About Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary in Vadodara, Gujarat :
Located in the Panchmahal district of Central Gujarat and declared as a sanctuary in May 1990, Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary is home for a variety of animals and plants. A small part of the sanctuary (Targol Round) falls in the adjoining Vadodara district. It’s a magnificent forest of teak, bamboos and other miscellaneous species. The area has two water reservoirs- one at Kada and the other at Targol. These water bodies add to the aesthetic settings and habitat diversity.Leopard is the top predator here whose population has been increasing. The habitat is shared by other animals such as sloth bear, jackal, blue bull, wild boar and four horned antelopes.
The area has also many varieties of reptiles as well, which include many venomous and non-venomous snakes.The area was a part of the princely state of Jambughoda prior to independence. The most striking feature of the area is the undulating hills having good forest cover with the valleys having small human settlements. The interesting places are Kada, Targol and Jhand Hanuman temple.
The most picturesque location is Kada where a beautiful forest rest house stands on the banks of an irrigation reservoir. Kada happens to be a wonderful camping site as well. Due to its location close to a cosmopolitan city of Vadodara, the sanctuary is an ideal resort for city people and very good camping site for nature campers.
History of Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary in Vadodara, Gujarat :
Established in 1990, Jambughoda Wildlife Sanctuary, covering over an area of 130.38 sq km, is located in Halol and Jambughoda Taluk of Panchmahals District and Sankheda Taluk of Vadodara District in Gujarat.Large numbers of mahuda trees are seen in and around the sanctuary, which provide major food supply to wildlife and tribals. The sanctuary is home to sloth bear, leopard, hyena, wolf and barking deer.
Important animals : Sloth bear, leopard, hyena, jackal, blue bull, wild boar, four-horned antelopes, barking deer, porcupine, python, crocodiles, etc.
Wildlife:
Wildlife is considerably rich. Leopard is the big cat existing here, whereas jungle cat is the lesser cat. Among the other carnivores hyena, wolf and jackal should be considered. Barking deer, four horned antelope, bluebull arid wild boar are the ungulates occurring in the Sanctuary. Besides civets, mongoose, porcupine and several species of rodent are also found in the area. Sloth bear is occasionally reported from the area. Python, crocodile and other herpetofauna also exist here. Birdlife is plentiful. In the past, junglefowl was abundant here, but the species is now exterminated from the area or has become rare. The wildlife depends on two water reservoirs constructed in the Sanctuary for satisfying the need of water.
Nearest Visiting places:
Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctury:
Situated on the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh borders and known as the famous spot of sloth bear habitat in India. This sanctuary is spread over an area of 56sq.km, on the Ratanmahal hills. The main River Panam passes through the hamlets situated on the foothills of this sanctuary. The major fauna lives in this jungle are leopard, hyena, jackal, four horned antelope, mongoose, porcupine, civet cat and fox. The common reptiles found here are cobra, common Indian monitor, python and rat snake. The fowl of the air that beautifies this sanctuary are Alexandrine parakeet, common babbler, crested serpent eagle, green pigeon, hoopoe, lesser golden backed woodpecker, racket-tailed drongo, grey jungle fowl, and black headed owlet. The best time and season to visit is October to March.
Halol:
This is an industrial town, amidst the surroundings of hills, expores a glamourous outlook on landscape. Dhabadungari is a beautiful place nearby, and has a fabous old temple.
Pavagadh:
Champaner is just such a place. Here you can find an old palace, fort, several mosques, but also walk the ancient streets just as its inhabitants did five centuries ago. Champaner was an out-of-the-way pilgrimage site for hundreds of years, became the capital of Gujarat, and was then abandoned to be overtaken by the jungle. The city rose and fell almost as fast as the modern stock market, but left behind far more aesthetic remains. The city is remarkably well-preserved, with Hindu and Jain temples a thousand years old, mosques from the time of the Gujarat Sultanate, and the whole workings of a well-planned capital city still in evidence, from granaries and fortifications to stepwells and cemeteries. Champaner became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.
Hidimba Van and Rishi Dank:
In the past, Kheda district was known as ‘Hidimba Van’. This is where the Mahabharata hero Bhimsen killed a demon and married Hidimba.Rishi Dank had his hermitage in the fertile lands of Dakor, then called Dankpur after the name of the rishi. It is said that Shiva, pleased by the rishi’s devotion, granted his wish and stayed in his hermitage in the form of a linga. At present the linga stands as Danknath Mahadev temple on the bank of the holy pond Gomti.
Zarwani Eco Campsite:
This campsite is situated in the Narmada District. It is 28 kms from Rajpipla towards Kevadia Colony at the Narmada Dam site. It is 7 kms from the Thawadia checkpost. It is situated inside the Shoolpaneshwar Wildlife Sanctuary which is home to a gamut of flora & fauna. The wildlife attarction include leopards, wild sloth bears, hyena, various species of Deers and wild dogs. One can also see the rhesus monkey and the barking deer or muntjac which are rarely found in other parts of the country.One can arrange for day picnics or treks with the help of the forest department, with the forest, waterfalls and other natural beauty within easy reach. Other sightseeing areas nearby include the Zarwani waterfalls, the Shoolpaneshwar Temple, the Gheer Khadi.
