Bandhavgarh National Park is the most visited and tremendously famed tiger palace in Madhya Pradesh located in the Vindhya Hills of Umaria district. The tourists hitting to Bandhavgarh National Park makes a must visit to the fort to find the written proofs of the Bharihas and Vakatak dynasties who ruled over the land in and around the Bandhavgarh region.
Charkadhara region in Tala range of Bandhavgarh National Park was a richly diverse area with prominent hillocks. During 1991, it was ruled by a very masculine dominant male, “Banka”. Banka in local language means “the handsome one”, true to his name he was. I heard that there were 0 tigers in Bandhavgarh in early 70s, courtesy, the continued hunting even after India attained Independence. The first ever tiger was sighted in mid-70s. Nobody knows where Banka was born or who his earlier mates were.
On the particular dusk of summer in 1991, Banka was patrolling his territory with deep throated calling of “aaungh- aaungh”, displaying his might. While Banka was prowling along the Aama Nala road, suddenly a series of resounding roars from up the hill jolted the jungle. Banka stopped dead in his tracks and immediately looked up. All strained up, ears turned forward, he faced the hilly slope trying to understand what was happening. His ears picked up the sound of fast approaching footsteps. Whatever it was, was now heading straight towards him churning the dry leaves scattered on the ground. Occasional short hideous growls followed the footsteps. He instinctively knew that he has a challenger now. The resident tiger (Banka) accepted the challenge replying vent to a full throated roar. The roar was answered by quickened movement of the oncoming stranger. The stranger’s walk turned into a jog, and finally into a full intensity gallop…
The jeep got back to the camp and due to a misunderstanding the word was spread that “Banka” has gone mad. Sightings of a Banka like tiger near villages away from his territory added to the confusion. Kuttapan, the head Mahout (person who drives elephant) decided to solve the mystery. Riding over his huge tusker Gautam, he entered the high grass behind Gopalpur pond looking for Banka. Within a moment, he heard a distinct loud growl from his right, and next moment a thundering striped fury shot out from the grass and charged at elephant Gautam. Kuttapan somehow managed to stir the elephant away from the grassland. He rushed out of the forest perspiring profusely and declared that a very dangerous, short-tempered tiger had arrived in the forest.
Thus, the Legendary Tiger came to be known by the name of “Charger”– The aggressive one.
The origin of Charger is not clearly known. Park rangers consider him to be from a different part of the park. He first made his appearance in the summer of 1991, when he defeated Banka and claimed his territory in Tala zone. His tenure as a overlord of Tala stretched almost a decade (1991-1999). It is extraordinary as the life span of tiger is 12-15 years. He was in his prime even during his last days. His ferocity made him an International Legend and even today years after his passing his story drifts along the folklore of park rangers and wildlife enthusiasts.
Charger had a lifetime mate, “Sita”. In 1992 their first litter was with two male cubs “Langru” and “Bada Bachha”. Bada Bachha was strong and later claimed his territory around Ghora demon. But the younger son had a slight limp in his hind leg, hence named Langru ( limping one). Langru did not make his own territory instead decided to stay with Charger. It came as a surprise to forest official when a vicious territorial male like Charger accepted his 4 year old lame son, denying the logic that dominant males drive away their own grownup male cubs.
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