Bandhavgarh

Bandhavgarh, in today’s Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, takes its name from the dramatic Bandhavgarh Fort that rises above the surrounding forests. The hill and fort have very old roots in local tradition: legends link them to the Ramayana, saying Lord Ram gifted this fort (“Bandhav-garh” – fort of the brother) to his brother Lakshman. Whatever the mythology, archaeological remains, caves and inscriptions around the hill show that this area has been occupied by various dynasties and chieftains for many centuries.

In the medieval period, Bandhavgarh emerged as an important stronghold in the Vindhya hills. It later became one of the early capitals of the Baghel Rajput rulers of Rewa. For a time, the fort and its surrounding forests were the political centre of their kingdom, before the capital shifted to Rewa town. After that, Bandhavgarh and its forests gradually turned into royal hunting grounds, still valued but no longer a main capital.

In independent India, concern for wildlife led to the creation of Bandhavgarh National Park in 1968, carved out of the former game reserve. It became a Project Tiger reserve in the 1990s. Since then, Bandhavgarh has gained international fame for its high tiger density, combining a long history of fort culture with modern wildlife conservation and tourism.