Routes & Trails - April 2013

www.thewesternroutes.com

routes& trails

Vol.1 Issue 2. April 2013

photo feature

TADOBA - WHERE THE KINGROAMS FREETWR

UPCOMING EVENTS

Cover&p

hoto&by&Kar.k&Mahajan

cover story

VIDARBHA: THE LAND OF TIGERS AND MORE

Vidarbha: The land of tigers and more

There'is'no'denying'that'3gers'in'India'are'in'trouble.'Everyday'there'is'news'of'a'3ger'death'somewhere'in'the'country,'either'by'poachers,'a'highway'accident'or'resultant'death'from'human?animal'conflict.'Amidst'all'the'grim'news'and'the'state'of'3ger'habitats'in'the'country,'one'region'offers'some'hope'?'the'forests'of'the'Satpuda'Range'in'Central'India.'

Routes'&'Trails www.thewesternroutes.com

Cover Story

Photo:&Shalik&Jogwe

Photo:&Kar.k&Mahajan

Believed&to&be&the&largest&con.nuous&.ger&habitat&in&the&world,&this&area&contains&approximately&oneCthird&of&India’s&remaining&.ger&popula.on.&

This&landscape&which&covers&a&part&of&Maharashtra&&&Madhya&Pradesh,&contains&six&.ger&reserves&(Melghat,&Pench&&&TadobaCAndhari&in&Maharashtra&and&Pench,&Kanha,&and&BoriCSatpuda&in&Madhya&Predesh).&In&Maharashtra,&the&Satpudas&pass&through&the&Vidarbha&region&and&these&dry&teak&forests&support&some&incredible&biodiversity.&

Star.ng& October& to& June& every& year,& photographers,& .ger&lovers,& nature& enthusiasts& throng& these& areas& to& get& a&glimpse&of& the&big& cat.& But& in& this& story,& besides&exploring&Vidarbha’s&.gers&&&wildlife&we&will&discover&more&about& its&culture&and&some&unknown&history!

Tadoba?Andhari'Tiger'Reserve

The&Tadoba&Na.onal&Park&was&created&in&1955&with&an&area&of& 116.55& sq& km& and& the& Andhari& Wildlife& Sanctuary& was&created&in&1986&with&an&area&of&508.85&sq&km.&Together&they&form& the& Tadoba& Andhari& Tiger& Reserve.& As& the& name&suggests,& Tadoba& gets& its& name& from& the& local& deity& Taru,&worshiped&by&the&tribals&in&this&region.&The&Andhari&Wildlife&Sanctuary& gets& its& name& from& the& Andhari& River& which&meanders&through&the&forests&of&the&reserve.&

The&tribal&popula.on&mainly&consists &of&the&Gonds,&who&are&known& to& use& the& forest& for& its & rich& herbal& and& healthy&natural&resources &for&their&daily&needs.&They&have&a&strange&ritual& where& they& feed& the& newborn& with& nectar& of& the&flowers&of&the&Mahua&tree&(Madhuca-longifolia),&even&before&the& child& is & fed& the& mother’s& milk.& This& is& to& signify& the&

HOW TO GET THEREAir: Nagpur (approximately 150 km), Rail: Chandrapur (45 km), Road: Nearest bus stand is Chandrapur (45 km) and Chimur (30 km). Best Time to Visit: The Park is open from October to June. The best time to visit is January to May. Tadoba is open to visitors on all days except Tuesdays. Safari timings are 6:00 am – 11:00 am and 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm.

Photo:&Jayesh&Paranjape


SAMBAR'(Rusa&unicolor)&at'TadobaPhoto:&Kar.k&Mahajan

CRESTED'SERPENT'EAGLEPhoto:&Kar.k&Mahajan


eternal &connec.on&between&the&nature&and&the&humans&and&also& that&the&tree&and&the&child&will &look& a[er&each&other!&Another& interes.ng& historic& feature& in& Tadoba& is & the&presence&of&stone&pillars&at&regular&intervals &on&the&MohurliCTadoba&road.&There&are&many& stories&explaining& these,&but&the&most&popular& one&is&that& the&pillars&are&either&an.que&lamp&posts&or&were&some&sort&of&communica.on&device&for&the&Gond&king&of&Chandrapur.

