Kanha, after the rains: a tiger reserve and its neighbours

Kanha Tiger Reserve, in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla and Balaghat districts, is often linked to Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book country. It began as a wildlife sanctuary in 1933, became a national park on 1 June 1955 and was made a tiger reserve in 1973. Its core is about 940 square kilometres, with a larger buffer zone around it. Besides tigers, it holds leopards, sloth bears, dholes, gaur and about 300 species of birds. It is also known for the barasingha, a swamp deer adapted to wet meadows, which is the reserve's mascot, Bhoorsingh.

Safaris run on a seasonal calendar. Published guides say the reserve is open from October to June and closed during the monsoon months of July to September, though they disagree on the exact opening date, so check the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department's booking site. There are four core zones, Kanha, Kisli, Mukki and Sarhi, with entry gates at Khatia, Mukki and Sarhi, and permits are limited, so book early.

The reserve has a harder history. Baiga villagers were moved out of the park beginning in 1968 to protect tiger habitat, and reports describe the relocated families struggling afterwards. Today the surrounding communities are part of its economy. In the Mukki zone, a state programme started in 2017 trains women from nearby villages as guides, drivers and forest guards; our People section describes it. Another initiative, supported by a conservation foundation and the forest department, works with Baiga women on traditional jewellery as a livelihood.

A good visit is two or three days, with an early morning and an afternoon drive on each day, because sightings are never guaranteed. Wear muted clothing, keep your voice down, and let your guide choose the pace; many of the best moments are birds, deer and the meadows themselves.

How to go well: book safaris through the official channel, choose lodges that employ people from the surrounding villages, and ask your guide about the history of the reserve as well as its animals.