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Location
State: Madhya Pradesh
Location: Bandhavgarh
Climate: Summers 24°-
48° C. Winters 9°-36 °C.
Altitude: Bandhavgarh
is
situated
at
an
altitude
of
about
811m.
Coordinates: 23.30
to
23.46
N and
80.11
to
80.36
E
Language: Bandhavgarh
has
a multilingual,
cosmopolitan
character.
People
speak
and
understand
both
Hindi
and
English.
Punjabi
and
Local
languages
are
also
spoken
and
understood
in
and
around.
Clothing:Required
Light woolen
in summer
and heavy
woollens
in winter.
Best
time
to visit: October
to April.
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| History
Bandhavgarh
National Park is located in Umaria
district on the extreme
north- eastern border
of Madhya Pradesh. Although
Bandhavgarh is a small
forest reserve, in the
last few years, it has
become one of the most
prominent National Parks,
owing to the high density
of its tiger population.
The mixed forests of
Sal and bamboo and the
abundance of water and
prey create a very conducive
atmosphere for the tiger
population here.
Bandhavgarh
was declared a National
Park in
1968 with an area
of 105 sq. kilometres.
The park is open
from October to June
every year and closed
during the monsoons.
There are three ways
of exploring the
forest here: vans,
open jeeps or on
elephants back. Apart
from tigers you can
also see sambar,
chital, chinkara,
barking deer, wild
boar, leopard, and
sloth bears.
Reserve as a private
property worked in
favour, as well as
against the interest
of the wildlife in
the area. While the
forests were well
protected and hunting
rights remained in
the hands of a selected
few, the white tiger
was still not safe
from human agression.
Maharaja
Venkat Raman Singh
shot
111 tigers by 1914,
a figure that was
slightly above
the auspicious
number of 109 tigers
that the Maharajas
had intended to
shoot. The figure
of 109 might have
been considered
a good omen for
kings, but for
tigers it only
heralded death
and extinction.
Had Project Tiger
not been launched
in 1972 with the
aim of protecting
the tiger and its
habitat, the tiger
may well have become
a thing of the
past. The killing
of tigers in Bandhavgarh
stopped in 1968
when the area was
declared a National
Park.
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| What to see
Places
to see in Bandhavgarh
The
area also has an extremely
ancient fort, the Bandhavgarh
Fort, which contains
inscriptions from 300
AD on one of its walls.
Later several dynasties
such as the Chandelas
of Bundelkhand held sway
over it. The fort now
is the private property
of the Maharaja of Rewa
and prior permission
is required to visit
it. A one hour trek leads
up to the fort and the
track is dotted by the
small temples of the
12th century, unspoiled
forests, and small meandering
streams.
Other places of tourist
interest in and around
Bandhavgarh include the
Tala village, closest
to the reserve and a
perfect picture of a
rural village. The Baghel
Museum houses personal
belongings of the Maharaja
of Rewa, who once maintained
Bandhavgarh as his Shikargarh.
Climbers Point, Rampur
Pahari and Sita
mandap are other places of interest
for hikers.
The Bhamera
Dam and
the Gharpuri
Dam
form a huge water
bank in the adjoining
Panpatha Sanctuary,
popular for water
birds. The Chenchpur
waterfall is another
attraction of the
place.
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| Art and Crafts
Madhya Pradesh is
the house of art
and
culture
, and
the Bharat Bhavan
which sits atop the
Shamla Hills, is
a prime example of
that. Designed by
Charles Correa, the
museum houses an
art gallery, a repertoire
company and libraries
of poetry, classical
and folk music. and
since Madhya Pradesh
has a large concentration
of adivasis (tribals),
a visitor at the
Tribal Habitat in
Bhopal gets a feel
of village life in
the state.
However, the most interesting facets of the district are the spectacular cave
paintings at Bhimbetka, a short distance away from the city of Bhopal. Etched
in rock, some of the work is more than 30,000 years old, while the more recent
ones belong to the medieval period. The cave paintings are valuable, not just
for their artistic merit but also because they constitute a treasure trove of
information on the pre-historic age.