At& the& reserve,& you& can& have& a& close& encounter& with& the&Tiger&and&witness&other&wildlife&species&in&ac.on.&Visitors&to&the&park&report&frequent&.ger&and&wild&dog&sigh.ngs&among&mammals.&Apart&from&these&the&reserve&is&also&home&to&the&Leopard,& Sloth& Bear,& Gaur,& Barking& Deer,& Spo_ed& Deer,&Sambar,&Wild&Boar,&Four&Horned&Antelope&and&many&more.&

Bamboo& && teak& dominate& most& of& the& areas& of& Tadoba&among& other& flora.& Sca_ered& through& the& forest& are& the&lovely& Kusum& and& Silk& Co_on& trees.& Other& tree& species&include&Ain,&Bija,&Dhauda,&Haldu,&Salai&and&Tendu.&The&most&striking& floral& feature& of& Tadoba & is& the& numerous& Ghost&Trees,&which&derive&their&name&from&the&colour&of& the&bark&and&their&ability&to&change&colour&as&per&season.&During&the&summer&months,&the&bark&which&is&pale&pink&otherwise&turns&white,&giving&it&a&‘ghostly’&look.

Extend'your'Trip!'

Markanda'Temple

Around&60&km&from&Chandrapur&in&the&Gadchiroli&district&lies&a&cluster&of& 24&temples&built&in&the&‘Hemandpanthi’&style&of&architecture& called& the& Markanda& Temple.& The& temple&derives& its &name& from&sage&Markandeya&who&according& to&the&Hindu&Holy&Scriptures,&worshipped&Lord&Shiva&here&and&obtained& immortality.&One&of& the&most& famous& temples&of&the& cluster& is & the& Shiva& Temple&which& houses& the&Shivling&which& sage& Markandeya& is& believed& to& have& worshiped.&Some&of&the&temples&are&in& complete&ruins,&but&the&overall&effect&of& the&cluster& is&extremely& impressive.& Sir&Alexander&Cunningham,& the& famous& Bri.sh& archaeologist& and& the&father& of& the& Archaeological& Survey& of& India,& wrote&extensively& about&the&Markanda&Temple.&He&wrote& “…(The&temple&cluster)& perhaps&forms&the&most&picturesque&group&of&temples&that&I&have&seen.&There&are&no&inscrip.ons&to&tell&their& age,&but&their&style&is&so& similar&to&that&of& the&Candle&temples&of& Khajuraho& and& other& places,& that& there&can&be&li_le&doubt,&that&they&belong&to&the&same&period&of&10th&and&11th&centuries.”

MARKANDA'TEMPLE

PENCH'TIGER'RESERVE

The& Pench& Tiger& Reserve& is& spread& across & two& states,& the&Seoni& and& Chhinwara& districts& of& Madhya& Pradesh& and&Nagpur&district&of&Maharashtra.&Pench&(M.P.)&covers&an&area&of&757&sq.&km.&and&Pench& (Maharashtra)&covers&around&257&sq.&km.&Pench&was&declared&as&a&Tiger&Reserve&under&Project&Tiger& in& 1999& and& became& the& 25th& .ger& reserve& of& the&country.& The& Totladoh& reservoir& which& is & a& result& of& the&Totladoh&Hydroelectric&Project&is&situated&in&the&heart&of&the&.ger& reserve&and& takes&up& almost&67& sq.& km.&of& the&forest&land!&

The& park& gets& its& name& from& the& Pench& River,& which&meanders&through&the&forests.&It&is&the&panoramic&beauty&of&this&region&that&has&been&described&as&early&as&the&beginning&of& the&20th& century& by& naturalists &like&Captain& J.& Forsyth& in&'Highlands& of& Central& India'& and& by& Rudyard& Kipling& in& the&'Jungle&Book'.&The&poet&Kalidas&also&wrote&about&the&scenic&charm& of& this& place& in& his& epics& Meghdootam& and&Sakuntalam.

