We reached Achanakmar wildlife sanctuary located in North Chhattisgarh late at night. Though we could see the tall trees all around us, there was not much that we could make out. We crossed several barriers or entry points into various ranges in the forest, but we stopped only at the Amadob resort where we were staying. Before calling it a day I had a small conversation with the manager of the resort.
He told me about the important spots in and around the Achanakmar wildlife sanctuary. Which is also a Tiger Reserve as part of Project Tiger. An anecdote says that a British man was killed by a sudden attack by a tiger in this forest. And hence the place came to be known as Achanakmar or the sudden attack.
Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary – Legends & Myths
Got up early in the morning to see the ground full of dry leaves of Teak, Sal, and Mahua trees, Patjhad or the fall had just gone by. Even the slight wind creates a rustle. As I walked on these leaves, I felt as if the past is beneath my feet. And looking at the new leaves sprouting from the branches.
Leaves were dotted with small pale yellow flowers of Mahua, lying face down on the dried leaves. We were told that this is the season of Mahua and all the locals collect these flowers throughout the day during this season. The Sal trees had bright green leaves coming out. And at a lot of places stood in contrast with the bright Orange of Palash, the red, pink, and yellow of the trees I could not identify.
Some Sal trees were also laden with white flowers. Tall trees across the sanctuary were a visual delight and made the place soothing even when the sun was bright.
Wildlife
Achanakmar is one of the 11 wildlife sanctuaries in Chhattisgarh. Spread across 555 Sq Km it has a hilly terrain surrounded by Maikal hills of Satpura mountain range. It is classified as Northern Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest and is linked to the Kanha national park in neighboring MP. It is supposed to have Tigers, Leopards, Hyenas, Jackals, Sambar, Nilgai, Gaurs, and wild Bison.
But we could not see anything except a glimpse of a deer in the Lomani range that we explored. We did see a whole lot of Langoors and monkeys jumping and playing on the trees. There were herds of cattle grazing in the forests.
Similarly listed trees of the forest are Sal, Saja, Tendu, Bamboo, Dawda, Haldu, Gooseberry, Jamun, Bel, and Karra. Sal definitely forms the major chunk of the trees. Bamboo was seen sporadically like the gooseberry. A lot of villages are being moved from the core area of the forests to the outside of the core area. And you can see the mud houses and the ponds that the villagers left behind.
Revered Sal Tree
We met another legend while on a safari in the Achanakmar jungle. There is this old Sal tree, which was struck by lightning in 1990 and in 1955. It was 155 ft high and 6 ft in diameter. About 25-30 ft long but almost hollow trunk remains even today.
The locals worship this tree to date. You have to take your shoes off to go near this tree. If you observe, locals would bow down before the tree before they introduce you to it. They believe that their revered deity Budha Deo lives in this tree. This belief makes the tree a living temple. Like in most tribal areas, tribal people live as the protectors of the forests.
They even practice shift agriculture, where they do agriculture on a piece of land for a limited period. And then move on, allowing the forest to regenerate. Some tribes do not even use the plow as they think of the earth as mother earth.
It is located in the Maikala hills and is part of the Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve. The sanctuary was established in 1975 and was declared a tiger reserve in 2009.
Things you can do in Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary
- Jungle safari: This is the best way to see the wildlife in the sanctuary. Safaris are conducted in the morning and evening, and you can either take a jeep or a canter.
- Bird-watching: The sanctuary is home to over 200 species of birds, so you’re sure to see some amazing birds. There are a number of birdwatching trails in the sanctuary, so you can choose one that suits your interests.
- Hiking: There are a number of hiking trails in the sanctuary, ranging from easy to challenging. If you’re looking for a challenge, you can try the trek to the top of Achanakmar Peak.
- Visit the Interpretation Centre: The Interpretation Centre is a great place to learn about the wildlife and ecology of the sanctuary. There are exhibits on the different species of animals and plants, as well as information on the history of the sanctuary.
The best time to visit Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary is during the dry season, from November to June.
The best way to visit this may be to stay in Bilaspur and make a visit to the place. The places to stay within the forest are limited as are the other facilities.
Recommend you to read the following Tourist places in Chhattisgarh.
Temple of Devrani Jethani, Tala, Bilaspur
what a wonderful blog, anuradha. And to think I found you while looking for images of traditional art work from Bengal!
Wonderful blog and amazing pictures………
nice blog.
Excellent post as usual! Iam planning a trip there soon.Can you help me? I would like to know about any reliable travel operator to hire a car from.Can you suggest any? And what is the route i should take to see the reserve and the watchtowers it has?