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Dining Out
The best way to enjoy your dining
out the restaurants or picnic places
are the great place to relax and chat. There’s
an extensive range of beers on tap and wines
and spirits to satisfy any taste. A casual
and friendly environment with prompt service
and plenty of bar stools and lounge style
seating. The perfect place to unwind. Cheers!many
resorts ,resturents or picnic places in Madhya
where you can enjoy your dinner.
Many places are famous its Indian and Western
cuisine,some for authentic Punjabi and Gujarati
food. You can also get decent Indian food
here.If you would like to go out for cheaper
meals , you should try to organize your own
night out with the same people, arranged
around a more modest budget.An open glade
by the banks of the rivers you makes a good
holiday destination. Clean white sand separates
the lush green grass from the stoneMany places
are ideal for a taste of adventure and for
spending a quiet holiday in solitary splendour.
Enjoy your Restaurant - Relax, smile, laugh,
smile some more- eat, drink, eat some more,
and make some new friends. Start a contest
of wits or just stare dreamily into the air.
Be happy if you feel happy, loving if you
feel loving, friendly if you feel friendly.
It is your visit and we will do all we can
to make it pleasant for youThe restaurant
is an awfully convenient idea For dining
out. We hope that you all will go for it.
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| Wildlife
The forests of Bandhavgarh are the white
tiger jungles of the yesteryears. However,
no white tigers have been reported from the
wild in the last 50 years, and it is believed
that less than a dozen have been seen in
India in about a hundred years. and yet when
white tigers were sighted, it was right here
in Bandhavgarh.
Documents in the Rewa
Palace record as many
as 8 occasions on which
white tigers had been
sighted in and around
Bandhavgarh during
the first half of the
20th century. In 1951,
Maharaja Martand Singh
of Rewa captured an
orphaned white tiger
cub from the Bagri
forest in Bandhavgarh
(see Rewa & Land
under Madhya Pradesh).
The Maharaja domesticated
this male white tiger
and named him Mohan.
The Maharaja was also
able to successfully
breed white tigers
in Rewa and export
the cubs to distant
countries. As a result,
all white tigers in
captivity today are
Mohan’s descendants.
The species has thrived
in captivity, with
a number of specimens
related to Mohan finding
homes in zoos and circuses
all over the world.
Mohan was the last
white tiger in the
wild, and no white
tiger has been reported
ever since.
Before scientists
undertook research
projects on the white
tiger, it was widely
believed that the animals
were albinos. However,
it was discovered that
the white tiger did
not have pink eyes
as albinos do. Instead,
these tigers had black
stripes and blue eyes,
a result of genetic
aberration that occurs
due to mutant recessive
genes in both parents.
Flora
Sal (Shorea robusta)
trees dominate almost
half the forest of
Bandhavgarh. The sal
tree is an important
component of the deciduous
forests of North and
Central India. Sal
forests were found
throughout the northern
parts of the Deccan,
extending from Madhya
Pradesh to Orissa in
one continuous stretch.
These magnificent forests
have uniform and thick
growths of tall and
straight sal trees
that have rounded leaves.
The sal also provides
precious timber and
yields a resin that
is used as incense.
Over the years, legal
and illegal logging
has wiped out large
parts of these forests,
and it is only in places
like Bandhavgarh that
sal forests are still
protected. On Bandhavgarh’s
upper slopes, a mixed
forest replaces the
sal forest, while in
the north are large
stretches of bamboo
and grasslands. The
undergrowth in Bandhavgarh
is not very dense.
Mammals & Reptiles
The Forest Department
has recorded at least
22 species of mammals
and about 250 species
of birds in the Park.
Parts of the forest
that were cleared for
cultivation have now
turned into grasslands
where the chinkara
(Indian gazelle), nilgai
(blue bull) and (four-horned
antelope) can be sighted.
Groups of wild boar
can also be seen moving
around, digging their
snouts into the ground.
Occasionally, carnivores
like jackals and foxes
follow their prey into
the forest. The sambar
(Indian stag) and the
muntjac (barking deer)
inhabit the denser
parts of the forest
along with herds of
chital (spotted deer).
Gaur (Indian bison)
herds can be seen in
the Park only during
the months of March
and April when they
move down from the
higher hills to the
meadows to graze.
A
small population of
blackbuck also exists
around the fort area.
The blackbuck population
was reintroduced to
the Park and is protected
from predators by the
old masonry walls of
the fort. A number
of smaller animals
such as the ratel,
porcupine, small Indian
civet, palm squirrel,
lesser bandicoot rat,
or predators like the
jungle cat, hyena and
jackal, can also be
seen during a drive
through the Park. Reptiles
including cobras, kraits,
vipers, ratsnakes,
pythons, lizards and
turtles are more elusive.
A
lot of action that
takes place in Bandhavgarh
is up on the trees,
as two primate species,
the rhesus macaque
and the Hanuman langur
inhabit the Park. These
monkeys are easily
visible and fun to
watch. Large langur
troops can be seen
frolicking and feeding
on trees. The langur
feeds on leaves, some
of which are so poisonous
that even the most
seasoned insects avoid
them. Chital herds
are often seen close
to langurs, and both
share a very special
relationship. Perched
on treetops and equipped
with keen eyesight,
the langur is a vital
part of the alarm system
that warns against
approaching predators
like the tiger and
leopard. It is believed
that for the most part,
langur and chital alarm
calls mean the presence
of a predator in the
area.
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Nightlife
Madhya Pradesh is
a captivating region
of the Indian Himalayas.
It is often referred
to as the "Magical
Showcase of Nature's
Splendor" ideal
for the travelers to
travel, enjoy and relax.
Abundant green grassland
and wide valleys set
against imposing snow-clad
mountains; crystal
clear lakes, flowing
rivers and spurting
streams; fruit laden
groves and soft terraces
of corn and tea are
characteristics of
Madhya Pradesh. It
is the ultimate travel
destination of India.
It's the kind of place where tourists come for long weekends of lobster cracking
and wine drinking, wading into the gentle waters of Gardiners Bay to wash off
the metro-madness of the five days prior, and spending money hand over fist for
the privilege of it. Deb worked in a resort of sorts, which included single-family
luxury condos for rent or sale, and a set-back, semi-swanky restaurant with a
million-dollar view of the bay and front doors that, for reasons that baffle
me still, remained unlocked at all times. All of this regulating and refining
has lead to the production of some pretty fine stuff-nothing like the rotgut.
Madhya may pose no threat
to Mumbai as the nightlife capital of India,
but still Madhyais doesn't find a reason
not to bang their heads with the pulsating
music of their choice after pouring in a
couple of their favourite beverages down
the neck. Madhya's licensing laws are being
relaxed to encourage a culture of drinking
beer in bars rather than rocking down whisky
at home. Chilled martinis served along with
a plate of mouth-watering kebabs make for
a grand or rather Mughal startup. Step inside
the exquisite Mediterranean restaurant of
Madhya and you'll be greeted by a serene
cozy feeling that needs more adjective than
there is space here for. Whether it's the
handplastered interiors of the restaurant,
the enchanting aroma, the burnt wood furnishings,
handsome craftsmenship, lounge music or the
inspired beverages and cuisine, everything
here makes for a perfect nightout.
Madhya has generally little nightlife, although in major states a few Western-style
shows, clubs and discos are being developed. In most places the main attraction
will be cultural shows featuring performances of Madhyai dance and music. Almost
every large town will have a cinema, some of which will show films in English.
Music and dancing are an important part of life, combining with many other influences
to produce a rich variety of film art.
Clubs and Bars:
Pubs, bars, and discos are always full, from the night till day, up to 6am. Also
you can see all different types of people, but the majority are Indians, thus
this not make much of a difference, unless you have a fight with one of them,
but the atmosphere is always friendly and wonderful. Every day they have different
dress codes just to make it livelier. The best days to go to a pub, disco, or
a bar are Valentines Day or New Year’s Day.