The& Pench& Tiger& Reserve& of& Maharashtra& is & rela.vely&unknown&and&not&visited&by&many& tourists &as&compared&to&Pench&(M.P.)&and&Tadoba.&But&it&is&one&of&the&finest&and&most&biodiverse&forest& in&Maharashtra.&The&best&wildlife&sigh.ngs&happen& between& March& && June,& when& the& forest& thins,&smaller&streams&and&rivers&run&dry& and&animals &congregate&at& waterholes& (locally& known& as&doh)& to& seek& respite& from&the&heat.&The&Nagdeo&pahadi,& the&Ambakhori&waterfall&and&Gawli& ghat& are& probably& the& best& areas& in& Pench& to& see&wildlife&including&.gers,&leopards&and&sloth&bears.&Pench&is&a&birder’s&paradise&with&more&than&170&recorded&bird&species.&Water& birds&are&o[en& found&around& the&ar.ficial&wetlands&created& by& the& submergence& of& the& Pench& reservoir.& The&area&is&on&the&migratory&route&of&waterfowl&during&winter.

A&trip&to&Pench&(Maharashtra)&and&an&extended&2&days&in&Pench&(M.P.)&is&highly&recommended&for&those&who&are&always&on&a&lookout&for&newer&wildlife&reserves&as&the&more&popular&or&famous&ones&are&becoming&too&crowded&and&mismanaged!&

HOW TO GET THEREAir: Nagpur (70 km), Rail: Nagpur (70 km), Road: Buses can be boarded at Nagpur till Pauni on the Nagpur-Jabalpur highway. The park gate at Sillari is 10 km from Pauni. Best Time to Visit: January to June. The park is open to tourists from October to June. Park is open on all days of the week. Safari timings are 6:00 am – 11:00 am and 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Personal vehicles, light vehicles and 15-seater buses are allowed inside the park with speed restrictions

COMMON'KINGFISHER'(Alcedo&a1his)&Photo:&Adwait&Keole&


ON'YOUR'WAY'TO'PENCH

Mansar'Excava3on'Site

In&1972,&an&image&of&Shiva&Vamana&was&found&on&a&hillock,&locally& known&as&Hidimba&Tekdi&in&Mansar,&on& the&NagpurCJabalpur&highway.&Important&excava.ons&have&been&carried&out& at& Mansar& since& 1997C98,& under& the& aegis& of&Archaeological& Survey& of& India & (Delhi)& and& the& Buddhist&organiza.on& of& the& Nagarjuna& Smaraka& Sanstha& (Nagpur)&and& so& far& five& sites&have&been& excavated.& A& huge& temple&complex& recognized&as &Pravaresvara&and&a&threeCmeter& tall&lime&model&of& a&male& figurine& in&crouching& posi.on,& were&unearthed.&Sculptures&of& Hindu&dei.es,& ar.facts,& and&some&coins& of& 5th& century& have& also& been& discovered& in& these&excava.ons.&Detec.on&of&ancient&tools&and&water&reservoirs&indicate& the& presence& of& large& inhabitants& in& this& area&around& 1600& years&ago.& The& site& s.ll& remains&unknown& to&most&of&the&people&living&in&Mansar,&Nagpur&or&Maharashtra,&but& is& definitely& worth& a& visit& on& the& way& to& Pench& or&Ramtek.

Ramtek'Temple

It& is&believed&that& Ramtek&was& the&place&where& Rama,& the&Hindu&god,&rested&while&he&was&in&exile.& Legend&has&it& that&the&aashram&of&great&Hindu&sage&Agastya&was&situated&close&to& Ramtek.& While& the&sages&performed& religious& rites,& the&demons&used& to&disrupt& their& ac.vi.es &and& slayed& a&great&number& of& holy& men.& Lord& Rama& was& distressed& to& hear&about& this,& and& took& a&vow& to& relieve& the&world& from& the&demons.&‘Tek’&means&vow&in&local&language,&hence&the&word&Ramtek&comes&from&‘Vow&of&Ram’.&Thus&it&is &believed&locally&that&whoever&takes&a&vow&at&Ramtek& is&blessed&by& the&gods&for&its&fulfillment.

The&present&temple&at&Ramtek&is&believed&to&have&been&built&by& the& King& of& Nagpur& Raghuji& Bhonsale,& a[er& his& victory&over&fort&of&Deogarh&in&Chindwara.'This&place&is &also&famous&for& its &rela.on&with&Great&poet&Kalidasa&who&wrote&his&epic&Meghdootum&in&hills&of&Ramtek.

EXCAVATION'SITE'AT'MANSARPhoto:&Jayesh&Paranjape


NAGZIRA'WILDLIFE'SANCTUARY

A& haven& for&nature& lovers&and&wildlife& enthusiasts,&Nagzira&Wildlife&Sanctuary&lies&in&Gondia&district&of&Maharashtra&and&covers& an& area& of& 152& sq.& km.& This& sanctuary& and& the&adjoining&Navegaon&Na.onal&Park&have&been&calling&out&for&addi.onal& protec.on& and& management& of& its & forests & and&wildlife.& The& Government& of& Maharashtra& finally& declared&that& the& Nagzira& Wildlife& Sanctuary& and& the& Navegaon&Na.onal&Park&will&soon&be&no.fied&as&the&NagziraCNavegaon&Tiger& Reserve.& Addi.onally,& around& 152& sq.& km.& of& forest&have& been& added& to& Nagzira& and& 122& sq.& km.& have& been&added&to&Navegaon.&

The&Nagzira&Lake&which& is &located&right& in& the&core&of& the&sanctuary& is& probably& one& of& the& best& places& to& observe&wildlife.&The& lake& guarantees&a&source&of& water& to& wildlife&throughout& the&year& and&also&greatly&heightens&the&beauty&

of&the&landscape.&Locals&believe&that&Kolu&Patel&Kohli&created&the&lake&at&the&beginning&of&the&18th& century&with&the&help&of&the& Gods!&On& the&lake& fringe&there& is& an& idol& of& Hanuman&whose&feet&are&said&to&go&below&the&embankment.&Nagzira&exhibits & an& amazing& diversity& of& terrain.& The& seven& peaks&(al.tude&ranging&between&400&and&750&m)& surrounding& the&lake&are&known&as&the&Saat-Bahini&or&Seven&Sisters.&

There&are&.mes &in&Nagzira&when&you&can&see&several&species&of&large&mammals&in&just&one&safari&ride.&This&can&range&from&a&.gress&and&her& cubs&res.ng& in& an& ar.ficial&waterhole,& a&leopard&on&a&tree,&wild&dog&packs&to&an&occasional&sloth&bear&crossing&the&road!

If' you' want' to' make' a' trip' to' these' 3ger' havens' and'explore'the'unknown'history' and' culture'of' Vidarbha,' do'write' to' us' on' [email protected]' or' visit'www.thewesternroutes.com/tours&

HOW TO GET THEREAir: Nagpur (122 km), Rail: Gondia (45 km) and Bhandara (75 km), Road: Sakoli (22 km) has a bus stand which is well connected to Gondia, Bhandara & NagpurBest time to visit: Januar to May. The park is open to tourists from October to June. Park is open on all days of the week. Safari timings are 6:00 am – 11:00 am and 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Personal vehicles, light vehicles and 15-seater buses are allowed inside the park with speed restrictions.

INDIAN'PEAFOWL'(Pavo&cristatus)'at'Nagzira'Photo:&Shalik&Jogwe

http://www.thewesternroutes.com/tours

mailto:[email protected]

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photo feature

TADOBA -WHERE THE KING ROAMS FREEby Kartik Mahajan

Wildlife&lover&and&a&photography&enthusiast&Kar.k&Mahajan&from&Nagpur&shares&his&passion&for&wildlife&photography&and&his&love&for&Tadoba’s&.gers!&Featured&here&are&some&of&his&beau.ful&photographs&taken&at&Tadoba,&his&second&home.&For&more&his&work&check&his&Facebook&page&h_ps://www.facebook.com/pages/KCMCPhotography/445558642155988?fref=ts


https://www.facebook.com/pages/K-M-Photography/445558642155988?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/pages/K-M-Photography/445558642155988?fref=ts

This&is&my&story.&In&last&few&decades,&the&popula.on&of&my&clan&dwindled.&Unchecked&fishing,&eggs&collec.on,&deep&sea&pollu.on…there&are&many&causes.&The&root&cause&is&the&same&C&YOUR&greed.&

Amidst&darkness,&I&see&a&ray&of&hope.&Somewhere&in&the&remote&parts&of&Konkan&(Western&Maharashtra),&there&is&a&village&called&Velas.&A&group&of&conserva.onists&from&Sahyadri&Nisarga&Mitra&decided&to&help.&They&picked&the&eggs&where&the&mothers&nest,&they&brought&these&eggs&in&a&secured&area,&helped&them&to&hatch&exactly&in&the&manner&the&natural&process&would&happen.&All&this&was&to&avoid&the&loss&of&eggs&due&to&hun.ng&and&other&reasons.

And&then&one&day,&on&an&early&Sunday&morning,&I&was&born.&I&was&picked&up&and&kept&gently&some&50&feet&

TWR traveller

THIS IS MY STORY- Olive Ridley Turtle

away&from&the&sea.&And&my&journey&began.&Along&with&my&two&brothers,&I&started&walking&towards&the&sea&C&my&real&home.&It&was&a&long&walk&for&a&frail&new&born&like&me.&I&stumbled&and&missed&my&way&in&between.&But&I&could&finally&make&it,&as&you&can&see.&

Now&I&will&enter&into&the&new&world&beneath&the&sea.&The&danger&is&far&from&over.&I&am&not&worried&about&the&natural&danger&from&big&fishes&and&predators&who&would&hunt&me.&I&have&dealt&with&them&for&millions&of&years.&But&man's&unbridled&greed&is&my&real&danger.&

Will&there&be&another&Sahyadri&Nisarg&Mitra&to&save&me&from&that?&I&don't&know,&and&right&now,&I&don't&care.&It's&the&.me&to&rejoice.&It's&the&.me&to&take&a&deep&breath&and&enter&the&waters.&It's&the&.me&to&ride&on&a&wave&of&hope&and&start&my&life!

Signing&off,

Olive&Ridley&Turtle

1

Photo-credits

1.-Aditya-Laghate

2.-Gopal-Parasnis

3.-Deep-Pai

NarrarBve-by-Gopal-Parasnis-

2

3

Ar1st2Praveen2Rai2made2this2beau1ful2pain1ng2for2a2friend’s2new2house.2The2inspira1on2came2from2actually2seeing2the2

flamingoes2at2the2Ujjaini2Dam2near2Bhigwan2while2on2a2trip2with2The2Western2Routes.2The2lucky2friend2who2got2the2pain1ng2as2a2giH2describes2it2in2his2words.

