Are you a wildlife enthusiast and wanted to explore the biodiversity of Central India? Then here is a Photographic Field Guide for you.
About the Book
Photographic Field Guide for Central India is a comprehensive take on mammals, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, reptiles and amphibians of the Central India. The taxonomic revisions and recent species splits have all been taken into account and addressed in the leaves of the book.The book is 15 by 22 cm with 300 pages. Its comprehensiveness, size, quality of images, descriptions, and state of the art quality of paper and print are some of the biggest advantages of owning a copy of this field guide. The book acts as a perfect first-hand reference in the field with enough data for the most important task of all – identification. All the scientific data and additional characters are given in most of the Indian specialized guides may not be something that a tourist, naturalist or even the researcher is looking for in the field. One can always refer to them in libraries or in the lodges and can avoid the additional load in the field.
About the Authors
David Raju and Surya Ramachandran, the authors have over fourteen years of wildlife guiding experience in Central India. Coming from south India, what brought them to central India is their love of chasing and tracking wild cats in and out. Nevertheless, their love for lesser known fauna still continues that includes butterflies, dragonflies, snakes, and frogs. They have been fortunate to have the mentorship of Sarath Champati, Hashim Tyabji and a few others. Both of them have traveled the central India throughout and share special equation with this wildlife. Be it Satpura, or Pachmarhi, both of them have hands-on experience to explore the biodiversities.
How to Order
Book is available at Instamojo at a minimal price of INR 1000. To stay connected with authors, you may like their facebook page.
Located right in the centre of the country, Madhya Pradesh is quite an enigmatic state. Be it the religious places, places to eat or to grasp in the natural beauty, the place tends to offer everything to everyone. This is one of those places that never disappoint the tourists. One of the highest populated and largest Indian states, Madhya Pradesh, also known as MP is a tourist’s paradise. The people here are nice and the language that is spoken by the largest chunk of the population is Hindi, so there must be no trouble in communicating with the locals. The 5-day tour may not be enough to grasp the entire beauty of the place but enough to get most out of it. So, here is how a we divided our first ever trip to Madhya Pradesh.
Day 1
The first day starts with the arrival in the beautiful and historical city of Gwalior. The city reeks of royal splendor through every corner and there so many remains of the bygone era that will remind you about the glorious history the place once had. Rest for a while and then get out of the hotel in order to witness some monuments such as the Gwalior fort, Jai Vilas Palace and the museum. The remaining part of the day will be spent on the things you like. You could find a place to eat or a park to sit down and relax.
Day 2
Second day, we started early and reached Orccha and loved the famous temples there. Sunrise and sunsets are not to be missed.
Day 3
Day 3 was planned for the famous Khajuraho, where you can get a glimpse in the lives of ancient Indians and how they lived and survived in those deadly circumstances. At the Khajuraho temple complex, a show full of light and sound takes place is a good food for thought. One day a Khajuraho, we moved to Bhedaghat.
Bhedaghat is a town and a nagar panchayat in Jabalpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, situated by the side of river Narmada which has all the essentials to spellbind you. The place is famed for its splendid marble artefacts. As dusk descends, these marbles seem to glitter in the moonlight which is no less than a blessing to watch.
At Bhedaghat, you should visit the picturesque and spectacular Dhuandhar which is a famous attraction at Bhedaghat, 30 km away from Jabalpur. The white water knocks down to form a gorge known as the Marble Rocks. Localities visit this place as a popular picnic spot and it is also a popular destination surrounded by evergreen trees and shrubs.
Day 4
The lush greenery of the forested regions that are incredibly the natural home for a variant of wild species..that is what all Bandhavgarh National Park is about. A magnificent trip to Bandhavgarh will let you catch the amazing glimpses of the majestic creatures which is a simply incredible sight. With safari options in Bandhavgarh, you can enjoy your trip in a very organized way
Day 5
This was the last stop of our itinerary, and we planned to spend in the beautiful hills of Pachmarhi.
MP is one of the largest states in the country geographically and it may take months to completely understand everything the state has to offer. It still remains one of the golden crowns in the India historical and religious scenario. This is one state
Madhya Pradesh is the king of jungles, and when it comes to tiger spotting, Kanha is most popular amogst wild-life photographers. However, it is not tigers that this reserve is famous for, there are other activities, in which one can indulge themselves for an overall wilderness experience. The post pens down the things that can be done while at Kanha National Reserve.