Fire and Ice:
The best days to visit are the weekends when the crowds converge to the floor
and the place is jam packed. People who prefer to dance in smaller crowds may
visit during weekdays (Wednesday & Thursday) when the college-going kids
prefer visiting. Stags (single men or men in groups) are not permitted. The bouncers
are tough and unyielding.
Bar & Kitchen:
The Mediterranean-influenced restaurant and bar is just what the doctor ordered.
The food is light and delicious, the DJ spins soothing sounds and decor is pure
Ibiza, complete with a comfy, cushioned chill-out area tucked away in the back.
Dress well to get past the style police on the door.
Casinos:
A casino is a facility that accommodates certain types of gambling activities.
Casinos are often placed near or combined with Hotels, restaurants.There are
no casinos as gambling is illegal in Madhya.
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Travel Tips
The following information applies to all visitors entering India through other
international airports, as on date there is no international airport in Madhya
Pradesh. This comprehensive information aims to make your stay enjoyable and
comfortable. In case of any further information or assistance get in touch with
the Govt. of India or the Madhya Pradesh Tourist Offices throughout. Travellers
should check any information they use to make decisions and rely on their own
enquiries. They should seek detailed advice and opinions from travel agents,
airlines, insurers and diplomatic missions. Do obtain necessary documents, study
regulations, observe medical guidelines and refer to other sources."
Documents:
All foreign tourists wishing to visit the country must carry a valid visa and
national passport for India. Disembarkment and embarkation cards duly filled
in should be presented at the immigration counter on arrival and departure respectively.
Indian visa are available from Indian Consulates around the world, on a payment
of a visa free. The cost of visa is US $40 for upto 6 month, US $65 for upto
1 year, US $ 180 for more than one year and upto five years. Applications for
multiple and single entry visas are accepted.
For assistance with any immigration problem, contact the Assistant Commissioner
of Police at the Airport Immigration Office. Tourist visas are available for
a maximum period of 180 days. An extention beyond 180 days is allowed only in
exceptional cases. The Foreigners Regional Registration office (FRO) in any of
these cities- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Amritsar can be contacted.
In State capitals and district headquarters the application can be submitted
to any of the Police Commissioner's Office or Superitendent of Police's Office.
Money And Foreign exchange:
Indian currency is not permitted to be brought in or taken out of the country
without the permission of the Reserve Bank of India. Unlimited amount of foreign
currency or traveller cheques are allowed into the country. But if the value
of foreign currency notes exceeds US $ 2500 and the aggregate value of the foreign
exchange including currency notes exceeds US $ 10,000 or its equivalent it must
be declared at customs. You can exchange your money at airport, where a 24 hour
facility is available through banks and approved money charges. All major international
credit cards are widely accepted in India. Indian rupees are available in denominations
of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000.
Coins are available in the denominations of 5, 2, 1 (Rupee) and 50 and 25 paise.
Opening hours for banks are usually 1000 to 1400 on week days and 1000 to 1200
on Saturdays with Sundays being a holiday. International banks like HSBC, Citibank,
Standard Chartered, BNP, Bank of America, Hong Kong Bank, ABN Amro and others
can be found in major metros and tourist cities. Well known accepted credit cards
are Diners, Master, Visa and American Express. Some of the larger nationalised
banks include the State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Bank
of Baroda (BOB), Canara Bank, Union Bank of India and Central Bank of India and
other leading banks like UTI, ICICI, HDFC and IDBI. ATMs are also widely available.
Thomas Cook, American Express and some prominent multinational banks can make
instant money transfer to their offices in India.
Traveller's Cheque (TC):
The TC's are mostly accepted but have to be encashed because they are generally
not accepted to be used directly for payment. Most of the banks, Hotels (only
resident) encash TC's. In case of traveling widely to remote areas it is better
buying Indian bank as these are more widely accepted.
