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Bandhavgarh National Park stands as one of the most popular national parks in India and is situated in the district of Umaria, which lies in the central part of the country, Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh was honored with the status of a national park in the year 1968 and is sprawled over an area of about 105 sq km. the buffer zone of the national park is spread over the forest divisions of Umaria and Katni, which measures to about 437 sq km.
The national park took its name from the most popular hill in the region, which is believed to be given by the Hindu God Lord Rama to His younger brother Lakshmana, as to keep an eye over the territory of Lanka. The national park of Bandhavgarh holds a rich variety of biodiversity. The park also houses the maximum number of tigers in India and also holds a large breeding population of Leopards and a diverse variety of species of deer. As per the records, Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa incarcerated the first white tiger from this region, in the year 1951. This white tiger, Mohan, is now swollen and is kept on display in the palace of the Maharajas of Rewa.
Having tiger at the zenith of the food chain, the park possesses 37 species of mammals, along with which there are more than 250 species of birds, with 80 species of butterflies, a number of reptiles. The fauna includes gaur (Indian bison), sloth bear, leopard, porcupine, wild boar, sambhar and spotted deer. The biggest attraction of the national park is the famous and endangered breed of tiger called panthera tigris tigris. There is also a saying about the ver Bandhavgarh Park which states: “In any other Park, You are lucky if you see a tiger. In Bandhavgarh, you are unlucky if you dont see (at least) one.”
The species in fauna that you can see in the park are Tiger, Leopard, Chital, Sambar, Barking deer, Nilgai, Chausingha & Chinkara,Wolf, Wild dog, Fox & Jackal, Sloth Bear, Wild Pig, Langur, Reptiles, Indian Rock Python (Ajgar), Common Vine Snake (Harahara), Russell’s Viper (Daboia), Striped Keelback (Dhoria), Bengal Monitor Lizard (Goh), Skink (Bhabani), Butterflies, Spiders & Moths.
The flora in the park includes Gular (Ficus glomerata) and Pakad (Ficus insectoria), Bamboo (Dendrocalamus strictus), Palash (Butea monosperma), Mahua (Madhuca indica), Sal (Shorea robusta), Saja (Terminalia tomentosa), Jamun (Syzygium cumini), Pipal (Ficus religiosa), Banyan (Ficus bengalensis), Sundew (Drossera indica).
The national park of Bandhavgarh is also popular for bird watching as it has more than 140 species of birds and the main species of birds that can be found in the park includes blossom headed parakeets, parakeets, blue bearded bee eaters, green bee eaters, white bellied drongos, owls, Jerdons and gold fronted leaf birds, minivets, white browed fantails, steppe eagles, green pigeons, grey malabar hornbills, black and white malabar hornbills (quite a rare sighting), woodshrikes and the lovely paradise flycatchers.
The best time to visit the park is from November till June and is closed from 1 July to 15 October. The other excursions from the park are Bandhavgarh Fort, Baghel Museum, Village Tala, Mahaman Pond, Ketkiha – Pendanus Point, Climbers Point, Bari Gufa, Three Cave Point, Rajbahera.
The park is easily accessible and the nearest airport to the park is at Khajuraho and the nearest railhead is at Umaria and both these town are connected to Bandhavgarh National Park through road. The park is opened from sunrise to sunset.