Agarjari hidden jewel of Tadoba

My description on Nature is “Magic with simplicity” featuring actors like Trees, Scrubs, Insects, Mammal, Aves, Rocks, Water and many more hidden entities, the whole existence is joyful and strike balance to maintain the eco system.

I do not see nature with my eyes, but breathe it so that it can be felt in my heart. My first encounter with nature was in 2014, when I wanted to see a tiger not in zoo, but in wild without any knowledge just ventured and it was unforgettable moment, it was the legend Tigress, pride of Ranthambore and India, Machli (T-16) alias "Lady of the Lake”. Even the greatest scientist and inventor Albert Einstein has rightly admitted “The most beautiful gift of nature is that it gives one pleasure to look around and try to comprehend what we see”. I got addicted to the taste of going to National park and tiger reserve to get relived and away from routine life. Got introduced to “Tadoba National Park” by chance. I was going on a short vacation to Mumbai. I asked to myself “Why not take a break away from routine”, I saw the name “Svasara” in internet it struck a connection by my instinct. First visit to Land of Taru was in 2015, Svasara became my favorite den, till today. I got connected to lot of amazing friends and nature enthusiasts. I always look forward to go to Svasara jungle lodge because of the closeness and hospitality given by Mr. Ranjit and Mrs. Nandita amazing couple, with their team of experts. Tadoba National Park Established in 1935, was declared a park in 1955. This became part of Maharashtra with the reorganization of states but retained its status as a park.

The district of Chandrapur in the northeastern part of Maharashtra. There is a lake in the midst of mixed deciduous forest and rolling hills. Leopards and Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) are sighted more often in the area.

Tadoba National Park and Andhari Wildlife Santuary together form the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve. The park derives its name from "Taru" the local deity, whereas the Andhari River meanders through the forest gives the sanctuary its name. The National Park, consisting of two forested rectangles of the Tadoba and Andhari range. Thickly clad hills form the north and western boundary of the Tiger Reserve. To the southwest is a huge lake, which acts as buffer in between the Park Forest and the extensive farmland extending right up to the Irai or Erai Lake. Tadoba Tiger Forest areas protect the Tiger and the complete variety of unique Indian wildlife. Along with tigers, Tadoba Tiger Reserve is a home for rare Indian wildlife like, Leopards, Sloth Bears, Gaur, Wild Dogs, Hyenas, Civet and Jungle cats, and many species of Indian deer like Sambar, Cheetal, Nilgai, Barking Deer and Four-horned antelope. Tadoba and Erai Lake sustains the Marsh Crocodile, which were once common all over Maharashtra. Tadoba and Andhari region are also an ornithologist's paradise with a varied diversity of aquatic bird life, and Raptors. Andhari Sanctuary has beautiful habitat.

I experienced, Agarzari Zone, the buffer zone of Agarzari is the best, if you are a nature enthusiast you should not miss this area. Around Agarzari is *Erai Dam or Irai Dam, it is an earth fill and gravity dam on Irai or Erai river near Chandrapur and Tadoba Andhari Tiger Project in state of Maharashtra in India. The height of the dam above lowest foundation is 30 m (98 ft) while the length is 1,620 m (5,310 ft). The volume content is 985 km3 (236 cu mi) (*Source from Wikipedia), A gravity dam is a dam constructed from concrete or stone masonry and designed to hold backwater by primarily utilizing the weight of the material alone to resist the horizontal pressure of water pushing against it. Gravity dams are designed so that each section of the dam is stable, independent of any other dam. In Apr 22, 2016 water safari at Irai or Erai Lake was inaugurated.

This lake is around Agarzari Zone and its buffer area. One of the added attractions. A visit to the boating site found that jetty was well done and stable one Battery-operated boats are also ready to sail out. Apart from mandatory life saving jackets for tourists, a GPS tracker is fitted to every boat. We started out new adventure, it was an hour and half drive to the waterfront, was excited for the boat safari. Keeping my fingers crossed anxious to see what wonders nature has kept for us today. The scenic beauty of the lake is beautiful with mangroves. Erai Lake or Erai Dam spillway & reservoir, which acts as a buffer between the park’s forest and the extensive farmland, which extends up to Erai water reservoir. This lake is a perennial water source offers good habitat for Mugger crocodiles to thrive, varieties of Water birds are found. The Boating start from a jetty near a village called Kondegaon. My visit was in summer the climatic condition was humid, but in spite of high temperature I was quite comfortable ready for the boat safari. I would recommend the nature and wildlife lovers to keep an open mind, if you want sight a Tiger. If you are lucky you might sight a tiger on the shoreline of the backwaters, which will an icing on the cake. Nature is not all about only tigers one should enjoy the beauty of the nature, fresh of the air. The fragrance of the forest early morning it is wildness in all aspects. Before the boat started I was given a satiety guidelines told to wear the life jacket for safety, Forest department guide introduced himself and introduced to the Erai reservoir and its flora and fauna.

I was given a binocular to watch nature closely, if lucky to spot the stripe beauty. I could spot some of the common birds like Pied King fisher, Common King fisher, Black shoulder Kite, Indian Roller, Asian open bill stork, black drongo, Grey headed swamphen, Honey Buzzard, Green bee eater, Lesser whistling teal. The reservoir is a vast area with lot of greeneries on shore, Water being a very valuable resource during summer attracts lots of animals, birds along the shore line this includes the amazing Bengal tigers and Leopards. The most popular species of trees is Teak and bamboo in Tadoba.

The land around the reservoir is used for farming and the reservoir is used for fishing. Due to the villages closes to the forest buffer zone and some of the villages are very close to the core forest area killing of domestic livestock by tigers and leopards as a frequent phenomenon in the areas neighboring villages. During the boat safari fishing boats are a common sight.

In terrain of Agarzari is excellent with lots of greenery due to the area is closely connected to the Erai Lake and the reservoir backwater. Along with scenic beauty I got see a glimpse of the pride of the jungle playing hiding and seek with the tourist who were looking on the other direction to sight this beauty. It was a great experience to be a silent distant observer, witnessing the tigress Madhuri (T10), slipping away. Witnessing this moment, I was wondering how many times, I would have been a victim of this scenario. The beauty of nature is so balanced the temperature was soaring to 49 degrees, still i was very comfortable boating in the Agarjari backwater. This Boat safari wouldn't have been experienced by me, if Mr. Himanshu Bagde (Naturalist) and a good friend of mine had not insisted. This was one my best memorable moment close to the nature with a different experience. I am looking forward to visit Agarjari zone again. With some of my clicked pictures of the birds sighted, I am signing off my experience "The hidden jewel of Tadaoba Agarjari"