Fresh air, verdant surroundings, rustic yet plush tented suites, floating verandahs overlooking a sun-kissed river running through the property, sounds of silence interspersed with the chirrup of birds and the occasional murmur of animals, all literally within kissing distance of the core of the Kanha National Park… is what best describes Banjaar Tola in Madhya Pradesh (MP) in central India.

Banjaar Tola is one of the four safari lodges operated and managed by Taj Safaris, a joint venture between Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces and &Beyond, a leading ecotourism company that operates some of Africa’s most exotic lodges and safaris. Taj Safaris launched its first safari lodge in November 2006 with Mahua Kothi near Bandhavgarh National Park in MP, followed by Baghvan near Pench National Park, Pashan Garh close to Panna, and Banjaar Tola at Kanha.

Banjaar Tola is ideally located on the banks of the Banjaar River. Kanha National Park, one of the largest national parks in the country, spread over 1,945 sq km and prime tiger wilderness, lay on the opposite side. Nestled amidst sylvan surroundings, the lodge has a refreshing, warm and earthy look and feel to it. The 90-acre property is divided into the west and east camp. Each camp has nine, well-appointed, tented suites. The property has been designed with the conscious aim of protecting the environment and the need to be in sync with natural surroundings. No trees were cut while constructing the camps. All four Taj Safari lodges in MP operate on a sustainable eco-tourism model, with a light eco footprint and a focus on wildlife conservation and community development.

The Banjar Tola experience captured through photographs

The accommodation
The tents are built on raised structures to allow for natural undergrowth and drainage. Designed using pressed bamboo wall panels and natural bamboo floors, the air-conditioned, tented rooms are beautifully furnished using locally crafted furniture, Bastar artworks and well-crafted bell metal figurines, which adds to the rustic ambience of the place.

Most interesting is the butler’s hatch through which the room service order can be discreetly slipped in without disturbing guests.

The rooms have the most spectacular 120-degree view of lush green vegetation. The soft gurgling of the river meandering below the floating deck soothes the senses while chattering monkeys, graceful egrets, deep-throated drongoes and herds of deer often keep guests company through the day.

The safari
The twice-daily safari drives into the thick jungles of the Kanha National Park are the highlight of the visit. Guests have a hot cup of tea and some nutritious porridge before they board the specially customised and spacious Tata Motors 4x4 safari vehicles. One can also go for wildlife sightings in Kanha by choosing the more daring option of riding on an elephant’s back.

What makes the safari trip more interesting is the information imparted by the guides and naturalists Rajnish Pradhan, Durgesh Kumar and others. Keenly alert to the varied animal and bird calls of the forest, they are able to identify what the diverse sounds mean – calls of alarm, mating, etc. They are very knowledgeable and share interesting trivia about the habitat and eating habits of the wildlife. The dedicated group of naturalists at Banjaar Tola are selected after a rigorous training programme conducted by veterans in the field from the &Beyond team.

For a city-dweller, the early morning drive into the Kanha National Park is a rejuvenating experience, particularly after rains when one gets the heady smell of fresh damp earth. The forest has a variety of trees – the endlessly tall sal trees, the flame of the forest, the crocodile bark trees, the evergreen jamun and mango trees as well as bamboo thickets among many others. Visitors can see herbivorous animals like the deer and the Indian bison (gaur) grazing on vast areas of the grasslands. They can also enjoy a picnic breakfast at one of the government forest camps intermittently located within the jungle.

It is quite an amazing sight to see gaurs – the largest bovines in the world – up close. Taj Safaris, along with &Beyondand the government of Madhya Pradesh, has started a gaur relocation project as part of a wildlife conservation programme. They have successfully managed to relocate some of them to the Bandhavgarh National Park to help increase their numbers. A similar project is on the anvil to relocate the rare barasingha deer found in Kanha.

The forest teems with many animals – the graceful sambar, the strutting chital, playful wild dogs, skittish jackals, elegant peacocks, raucous monkeys and cute Little Grebes (the smallest ducks in the world). You may be fortunate to also sight beautiful and rare birds like the yellow-beaked Malabar hornbill, and of course have prized sightings of a tiger or a leopard! 

On returning from safaris, guests are greeted by the Taj staff with a two-hand wave, cold towels and a refreshing drink of lime juice.

The food
Lunch is generally served in the indoor dining room away from the dry afternoon heat, but the place really livens up in the evenings when cocktails and dinner are served in the common sitting area or in the open on the adjoining deck under the sparkling night sky. On some nights, guests enjoy a ‘bush meal’ near the swimming pool. The team of naturalists join the guests every evening for cocktails to share and exchange notes about the day’s safari experience.

The salads are delicious and fresh and are prepared from the vegetables and herbs grown in the organic kitchen garden at Banjaar Tola. At dinner, the menu is more elaborate and dishes are prepared in the regional or local style with a contemporary twist. The chefs interact with guests to find out their preferences, making mealtimes a more personal experience.

So, for those who wish to experience the great outdoors in the arms of luxury, Banjaar Tola, the eco-friendly safari lodge from Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, is the ideal destination for getting up close and personal with nature.