Safari at Kanha National Park: The dense Sal forests at Kanha preserves the whole different world for city buzzlers like us. This world is the abode of wildlife in its purest form. During the safari to any of four zones at Kanha you can feel the peaceful co-existence of wildlife and nature. As you pass through these roads, those bed time jungle stories seems to be real to you. Jackal, Tigers, Spotted dears can be seen roaming and chatting.
Cycling in the Buffer zone: There is a well- marked 7 Km trail that start from Khatiya Gate and goes till edge of the park. It is apparently the buffer zone, where-in you may encounter tigers sometimes, but overall morning cycling keeps you fit and make you feel fresh.
Interaction with Baiga Tribes: One can go to the near-by villages in Mandla District. Most common tribe in the region is Baiga tribe, which are famous for their tattoo art. A quick interaction with them gives you insight about their culture, their traditions, and way of living. Not to miss they are always eager to offer you their signature home-made drink called Mahua.
Learn Gond Painting: Gonds are one of the largest tribes that dwells in these lush green jungles. While you are roaming around at Kanha, spending time with Gonds and learning their famous paintings should also be a part of your itineraries. The vividity of colors being used to reflect the celebration of nature is indeed remarkable.
Birding: Kanha National Reserve offers one of the best avian beauty to its visitors. Reserve is the house of more than 300+ species due its tropical climate. torks, teals, pintails, herons and egrets, Jungle fowl, White Rumped Shama, White Bellied Drongo, Spangled Drongo. Racket Tailed Drongo, Twany Babbler, Jungle Babbler, Indian Scimitar Babbler, Grey Francolin, Painted Francolin, Black Naped Flycatcher,Common Iora, Eurasian Blackbird, Gold Mantled Chloropsis, Jerdon’s Leaf Bird, Golden Oriole, Black Hooded Oriole, Common Grey Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Asian Brown Flycatcher are few to name though.
Don’t get disappointed, if you don’t spot tiger, because reserve has much more than just tiger or leopard sightings. Moreover, The entire journey to the Kanha Reserve is way too enticing and is fresh air in the hustle bustle life.
In 2014, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognised 32 places as World Heritage Sites in India. These are the places that are great importance of cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. Of these 32 sites, 25 are cultural sites and the other seven are natural sites.
Here is the list of UNESCO sites which can you should visit in North India
Qutab Minar & its monuments, New Delhi
One of the most popular & visited heritage site in India. It was build in 1311 by the muslim ruler . The Qutab complex includes Qutab Minar, Alai Darwaza, Alai Minar, Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque, Tomb of Iltumish, and Iron Pillar. Its foundation was laid by Qutb-ud-din Aibak, but completed by other rulers.The Qutab Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world, inspired by the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan, The Qutab Minar is 72.5 metres (239 ft) high, has five distinct storeys, each marked by a projecting balcony carried on muqarnas corbel and tapers from a diameter 14.3 metres at the base to 2.7 metres at the top, which is 379 steps away.
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
This observatory was built by Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh in 1734 CE. It has a collection of nineteen architectural astronomical instruments. Apart from this it boasts of having the world’s largest stone sundial. The instruments helped in observing astronomical positions with the naked eye.Not only this, it is one of the best preserved observatories but also a great example of the scientific & cultural heritage of India, shared over the centuries.
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi, Madhya Pradesh
This is one of the hotspot for Buddhist tourist in India. Monuments at Sanchi are the oldest stone structure in India and was originally commissioned by Ashoka, the Great. Sanchi Stupa is the most important of all the monuments here. Stupas are large hemispherical domes, which has a central chamber, in which the relics of the Buddha were placed. The Sanchi Stupa is one of the best preserved early stupas in central India. This stupa is surrounded by a railing with four carved gateways facing all the four directions. This Buddhist vihara is located Sanchi Town in Raisen, 46 km north-east of Bhopal.
Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam
This famous sanctuary is located in Assam and known for its one horned rhinoceroses. Apart from Rhinos, the park is a home for many endangered species Tigers, Elephants,wild water buffalos, swamp deer & birds.
The project was started by Lord Curzon in 1905. The park is located in Nagaon district. Nearest airport is Guwahati, which is 271km away from the park.
Great Himalayan National Park, Himachal Pradesh
The park was established in 1984 & is located in Kullu region. It is part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot and is home to 25 different forest types along with a rich collection of fauna species, several of which are threatened. One can spot very rare species of plants and animals such as blue sheep, snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan Tahr, musk deer spruces, horse chesnuts and huge alpine meadows. The park is spread over an area of 1,171 km2 at an altitude of between 1500 to 6000 m. One can do trek and camp inside the park by taking prior permissions.
Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi
This was the first garden tomb of India & was built by Begum Bega in the memory of his husband Humayun. This monument is considered as the precursor monument to the Taj Mahal, which was built a century later. Apart from the tomb of Humayun, it houses about 150 tombs of various members of the royal family.
The Red Fort Complex, New Delhi
Red Fort Complex, also known as Lal Qila is a palace fort built in the 17th century by Shahjahan, when he shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi. It is one of the ceremonial & political centre of Mughal government It got its name Red fort because of the red sandstone used to make the enclosing walls.The fort complex was planned according to iSlamic prototypes & reflect Persian traditions. Today , every year on15th Aug, the PM of India hoists the national flag and delivers the national speech. Light & sound show about the Fort history ,is also a major attraction
Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, Uttarakhand
It was established in 1982 , near the peak of Nanda Devi, in West Himalayas. The gentle landscape of the Valley of Flowers National Park complements the rugged mountain wilderness of Nanda Devi National Park & Together, they form a unique zone between the mountain ranges of the Zanskar and Great Himalaya.Like GHNP, this park also give shelters to many rare and endangered animals, including the Asiatic black bear,snow leopard,musk deer,brown bear, red fox,blue sheep etc.
This summer vacation, get your kids on an educational tour to UNESCO sites, and let them cherish the rich heritage they belong to.
Madhya Pradesh is one of the green states in India,that can offer you wilderness at its best. If you are tired of city hustle bustle and want to spend some time getting lost in the jungles, then these resorts from Madhya Pradesh are definitely should be on your list as they not only offer spectacular hospitality but also let you explore the wildlife in its natural habitat.
Pashangarh by Taj Safaris, Panna National Park
Taj Safaris wildlife lodges are in Panna, Kanha Bandhavgarh & Pench. Each of these are based on themes. Pashangarh, as the name suggests is made out of stone inside the jungles of Panna National Park.One can walk down for jungle safaris, experience the signature dinners or else can enjoy the wilderness of the national park. Place is luxurious in itself and hospitality from staff makes the stay all the more memorable. Trained naturalists can take you out on safari and let you know the fine intricacies of these jungles.
How to get in– 70 kms away from Khajuraho airport, drive is smooth through the jungles.
Forsyth Lodge, Satpura National Park
This is an outstanding property in the Satpura jungles. What make it all the more luxurious is the staff. Once in, you shall be mesmerized by the awesome staff that makes you feel at home. Either you can spend a day at leisure looking around for butterfly park or spending time with school kids from near by village, or you may go to watch sunrise/sunsets at Denva river. Not to miss, this is one of the regions where you can walk down inside the thick Satpura jungles and look around for tigers, bears. Naturalists will amaze you with their knowledge as they explain about the flora & fauna of the jungles. One can also opt to walk uphill to Pachmarhi. Each cottage is made out of cob and is eco-friendly. They have machans above every cottage, which makes the evenings more beautiful. Forsyth also serves signature breakfasts inside jungles while you busy spotting sloth bears.
How to get in– Nearest airport is Bhopal airport, from where you can drive down in 4- 5 hrs.
Singinawa lodge, Kanha National Park
Singinawa Lodge is a palatial retreat near the outer edge of Kanha Tiger Reserve. Nearest airport is Jabalpur airport.
There are total 12 sumptuous cottages, that offer stunning view of the forest. Large part of lodge’s energy is met through solar power and appropriate methods are been used for water harvesting. Guests at Singinawa can engross themselves in safari with trained professionals or cycle to a nearby village or the forest department nursery. There are a few rock formations nearby, one of which is used for regular campfires. And if you are looking for a relaxed vacation, you can choose to stay at lounge and enjoy the spa.
Pic Credit- Singhniwa Lodge
How to get in– You can drive from Jabalpur airport which is nearest to the lodge and takes around 4-5 hrs.
Sarai at Toria, Panna Tiger Reserve
The Serai at Toria is a luxurious yet charmingly earth-friendly property situated on the banks of the Ken River. Cottages and dining halls are overlooking river, which gives glimpses of wide flora and fauna of jungle. You can get lucky to find jackal, mongoose, jungle cat etc. There are no plastic mineral water bottles (only filtered water), and chemical-free toiletries are purchased in bulk and decanted into glass vials. Most of the staff is from the neighbouring areas. Guests can go for excursions into the Panna Tiger reserve or opt for boat rides and fishing on the pristine Ken river. One would not like to miss the walk on these wet-lands.