Custom Regulations:
There are two clearance channels. The green channel for passengers carrying non
dutiable items and the red channel for the passengers with dutiable goods. Items
are allowed free of duty include personal effects like clothing excluding merchandise
for commercial purposes, gifts valuing Rs. 4000for tourists foreign origin and
Rs. 12000 for tourists of Indian origin. Small items like cigarettes, cigars,
tobacco, and alcoholic beverages are allowed duty free within the regulation
limits of 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 gm tobacco and 1 litre each of wine
and spirits. For any grievances regarding Customs contact the Assistant Collector
of Customs in the Customs wing that is open 24 hrs. at the international airport,
Delhi. 011- 25652970
Income Tax Clearance:
If your stay exceeds 180 days in India, one is required to furnish a tax clearance
certificate to leave the country. The foreign section of the Income- Tax department
at the international airport issues these certificates.
Foreign Travel Tax:
The tax for international travel from Indian airports is levied @ Rs.150 for
the travel to neighbouring countries and Rs. 500 for travel to all other countries.
Export Regulations:
The export of all forms of wild animals including their parts and products is
prohibited. The export of all wild plants, seeds or parts is banned. Tourists
are also advised to acquaint themselves with the provisions of convention on
the international trade of endangered species of wild fauna and flora. For further
information contact the Regional Deputy Director, Northern Region, The Department
of Wild Life Prevention, Annexe No. 6, Bikaner House, New Delhi. 011-23384556.
Export of Antiques:
Antiques include sculpture, paintings or other works of art and craftsmanship,
illustrations of science, art, crafts, and religion of bygone eras and of historical
interest which have been in existence for not less than 100 years. Also art treasures
of artistic and aesthetic value can not be exported out of India. For inspection
of art objects refer to the Director General, Archaeological Survey of India,
Janpath, New Delhi-1. 011- 23019446
Healthcare:
The vaccinations recommended are Typhoid, Tetanus, Meningitis, Encephalitis,
Hepatitis before traveling to India. However, a few careful precautions can protect
you even if you don't take the inoculations. Protect yourself against mosquito
bites and take prophylactic drugs. Drink plenty of water, use salt on food and
avoid extreme exertion in warm climate. The case of insect byte should immediately
be treated with a local antiseptic or antibiotic cream. Aerosol spray on clothes
deters insects. To avoid intestinal upsets insist on clean food, boiled or mineral
water. Carry chlorine tablets to purify water then in doubt. For inoculation
against communicable diseases contact the Vaccination and Inoculation Centre,
Domestic Airport, New Delhi. Ph. 011- 25665348 or International Inoculation Centre,
Mandir Marg, New Delhi, Ph: 011-23361675. Doctors, Pharmacies or Chemists are
available in every little town and remote Place. Most of the Hotels have doctors
on Call
General Information:
What to take:
Light and heavy woolens are useful during the winter season in Madhya Pradesh.
Between December and February it can be real cold during the evening and night
so many woolen are a must. Prompt and very economical laundry service is available
at almost every place of stay, so clothing should best be kept to a bare minimum.
Make sure you have photocopies of all essential documents and your international
driving licence. The health kit should include special rehydration powder, antidiarrhoeal
and antimalarial tablets, some antiinfective cream or lotion and a first aid
box.
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Emergency Info
Tourist Office
Hotels
of Madhya
Pradesh
email: booking@hotlsofmp.com
Police
and Emergency:
In
emergency
dial
Police-100,Fire-101
and Ambulance-102.
In case
of items
stolen
contact
the duty
officer
at the
nearest
police
station.
Incase
of loss,
theft
or related
problem
encountered
while
traveling
in train,
report
to train
attendant
or the
ticket
examiner
and to
the railway
police
force
at the
next
railway
station.
Safety:
Beware of tricksters while making a purchase
through credit cards.
Driving Regulations:
A valid international driving license is
necessary for driving a car or motorbike.
In India we drive on the left of the road
and overtake on the right.
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