Ralamandal Sanctuary: A boon for Indore City. Published on: 19 Jun, 2022

TEJ NARAYAN

Publishing, Literature, Editing
Man living in the nature's cradle was almost a usual affair in ancient times in the world. But with time man got away from the nature and so a need to develop natural habitat of nature's gems like wildlife and birds were created in the cities to enable people and children to study them and learn more about them.

In this connection  we may recollect the Assam state Zoo and the botanical station within the capital city of Guwahati about 6 Km. railway station. Created in the year 1957 and opened to public in the year 1958. The Zoo occupies an area of 175 hectares and the botanical garden is spread over 82 hectares. Apart from the state wildlife one- horned rhino, numerous other 112 species of wild life including the tiger and golden languor are also kept here in open spaces allotted to them.

Similarly capital of Madhya Pradesh Bhopal has one Van Vihar National Park on the fringe of the city adjacent to the big take of Bhopal on a very nicely forested hills of Bhopal city.

A need was felt by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department to develop a highly forested hill terrain about 12 Km. from Indore the largest city in MP and they development this forest into a wild life Sanctuary occupying 275 hectares of land in the year 1989. It is named as Ralamandal wild life Sanctuary, being near a major village Ralamandal.

As per need of a sanctuary the total area of the park is divided into three zone as wildlife zone, tourist zone and deer safari zone. This forested area was earlier used as a hunting ground by te Holkar dynasty rules of Indore state and atop a very high hill there is a building for relaxation of the royal hunters, known as "Shikargah". It is a two storied building of red bricks and gives a very beautiful look. It was build in the year 1905 by Shivaji Rao Holkar, the then ruler of the state. Touring in the park is available in only one available " Golf Cart", a motor driven open cart to take the tourists around the deer zone. While on tour in golf cart I found it a pleasantly thrilling experience to find deers coming near the cart and to pose for photographs by tourists. The game keepers have become so familiar with the deers that only in one call they come near the golf cart and the tourists can see them and feel them too.

Since there is no natural sources of running water the forest department have build souceres, where the water is pumped by nearby tube wells to facilitate drinking water for wild life and birds. There are separate water supply units for tourists and umbrella type domes with concrete seating arrangement for the tourists to relax and get lost in nature's beauty and mysteries.

At the lower rim of the forest near the entrance gate there are offices of the range officer and awareness centre in an auditorium to show the movies on the sanctuary's various facilities and for exhibition of fossils. This area had a reputation of having dinosaurs many years before in Mesozoic era and their fossils as have been carefully stored here.

Ralamandal Sanctuary also has rescue centre with trained doctors to treat the injured wild life brought here from the nearly districts.

The major attraction here for the tourists is plentiful availability of healthy black Bucks, blue bulls, spotted deers, Hayanas, wild bores, Jackets etc. It is boon for the people of Indore and also students of Indore city to spend time here and to get lost in nature's glory about 12 km. from the city.

To entertain and educate the tourist major role is played by the Range officer Akanksha Khatarkar under the guidance of the DFO Dr. Kiran Bisen. On return by the Golf cart tour we found many expectant tourists and students groups waiting for a ride on the cart. It is the need of hour to increase the number of such carts from one to at least six for tourism development.

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