Pic Credit- www.scottdunn.com
How to get in– Place is located at 20 min drive from Khajuraho airport/railway station.
Mahua Kothi, Bandhavgarh National Park
Mahua Kothi is another luxurious property from Taj Safaris in Bandhavgarh and wildlife lovers’ delight. These are beautiful Kutiyas, with all amneties and lets you remind of rustic surroundings. This property has been inspired from beautiful Mahua trees and it is reflected across property. Guests can indulge themselves in Yoga, tiger sightings, elephant safaris, open jeep safaris, as bandhavgarh boasts to have best tiger sightings across India, cycling etc.
Umaria railway station is the 35 kms away from the park and is nearest mode to get in there.
This summer, pack your bags to these unusual properties and have luxury vacations.
We all are aware of the largest mangrove jungle is Sunderbans delta, but very few are aware that second largest also lies in India, which is based out in lesser known areas of Tamil Nadu and is known as Pichavaram. It is spread over 3000 acres and has around 4500 big small canals, which are sun-flecked tunnels of roots and branches and some are dense to the extent that they hardly leave any space for even sunlight to pass through.
These plants together have made the place so exquisite with their viviparous roots and aerial roots. These roots are so very strong and they are in fact used to steer the boat at times instead of using the paddles.
How to reach there: Pichavaram is just 30 minutes’ drive from Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu and around 250Kms from Chennai via East Coast Road. The drive through ECR is beautiful, as it gives you a glimpse of the coastal culture wherein you can find paddy fields, females selling fishes, traditional houses.
You can take both paddle boats and motor boats, which are operated by the Tamil Nadu tourism department. They run on all days from 9 AM to 6 PM. watching the sunset is always scenic in these forests. What makes more fascinating is the stories, legends that boatmen will continue while they are rowing the boats. These stories range from movie shoots to religious legends attached to the place.
Quick Tips
If you are looking for a surreal getaway from Delhi at a distance of overnight travel, then Himalayan National Park is a must for you. Bus from Kullu to Aute can take you inside, from where locals can guide you to the way toGoshani or Nagini, small villages in Kullu. It is from these villages, one can get into the park with the help of porters either by hiking or car can leave you at the entrance gate. Inside the park there are various hiking trails. Neuli- Sarangarh loop, Neuli- Sainj valley, Sainj- Tirthan valley, Gushaini-Tinder village, Gushaini- Shilt Hut, Neuli-Manu temple, Siund- Pashi villages, Jiwa Nala- Parvati River valley, Gushaini- Tirthan valley and Shamshi- Kaza are some of the popular ones. We took Gushaini to Tirthan. The place is bounded by lush green forests, waterfalls, and indeed make it one of the scenic places. Thankfully, modernization has not yet reached this part of the Kullu and hence place continues to brim its beauty. Park is part of world UNESCO Site. It is the home for several endangered flora & fauna and is bird watcher’s paradise.Let this photo essay drive inspire you for your next trip to Great Himalayan National Park.
Beautiful Tirthan valley & river, which is famous for trout fishing
Several locals, shepherds can be seen inside the park with their cattle.
Entry Gate to the park. There is a small entry fee, which is been taken by the forest department. Do carry your photo ID, while you enter the park.
This is what you can expect inside this beautiful jungle. The lovely camaraderie of waterfalls, trees, and birds perching. Perfect place to find your solitude and unwind yourself.
Camping in the midst of Jungle, in itself gives you goosebumps, as you set your camp beside the flowing river, and want to get lost in the wilderness.
The place is totally unchartered and your solidarity can surely resonate with the mesmerizing and unprecedented beauty of the jungles and you would not mind coming here, whenever you are looking an escape from maddening cities.
Best time to go here is summers, though the park is opened throughout the year, but summers attract a lot of trekkers to the park.
Madhya Pradesh- Central India …When I took 7 days off, the first question that came to everyone’s mind was, why Madhya Pradesh? Shocked folks asked me” Actually you would like to go to MP”. But yes, me and my sister finally packed our bags, started our journey to ajab gajab state of India i.e MP. Our journey started with an overnight train journey from Delhi to Khajuraho. MP is a state of variety where one can enjoy flavors of art/culture/history/wildlife/scenic beauty. After spending 5 days there, we totally realized why the state is truly ajab & gajab, and why one should go there.
