A visit to the lesser known Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary near Mumbai is an experience that cannot be missed and promises to be eventful
A wildlife sanctuary is linked with the connotation that itwill have lions, tigers, elephants and so on. However, there also aresanctuaries without the big beasts and yet equally exciting. One such is thePhansad Wildlife Sanctuary located about 150 kms from Mumbai. And though therehave been sightings of the leopard on its vast area of 52 sq kms, one is notreally interested in coming across the big cat. Phansad is the kind of placethat one visit more for a weekend of relaxation even as one come across hyneas,jungle cats, palm civets, sambhars, barking deer, bonnet macaques, wild boars andthe Malabar giant squirrel.
Most people who come here are ardent bird-watchers simplybecause the sanctuary has up to 148 types of birds that include the PiedHornbill, Three-Toed Kingfisher, Malkoha and Pitta, not to forget 90 species ofbutterflies, including the Common Map, Black Prince, Nawab, Blue Mormon, etc.“All this forest land was earlier the private hunting block of the erstwhileSiddhi Nawab of the Janjira state. He constructed roads, water bodies andevacuated several villages from the sanctuary. Now there are four major trailsof approximately 12 kms each that pass through various habitats, providing anopportunity to experience the amazing variety of flora and fauna,” informed thelocal guide.
With its 10 watering holes and three watch towers atstrategic positions as well as an observation kiosk just adjacent to a wateringhole, the sanctuary is ideal for those who wish to study the behaviouralaspects of the various animals that reside here. However, what fascinated me onthis trip was the preservation of patches of forest by the villagers using the‘devrai’ approach. The locals make offerings to Shaila Devi before and postharvest – thanking her for blessing their crops. In the past, when more faithconserved, the villagers would actually seek permission of the goddess beforecutting a tree or loping its branches.
Unfortunately, this faith is now receding and tree-cuttingis regularly seen around the erstwhile ‘devrais’. Moreover, personal demandstoo have grown. Earlier wood was only required for repair of homes andpreparing agricultural implements. Now, the wood sold in the market fetches thefamily an income without making any investments. However, despite thesepressures, Phansad shows hope in an otherwise rapidly deteriorating landscapeeverywhere else. And more than anything else, it gives you a chance to get awayfrom urban chaos, even if for a few days.
