| Bandhavgarh National Park | |
|---|---|
 A tigress that is a descendant of tigress Sita and male Charger in Bandhavgarh | |
   | |
| Location | Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Nearest city | Umaria |
| Coordinates | 23°41′58″N 80°57′43″E / 23.69944°N 80.96194°E |
| Area | 1,536 km2 (593 sq mi) |
| Established | 1968 Tiger Reserve in 1993 |
| Visitors | 176,051 (in 2022)[1] |
| Governing body | Madhya Pradesh Forest Department |
| forest.mponline.gov.in/ | |
Bandhavgarh National Park is a national park of India, located in the Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh. Bandhavgarh, with an area of 105 square kilometres (41 sq mi), was declared a national park in 1968 and then became Tiger Reserve in 1993. The current core area is spread over 716 square kilometres (276 sq mi).
This park has a large biodiversity. The park has a large breeding population of leopards, and various species of deer. Maharaja Martand Singh of Rewa captured the first white tiger in this region in 1951. This white tiger, Mohan, is now stuffed and on display in the palace of the Maharajas of Rewa. Historically villagers and their cattle have been at a threat from the tiger. Rising mining activities around the park are putting the tigers at risk. The park derives its name from the most prominent hill of the area, which is said to have been given by Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch on Lanka (Bandhav = Brother, Garh = Fort). The fort was built by a Gond Dynasty king.
- ^ "15L tourists visited MP's 11 national parks till July". The Times of India. 16 September 2022. Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 7 April 2023.