Bandhavgarh National Park, the most popular national parks in India is located in the Vindhya Hills of the Umaria district in Madhya Pradesh. The park derives its name from the most prominent hillock of the area, which was said to be given by Hindu Lord Rama to his brother Lakshmana to keep a watch on Lanka (Ceylon). Hence the name Bandhavgarh (Sanskrit: Brother’s Fort).Rudyard Kipling got inspired by the jungles at Bandhavgarh and wrote the famous ‘Jungle Book.’ The forests once served as the hunting ground of Maharajas of Rewa, which resulted in an alarming loss in the number of tigers. It was declared a National Park in 1968, and today the park is home to around two hundred and fifty species of birds and twenty-two different species of animals including the ‘gaur,’ jungle cat, sloth bear and hyena. As per the count that was taken in 2012, the park has a tiger population of about 44-49. The forest mainly contains bamboo thickets, grasslands, and Sal trees. Inside the park, the Bandhavgarh Fort, which is built on a hillock of about 811 meters, provides spectacular views of the national park and its surroundings. However, you will need prior written permission to enter the fort.