A little known fact is that the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh provided the inspiration for this iconic book. Rudyard Kipling drew inspiration from settings and surroundings of the Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh. The character ‘Mowgli’ was created based on a true story narrated by Sir William Henry Sleeman, about a boy raised by wolves. Many of the Jungle Book’s location’s including Seoni, Mowgli’s birthplace and village, can still be visited today.
Madhya Pradesh lies at the heart of India – a region which will surprise even the most seasoned traveler. Travellers can discover mighty mountain ranges, meandering rivers and miles of verdant forests – showcasing 25 sanctuaries, 10 national parks and 6 tiger reserves. This includes almost 20 percent of India’s tiger population.
The state is also home to 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites – the 10th century temples of Khajuraho, covered in ecstatic erotic sculpture, is a reminder of India’s ancient artistic heritage. Millennia old Buddhist monuments can be found at Sanchi and Paleolithic cave paintings at Bhimbetka– so much of the subcontinent’s unimaginably long history compressed into a single, vastly unexplored region.
Picture Credit : Google