Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park Tourism
A delightful town situated in the district of Mandla, Kanha National park is the haven of an exceptionally wide variety of wild animals, including the majestic creature tiger. Wide open grass plains with a backdrop of the city scrapers, scattered bamboo forests play host to a wide variety of wildlife and diverse birdlife with over 300 species recorded. The present-day area stretches over 940-kilometre square which is divided into two sanctuaries: Hallon and Banjar. Located in a central region of Madhya Pradesh it is the largest National Park in central India and has been ranked as one of the best parks in Asia. Among the 22 species of large mammals, the royal Bengal tigers are a major attraction.
The park was established in the year 1955 and has since actively contributed to the preservation of many endangered species. The National Park was taken under the Project Tiger Reserve in 1974. Abundant in flora and fauna, the Kanha National Park houses one of the rarest species of deer- the Barasingha. One of the most scenic wildlife reserves in Asia today, this National Park came to be known the world over through Rudyard Kipling’s book- The Jungle Book. An alluring and picturesque landscape, it is famous for its wildlife safaris and attracts tourists from all over the world. Other important animals in this park are leopards, wild dogs, wild cats, foxes, sloth bears, hyenas, langurs, wild boars and jackals. Reptiles including pythons, cobras, krait and other varieties of snakes are also found in this National Park.
Being a highly commercialized forest, the Kanha National Park has plenty of stores from where you can buy traditional handicrafts, t-shirts and souvenirs. The Sudhanyakhali watch tower is a popular spot that provides a view of the Mangrove forests for spotting this royal creature. Visitors can enjoy the park’s walking trails, picnic sites and three campsites for wildlife spotting and leisure activities.
How to reach
Railways : Gondia and Jabalpur are the two nearest railway head from Kanha National Park. Gondia Railway Station is located at a distance of 145km and it takes 3 hrs drive from Kanha. 160 Km away from Kanha is Jabalpur Railway Station and it takes a drive of 4 hrs drive.
The drive to Kanha National Park takes you back in time, to an era when man and beast co-existed in a harmonious balance, so intended by the creator, the creator and his handiwork is omnipresent throughout the drive as your ears ring with Kipling’s observation “Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade”.
Kanha is Kipling country and it’s most famous son Mowgli is but a figment of the author’s imagination, it is said that the Kanha jungle was the inspiration behind the India born Kipling’s timeless masterpiece “The Jungle Book”.
Declared a national park in 1955 the sanctuary stretches
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across 940 km² of Sal and mixed deciduous forests that acquire a contrasting nature along the slopes and
seamlessly fade into expansive grasslands and meadows, it is said that the various species of grass found here is critical to the survival of the near extinct barasingha.
Apart from its large tiger population the Kanha inhabitants include leopards, wild dogs, sloth bear and rare but visible are the wolves that live in the far east of the park, they normally choose to prowl after dark, a time when the jungles are not the most hospitable of places.
A large population of Chital and Sambhar constitute an important prey base for the big cats, the chousingha and the nilgai, though rare, can also be found in Kanha.
As the night envelopes Kanha, a beautiful world, far removed from my own, wakes up and comes alive in the highlands, on the slopes and across the meadows, playfully yet unknowingly creating a balance so important to the survival of nature’s “finest” creation-man.