Sayaji Bagh:
One of the major tourist attractions in Vadodara is the Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara, the large green park whose main entrance is on the Tilak Road. The Sayaji Bagh contains a planetarium that offers a 35 minutes show daily, except on Thursday.This garden also known as the garden of Sayaji, is an extensive park sprawling over more than a hundred acres with a mini rail track around the periphery. Cheerful kids can be seen enjoying a joy ride on the toy train. Elders may also join the fun after a little coaxing of the guard.Baroda Sayaji Bagh is situated on river Vishwamitri and was built by Sayajirao III in 1879. Inside the Sayaji Bagh, Vadodara is the Baroda Museum and Art Gallery. It was set up by the Gaekwads in the 1890’s and situated within the Sayaji Bagh. The displayed works are on innumerable number of subjects; geology, natural history, and archeology. The Art Gallery would give you a glimpse of the Mughal miniatures and manuscripts on palm leaves by the Buddhist and Jain preachers. Sayaji Bagh in Vadodara also has a planetarium named after the Indian freedom fighter Sardar Patel.
EME Temple:
Vadodara was once the capital of the Gaekwads and they named the city Baroda, which is also used at times. Vadodara is the prime industrial city of Gujarat and at the same time a growing place of tourist interest for the tourists from the various places of India and also abroad. There are several palaces, museums and parks that are reminiscent of the rich culture and heritage of the city. Besides all these things Vadodara is also celebrated for its religious attractions and the most notable among the holy places in Vadodara is the EME Temple in Vadodara.This temple is also known as the Dakshinamurthy Temple and it is a lovely shrine.The history of this temple takes us into the mythological times. The EME Temple in Vadodara is dedicated to the Lord Dakshinamurthy who is one of the reincarnations of Lord Shiva.
Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum:
Also known as Baroda, Vadodara is the highly populated town in Gujarat. This beautiful town comes after Ahmedabad and Surat as per population density is concerned. It has a population of more than 1 million. It is situated on the Vishwamitri River to the southeast of Ahmedabad. It is famously touted as the Cultural Capital of Gujarat. It is a home to the gorgeous Maharaja Palace and the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. Today tourists in huge number flock to this city to relish the beauty and charm of the impressive tourist attractions in Vadodara. There are different kinds of the tourist attractions in the city of which museums in Vadodara are the hot favorite destinations. You must give visit to Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum in Vadodara.Vadodara Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum is a right place for the art lovers. Situated in the stunning city of Vadodra, the Museum displays amazing royal collection of 19th and 20th centuries which essentially comprises of European paintings of old masters like Raphael, Titian and Murillo plus modern Western and Indian miniature paintings, Greco-Roman exhibits and Chinese and Japanese art. It also shows an interesting collection of modern Indian art. It has a rich collection of Indian and Greco-Roman artifacts.
Laxmi Vilas Palace:
Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara is one of the famous monuments in Vadodara that is high on tourist value. People visiting Vadodara make it a point to visit Laxmi Vilas Palace in Vadodara. A wonderful exemplification of the Indo-Sarcenic architectural style, the palace is a majestic structure that warrants a special visit if you wish to marvel at the detailed and exquisite work from the close quarters. Indianholiday.com is your indispensable e-travelogue that provides you with all you needed to know on Vadodara’s Laxmi Vilas Palace.Vadodara’s Laxmi Vilas Palace was constructed during the period from 1878 to 1890. The construction of this palace was commissioned by Maharaja Sayaji Rao III. The total cost of its construction amounted to a whooping sixty lakh.
Museum and Art Gallery:
Vadodara which is also called Baroda is renowned as the garden city of Gujarat. This beautiful city has derived its name from the abundance of banyan trees. In yester years, it had once served as the capital of the royal Gaekwad Family. Today, this stunning city takes pride in its attractive palaces, parks, temples, and museums which are counted among the most sought after tourist attractions in Vadodara. However of all the different types of attractions the ones that play significant role in drawing tourist attention to the fullest extent are museums in Vadodara. The best of all the museums is Baroda Museum and Art Gallery in Vadodara.Vadodara Baroda Museum and Art Gallery exhibits a rich collection of artifacts. This collection comprises of Indian sculptures, ancient manuscripts and Egyptian antiquities. In the art gallery of this museum Mughal miniatures and works of great European masters are put on display.
How To Reach There :
Champaner is 45 km from Vadodara, accessible by bus or private vehicles. Cars can be hired in Vadodara to drive to Champaner-Pavagadh, which is the best option if you want to combine the journey with other sites like Jambughoda.
Location info:
Address: Jambuhoda Wildlife Sanctuary,Panchmahal,Gujarat,India
District: Panchmahal
Nearest City: Vododra
Best time to visit: October-March
Climate/Weather: Summers 23°- 44°C. Winters 10°-36°C