests classified as Kanha buffer are dotted with small tribal hamlets and some larger places which are markets for the remote populations. The landscape once again becomes picturesque but the road remains dotted with potholes.       

In the seventies, this road was almost deserted and we could start looking for wild animals. But this is no more, we hardly see any life in the forests. Anyway, it feels good to drive through the verdant greenery. We cross two river systems before we reach Mocha. These are the Ghanghar Nalla and the Banjar River. The Banjar Valley along with the Halon valley received early protection during British Rule in India. 

Mocha Village is the epicenter of resorts in this National Park. A large number of luxury hotel accommodation in Kanha are established here. The accommodations here are big with as many as twenty-five rooms. Mocha has a bustling market with the availability of daily needs, grocery, and consumer durables. 

We turn left some distance before Mocha and proceed towards the Patpara Village. This is the road to Baihar Township, and from here on one can proceed to Raipur Capital of the State of Chhattisgarh.  After crossing over the tortured inundated patch of Banjar River once again we reach the Patpara Village where my friend's boutique resort is situated.               

The three hours drive on a good road takes more than four and a half hours and a lot of torture. Thanks to "Corruption!"   

For us, this has become a  routine. For reaching the magical wilderness and tiger heaven we will bear all.

Kanha Fact File

Kanha is about 165 km from Jabalpur. Jabalpur Airport is connected with New Delhi & Mumbai. Jabalpur is well connected with major towns by rail. 

Wildlife: Tiger, Leopard, Wild Dog, Bison, Sloth Bear, Sambar Deer, Swamp Deer, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Sloth Bear, Four Horned Deer, Mouse Deer,  Wolf, Jackal, Fox, Hare, Civet, Jungle Cat and more. The Tiger Reserve has more than two hundred and fifty bird species.    

         

Road to Nagpur

The journey was in fact much extended right up to Pune. The Jabalpur beginning was as troublesome as  the ending at Nagpur. The journey begins in a rickety old bus paradoxically called luxury bus.

"Which Bus to Nagpur?"  

"Check Your Ticket!"

The bus has a characteristic scarred exterior with peals of paint with lost bindings. The interior does not look inviting either. Oh! Well one more weather beaten body inside.    

I twist and turn in order to avoid the ladder that leads to the sleeper bed on top. Eventually I manage to get into my seat, pull the lever and stretch myself maximum. The sun hits my face directly causing discomfort. The bus is warm and humid from inside, though it is October, but the parking is right under the sun. 

I wait in expectation for the bus to begin its journey onwards. The driver finally alights and begins chatting with the cleaner. The conductor is leaning out from the exit door. "Nagpur! Nagpur! Chalo Nagpur!

This is supposed to be a luxury bus, and only those with reserved tickets are allowed to embark. Who cares? "Nagpur" Nagpur!" 

Stuffed to the brim the contraption eventually moves forward. Amidst that sea of humanity, I try to close my eyes and relax for the seven hours tormenting journey onwards. The seat is not ergonomically designed, well  for a two hundred Rs fare one should not expect too much Luxuryyyyyyyyy. 

Throughout the journey I squirm like an acrobat to offer a comforting angle to my aching back and limbs. This does not work out much and discomfort continues. The bus traverses through picturesque surroundings of what where once dense forests. 

Its nothing new, the bad road condition, but the jerks break your bones and torment your muscles no end. You have to be careful so that you do not land on your neighbor. I peak from my window and see no sane piece of tar, only pot holes ravaged continuously by marauding wheels of buses and trucks. With each pounding the hole becomes larger and provides more space for the wheels. There are large stretches of road that contain nothing but loose sand and pebbles. There is no sign of any repair work throughout the National Highway. It is evident that proper ratio of material has not been used. The road is in utter state of neglect. Shameless! 

The extreme cataclysmic movement does not bother those in lofty seat as much, most of them are lulled by the rhythmic jerks that pass through the cross section like seismic waves. The unfortunate seat less travelers without a reserve ticket are engaged in constant maneuver to balance their bodies. And to save themselves from surrounding metal objects. Their journey is short hence they stand through. Years of discomforting travel has taught them how to hold one self  against life threatening thuds as the wheel falls into the pothole.   

In spite of the badly scarred road the driver pushes the accelerator to get the maximum thrust. The heat worsens as the sun rises and at each stop it is "Nagpur" "Chalo Nagpur". At each stop one lot disembarks  another alights to maintain the equilibrium. The inside smells of sweat, bad breath, oily snacks and garlic chutney all around. In India people eat throughout the journey, perhaps an instant source of energy that makes the body fight the hardship of travel better.            

The bus passes through small isolated hamlets that remain standstill, frozen back in time, centuries past, unconcerned with the changing pace of urbanity. The arid fields, rickety cows and goats are means of survival nothing exists beyond, most certainly the urban surroundings and its inhabitants. A lot which has discovered alien life and learned to ignore. The small towns on the way are engaged in a battle of survival between different eras, a conglomeration of rustic and modern structures. Noisy Baazars, loud blaring speakers and constant rant of the vendors characterize Indian townships. Stray cows, dogs and pigs are ubiquitous commensal  of man.   

The largest town half way through is Seoni made famous by Rudyard Kipling and his Jungle Book. Mowgli's Home, Pench National Park resides in the confines of Seoni and Chindware District close to the town.

The bus barely manages to drag itself uphill and the sharp turns make the ride more bumpy and troublesome.

The discomfort is compensated by the amazing scape of this National Park. The entrance to Pench is at Khawasa about 50 km from Seoni Township. At Khawasa the bus crosses over from MP to Maharashtra after a brief stop for tea, snacks, pan/bidi/cigarette and of course passenger exchange. "Nagpur" Nagpur!"    

We The People 

Roads in Maharashtra are better but not on this stretch, the journey lasts for another four hours exchange stops included. The passengers in seat wait eagerly for Nagpur to arrive. As decent law abiding citizens none has taken note of the road condition, a motley lot that represents all of us. A chalta hai lot that is voiceless and suffers in silence. The politician contractor nexus survives because of our silence since ages.

Perhaps the lot could teach those trying to turn turtles against the corrupt system. How not to confront? Chalta Hai Yaar hum bhi to khateein hain many would say.