Bandhavgarh is the jewel in Madhya Pradesh’s crown. Situated at a distance of 195 km from Jabalpur and 225 km from Khajuraho, the Bandhavgarh National Park is a premier wildlife preserve in the Vindhya mountain range of Central India. It is a tiny park compared to Kanha but with nearly the same number of tigers and leopards, or at least that is the official figure. Besides tigers and leopards, Bandhavgarh is also extremely productive for medium-sized bison herds. Bandhavgarh came into existence as a national park in 1968 with a core area of 105 sq. km, which was later extended to include two adjoining sal forests in 1986. Before becoming a national park, it was the game reserve of the Maharajas of Rewa. But due to loss of royal patronage, it remained neglected for a long time until the government declared it a national park to control rampant poaching in the area.

History
Bandhavgarh's history goes back 2000 years in time and the earliest signs of habitation can be seen in the Caves excavated from the cliffs to the north of the fort. Brahmi inscription here, date back to the 1st century BC A hunting reserve of the roya! family of Rewa in more recent times, Bandhavgarh was declared a Park in 1968. This is where the famous white tigers of Rewa were discovered.

Fauna

• 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 chausingha (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.
• Birds
  Bandhavgarh is a stopover for migratory birds in winter. A variety of waterfowls come here, but the absence of wetlands makes them congregate at small water bodies. These waterfowls are not the only visitors; others like the steppe eagle also visit Bandhavgarh in winter. A number of small birds can be seen in and around the National Park, including some less common ones like the blue-bearded bee-eater, white-bellied drongo, Tickell’s blue flycatcher, white-browed fantail, Jerdon’s leafbird, gold-fronted leafbird, minivets and woodshrikes. Other prized sightings include those of the Malabar hornbill, paradise flycatcher and racket-tailed drongo. The vegetation along the streams and marshes is also rich in bird life. The easily spotted ones are the green pigeons, parakeets, peafowls, little grebes, egrets, sarus cranes, black ibis, lesser whistling teals, white-eyed buzzards, black kites, crested serpent eagles, black vultures, Egyptian vultures, red jungle fowls, doves and kingfishers, to name a few.

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.

Entry Requirements
All visitors to Bandhavgarh need a permit to enter the wildlife national park; this can be obtained at the entrance to the park. Entry fees for foreigners are Rs 200; for Indians and members of SAARC countries, Rs 20. Additional charges are levied for the entry of vehicles, for cameras and for elephant rides.

Best time to visit
Like many of India’s other wildlife preserves, national parks and sanctuaries, Bandhavgarh National Park too closes for visitors during the monsoon months, July to October. Between November and June is the best- and only-time to visit the park.

Accommodation
The Madhya Pradesh Tourist department has a forest lodge in Bandhavgarh; the PWD and the Forest Department also have guest houses within the park, where the accommodation, though not the height of luxury, is adequate. Rooms range from some interesting cabins on stilts to individual cottages. Besides this, there are hotels and forest lodges at Tala (at the entrance to Bandhavgarh). More information on Bandhavgarh may be obtained from the Director, Bandhavgarh National Park, P.O. Umaria, District Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh