Nagzira-Kipling`s Jungle Book comes to life.

[Shyamala Kumar]

1. From Nagpur go east along the NH6(Bombay- Calcutta highway) for about 100 km and turn left at the crowded town of Sakoli .A further drive of of 20km or so along a busy narrow road, brings one abruptly to the gate of the Nagzira wls.The small shanty tea shops and restaurants does not prepare one for the exotic forest beyond.
2. A further drive of 12 km through dense forests brings one to the forest rest house complex.There are some very badly maintained dilapidated cottage for the booking. Also available are two loghut rooms of slightly better quality.All these are available for booking online.A better option would be to stay at one of the few private safari lodges outside the sanctuary.There is a canteen ,in the complex ,run by a private contractor, which provides basic hot Indian food.

3. Nagzira comprises about 116sq km of unbelievably dense sub tropical forest of deciduous trees ,shrubs,and grass It has innumerable lakes and water bodies.What was fascinating were tall trees thick with creepers barely allowing the sunlight to filter through .One can almost imagine Mowgli of jungle book fame swinging down through the trees on one of the vines , followed on foot by his beloved Baloo the bear.And somewhere in the thick undergrowth hidden from sight the palpable menace of Sher khan the tiger
4. Nagzira boasts of seven tigers,leopards slothbears,dhole civets,boars,pangolins ,nilgai ,gaurs sambhars,chital, chausinga,mousedeer etc.....The bird species includes a variety of raptors probably attracted by the fish in the waterbodies.I saw this Grey headed fish eagle perched high on the stump of a tree stuck by lightining, like a lone sentinel of the sky.
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