History and Architecture: Our first day was in Khajuraho, that depict an eternal celebration of love in the form of stone carved temples. The Western Group of temples, in particular, contains some stunning sculptures. One of the Unesco world heritage sites. They are predominantly Hindu temples and most of them face the sunriseYou would need at least 2 complete days to go through these temples. Moving to Mandu, which is popular as Monsoon Magic! These are beautiful Jain sculptures,that talk about the glorious past of MP. Forts at Gwalior
Nature at its best: MP gives you the chance to go through the dense Satpura forests in reality about which each one of us had been reading since childhood. A drive through these forests is beautiful. Pachmarhi, also known as “queen of Satpura” is beautiful hill station located in the adds the beauty to MP. It is blessed with rich flora & fauna and breathtaking waterfalls like befall, Duchess fall, Apsara falls. The famous Liril advert has been shot here.
Boat ride at Bhedaghat, view at Dhuandhar falls adds beauty to the state.
National Parks and Wildlife : Madhya Pradesh is The Tiger-land of India.It boasts of 4 major National parks and hence destination for folks interested in the documentary on wildlife. Though we happen to go Bandhavgarh only, but Kanha is also a good place to spot tigers. All these forests are bustling with deer, antelopes, tigers. Not only the tigers, Chambal River has gharials and Gangetic dolphins sight of which is unbelievable.
Pilgrimage: State also attract a lot of pilgrim enthusiasts, as it boasts of having world’s finest Jain temples in Ujjain and Chitrkoot holds the importance from Ramayana as the place where Ram & Sita stayed during their exile (vanwas).
Not to miss, MP also provides ample opportunities for shopaholics like me. Chanderi and Maheshwari famous and colorful silks and every girl would love them. I am sure, the place is indeed photographer’s delight. So when are you packing your bags for Madhya Pradesh!!!
During my recent trips to Karwar, I got to experience the amazing home stay at Ocean Deck Resort. It is a beautiful island that truly depicts home away from home. Though due to lack of time, I thought to drop the idea of going there, but after hearing so much about the place, I went, and must say, my food journey would have been incomplete, if I wouldn’t have come there. What makes this place more unique and offers comfortable stay is bcoz to its owner Mr.Vinay, who is always energized and ensures the best stay for his customers. Review here is based on my stay, food and definitely quick conversations with the people staying. The place is easily accessible with Dabolim airport at a distance of 100Kms. Pick & Drop can be arranged on request. Here are highlights of the place as experienced by me.
1) If you want to experience a homestay in Karwar, this is the place you would want to be. Listed in lonely planet, for its amazing location and hospitality, this place is always the top choice for repeat guests at Karwar.
2) Since the homestay is just 5 Kms away from Karwar Museum , Devbagh beach and 60 Km away from Gokarna Beach, there are ample places to roam around, if you have a weekend in hand and you are eager to explore the in and around the place.
3) If you are foodie, nothing can beat them in Karwar. I happen to eat vegetarian variants, which I have never heard of. Be it Karela chakri or fried bhindis, everything has its own charm. Lime water was super with perfect blend of lemon and sugar to quench your thirst. I wish I could pack some. Sea-food is good and place is heaven for sea-food lovers. During your stay, you can do fishing and can get the same for dinner. Apparently, all you need is to order for the fish you would like to eat and you can have the same in your scrumptious meal.
4) The place is run by the Mr.Vinay who acts as host, chef, and waiter. He stays there itself and ensures that all his guests are being taken care of properly. This is what makes the place all the more experiential and your stay more memorable.
5) The place provides plethora of activities wherein you can indulge yourself. They include Machine boat ride, beach trekking, Kayaking, wooden boat ride, river crossing, fishing.
6) Free access to Wi-fi. You can remain connected to your folks all the time and can share live updates while making them jealous
7) The place is completely in the lap of nature, with a beautiful setting. Backwaters and Devbagh beach make the place more serene and photogenic.
8) Accommodation ranges from suites to fishermen’s room. They are well-furnished with all basic amenities in them.
9) Campfires are arranged every evening upon nightfall and are a great way to relax and soak yourself in the lap of nature.
10) It is indeed value for money, that gives you the opportunity to get lost in nature.
Being a nature lover and foodie together, this place is surely my personal recommendation to those who are looking for an escape from the city buzz.
What are you waiting for? Plan your upcoming weekend to Karwar and get your bookings from Ocean Deck or call Mr. Vinay at +91-9342994358 or write to them at bookings@oceandeck.org
