Kanha :: Kipling’s Meadows

 “The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.”– The Law of the Jungle. 

“Many strange tales are told of this jungle. But none so strange as the tale of the cub we call Mowgli” – Bagheera

These are some memorable dialogues from the timeless tales of that Jungle which we have adored since we were kids. Jungle Book!!! You must have definitely read the Jungle Book and we all know the story of Mowgli, the little Indian boy in Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book that was raised by wolves in the jungle and his quest to fight the evil tiger Shere Khan together with his friends Baloo and Bagheera.

And why are we reminiscing “Jungle Book?”

Because, the picturesque jungles of Kanha that adorns the lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows, and ravines were the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling’s famous Jungle Book. The eternal concept of Jungle Book is based on the striking jungles of Kanha & Pench.

Let us peek into the Jungles of Kanha!!

The natural landscape and highland beauty of Kanha have been appreciated worldwide making it one of the most scenic Jungles in Asia. Kanha is one of the oldest wildlife sanctuaries in India. It was earlier declared as a Reserve Forest and upgraded to the largest wildlife sanctuary later in Madhya Pradesh. This forest is divided into 4 core and 4 buffer zones. The Banjaar River, which forms the park’s southwestern border, provides a steady water source for the abundant wildlife.

The abundant and evergreen Sal trees dominate the landscape of Kanha. In higher regions, you have bamboo forests with thick foliage. The Sal forest is home to various wildlife species including Leopards, Wild Dogs, Jungle Cats, Foxes, Jackals, and abundant bird species. The park is also home to a major population of Royal Bengal Tiger, sloth bear, leopards, Indian wild dog, and Barasingha. Kanha is the last remaining habitat of the hard ground barasingha or swamp deer. Barasingha, the only subspecies of deer in India is the pride of Kanha and often called the ‘Jewel of Kanha’…

The mesmerizing landscape of Kanha meadows is perhaps the most happening area and the best place to view wildlife. Most of these meadows were once sites of human settlement. After they were vacated they developed into beautiful grasslands. The Kanha meadows grasslands are popular for herbivores. One can see chital, gaur, wild boar and sometimes carnivores like tiger and jackal.