"Some1mes2a2pain1ng2goes2beyond2the2passion2of2brush,2colors2and2strokes.2It2becomes2a2blessing2infused2with2posi1ve2

aura2and2energy,2a2wish2for2a2blissful2future,2a2vision2for2a2friend,2some2love2and2a2lot2of2heart2with2an2innate2desire2to2showcase2the2

best2you2got."

More2of2Praveen’s2work2at2www.praveenrai.com2or2www.facebook.com/Art.PraveenRai

TWR traveller

FIVE FLAMINGOS by Praveen Rai


http://www.praveenrai.com

http://www.praveenrai.com

http://www.facebook.com/Art.PraveenRai

http://www.facebook.com/Art.PraveenRai

CONGRATULATIONSto the winners of the January 2013 KUTHE contest

The correct answer was Thiba Palace, Ratnagiri

GEETA KAMBLIRatnagiri

ONKAR TENDULKARMumbai

SIDDESH SAWANTMumbai

SUMIT BHOSALEMumbai


routes& trails


cover story

WONDERS OF COASTALRATNAGIRIphoto feature

KONKANCHE LOKPRIYA KHELETWR contest

KUTHE?

Photo%Cred

it:%W

ikim

edia

READERS CORNER

“The&en.re&Routes&&&Trails&January&2013&issue&is &excellent.&The&way&its&been&designed&made&me&realize&there& is&so&much& to&see&in&Maharashtra.& This &is&great&and&I’m&really&proud&to&see&what&you&have&embarked&upon.”&E-Leena-VaidyaEJoshi,-Pune

"Wonderful&it& is&to&see&The&Western&Routes’&work&on&the&wonders&of&my&na.ve&place,&the&pictures&bringing&back& fond&memories&from&childhood&vaca.ons.&Both&my&parents&and& I&especially& loved& the& coffee&mug& and&the&assorted& picture& collage&that&depicted&Ratnagiri&so&beau.fully!&Good&work&guys,&kudos!"&–-Geeta-NagwekarEKambli,-Ratnagiri-&

“अ"#तम!2Keep& up& good& work.& Hope& to& travel &with& you& very& soon.”& E- Harshal-Dekate,-

Arkansas,-USA

“Wonderful&concept&this&is&Jayesh!&Wish&you&the&best.”&E-Shardul-Bajikar,-Mumbai

“WOW,&Jayesh.&This&is &amazing!!&Very&cool&indeed!&Looking&forward&to&a &print&version&of&the&magazine!&Will&be&sending&this&to&my&friends.”&E-Meghana-Paranjape,-San-Francisco

“A& very& nice&read&and& the& design& is &a_rac.ve!&Why& don't& you& include&a& pdf& copy& as&well?”&–&Dhananjay-Kulkarni,-Pune

“Congrats!& Mast& issue& hai& and& the& photographs& are&mindblowing.”& E- Indrani- Biswas-Gupta,-Raipur

“I&went&thru&it&this &morning&and&found&it&quite&amazing.&I&simply&loved&photographs&and&I&have&sent&my&entry&to&the&‘Kuthe’&contest.&Keep&it&up!”-E-Onkar-Tendulkar,-Mumbai

“AWESOME!!!&Really&enjoyed&the&photographs&&&ar.cles.”&&–-Siddharth-Kinare,-Pune

We’d love to hear from you.

Do email us at

[email protected]


routes& trails


cover story

WONDERS OF COASTALRATNAGIRIphoto feature

KONKANCHE LOKPRIYA KHELETWR contest

KUTHE?

Photo%Cred

it:%W

ikim

edia

TWR contest

KUTHE?Guess which place this

is and win exclusive merchandise from

The Western Routes

Rush your answers to [email protected] by 30 April

2013. The first 3 correct entries would receive some really cool TWR merchandise.

Terms and Conditions: The contest is valid for residents of India only. Prizes are non-

transferable, non-negotiable, subject to availability and there will be no cash alternative. These terms and conditions are governed in accordance with the laws of India.


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Routes & Trails - April 2013

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