India Through The Footsteps Of Mowgli
La India , in addition to its unique features, has an incredible nature that has inspired books and films worldwide fame. It houses 515 animal sanctuaries and more than 100 natural parks, dotted throughout its territory. Faced with so many options, when you want to take a trip to the jungle of India, where can you start?
One of the best experiences is taking the trip that inspired The Jungle Book , in two of the most beautiful sanctuaries in the country. There you can follow in the footsteps of Mowgli, the main character of this wonderful work.
The jungle book
It is a collection of stories written by Rudyard Kipling, an Indian-born English author. This book was published in 1894 and is inspired by the surroundings of Kanha National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park. Its main characters are Mowgli and the animals that make life in this environment.
In 1967 Disney released an animated film with a fairly free adaptation of the work and has recently remastered its version, released in April 2016 with the same title, The Jungle Book.
Discover the Mowgli Rainforest in India
Kanha National Park
When you admire Kanha National Park, you understand why it inspired the work of Rudyard Kipling. This park is recognized as one of the most beautiful in India. It is full of plains and jungles and adorned with a mist that lulls the tops of its hills.
It has 954 square kilometers of vast nature and is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. At the beginning of the 20th century it was a hunting park used by high-ranking personalities of the British Empire and was designated a national park in 1955.
The Kanha has three accesses, Kisli, Mukki and Serai. Through them, you can enter this natural sanctuary that contains more than a thousand different species of flowers. The park is divided into several ecosystems, such as wetlands, plains or tropical forests in which Bagheera and Shere Khan, important characters from The Jungle Book , lie hidden in the middle of the bamboo.
In the Kanha we can find many elements that are part of the history of The Jungle Book, such as the Seoni jungle, it is the name of one of the cities near the reserve. Also Council Rock, where the wolves in the book gathered, is located near the tributary of the Wainganga River, where Shere Khan wanted to bury Mowgli’s bones.
Bandhavgarh National Park
It is located 240 kilometers northwest of the Kanha National Park. It is a 105 square kilometer reserve located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is home to more than 250 species of birds, which makes it a paradise for lovers of ornithology. The Bandhavgarh, was designated a national park in 1968 and is home to many species such as the Indian bison, the Indian wild dog, the nilgai, the hyena and the leopard.
Here you can also see specimens of the Bengal tiger, Rudyard Kipling’s Shere Khan. These wonderful specimens seem to be used to the presence of visitors and have no problem parading their precious orange colors in the middle of the jungle.
Kanha and Bandhavgarh are among the best places to spot tigers. Fortunately, tourism in these places respects the habitat of this endangered species and even perpetuates it, as in the case of Sita, the second most photographed tiger in the world and on the cover of National Geographic .
When it comes to entering the Indian jungle, these beautiful national parks are one of your best options. Experience the magic of walking in the footsteps of Mowgli and live your own story, worthy of being part of The Jungle Book .
