Photo copyright © Satyabrata Maiti
After almost a decade, when I visited my friend’s (Dr. Sangit Kumar) home in Bhopal on 28-Mar-2026, he told me that he has arranged a trip on the next day to Ratapani Wildlife Sanctuary and Tiger Reserve with the help of his brother, Suhas Kumar, Retired, PCCF, Wild Life in Madhya Pradesh.
Spontaneously, a song of Kabiguru Rabindranath Thakur
“মোর বীণা ওঠে কোন্ সুরে বাজি কোন্ নব চঞ্চল ছন্দে।
মম অন্তর কম্পিত আজি নিখিলের হৃদয়স্পন্দে॥“
surfaced in my mind. Rabindranath Thakur delivered “Message of the Forest” first in Bangalore in 1919 in the festival of fine arts and later delivered it again in Berlin University, June 1921. Rabindranath Tagore’s most famous connection between forests and song “Mor Bina Othe” (মোর বীণা ওঠে), he sang after delivering his lecture which was recorded. He described that forests are not just physical spaces but spiritual universities where sages discovered eternal truths such as :
- Self-discipline is the highest path.
- Self-renunciation is the greatest treasure.
- Forest life teaches universalism, not commercialism or narrow nationalism.
True conquest is self-conquest, not domination of others.
Ratapani Tiger Reserve is 8th of Madhya Pradesh and 57th of India’s tiger reserve that offers a chance to explore an untouched wilderness near Bhopal.
This distinctive location highlights a fascinating blend of urban life and nature, with some tigers known commonly as “City Tigers” since they sporadically venture upon near the periphery of the capital city, Bhopal.
On 29-Mar-2026’s morning, we reached the forest gate from Jhiri village side with Sangit and Suhash at 6:00 am. A forest vehicle with forest guide was provided to us. We could enjoy beautiful morning sunrise with unblemished beauty of deciduous forest trees having no leaves. We could also see jungal fowls crossing the road, Rufous treepie (Dendrocitta vagabunda) and Neelgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) roaming around and Red-tailed Hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) sprawling in the sky. Although we could not see even a single tiger, our visit was worth when we could encounter a Bengal fox family, mother and child (Vulpes bengalensis). Seeing reflection of morning sun in the eyes of the creature was my best moment of heavenly satisfaction which I shall remember long.
I could also record a few plant species although most of the trees were under leaf fall stage and new flush of leaves were a feast to the eyes because of their striking colour shades. Mahua was in flowering and many villagers were collecting the flowers. We too enjoyed the taste of the freshly fallen flowers. the tee species that I could record are as follows:
- Salai (Boswellia serrata)
- Tendu (Diospyros melanoxylon)
- Mahua (Madhuca longifolia)
- Bija (Pterocarpus marsupium)
- Palash (Butea monosperma)
- Saja (Terminalia tomentosa)
- Aonla (Emblica officinalis)
- Bamboo
- East Indian Satinwood (Chloroxylon swietenia)
- Bilwa (Aegle marmelos)
- Keth(Feronia limonia)
- Bilsena (Limonia crenculata)
- Kusum (Schleiehera trijuga)
- Gamari (Gmelina arborea)
- Sagaun/Teak (Tectona grandis)
- Maharukh (Ailanthus excelsa)
- Peelu (Salvadora oleodides)
Ratapani forest is also the home of some of the oldest and unique rock art paintings. I was told that the paintings are over 5000 -8000 years old. Some of the rock paintings captured in my camera are as follows:
After about three and half hours, we returned to the exit gate with great satisfaction with a feeling of “something is better than nothing”. For tracking tigers, we have to come again and again till they show them up.
Jai Bharat!
Satyabrata Maiti
Acknowledgement
- Suhas Kumar, Retired PCCF-Wild Life, MP for arranging the trip and accompanying with us.
- Sangit for accompanying
- Forest Guide for sharing his knowledge while discussion
- Driver of the vehicle for taking us to deep in the forest
- Used information from some of the open accesses literatures in this blog
What a lovely sunrise photo is captured by you! You are really a lucky person to see so many beautiful places all over India. Liked the blog very much.
What a lovely sunrise photo is captured by you in this journey. You are really a lucky person to visit so many beautiful places all over India. Liked the blog very much.