TADOBA ANDHARI
TIGER RESERVE 

Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, located in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, India, stands as a testament to successful wildlife conservation and biodiversity preservation. Established in 1955 and declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1993.

The Gond kings ruled over this area for several centuries, as they did much of central India. The Marathas established their rule in the the 18th century, followed by the British about a century later. Tadoba’s forests and grasslands became part of the ‘Raj’ and subject to its forest management practices.
There is a story that is told in these parts: the mythology of a man who became a deity. Taru, a Gond tribal, a respected village headman, encountered a mighty tiger at a lake near his village. A fierce battle ensued, though its conclusion is disputed: some say that Taru vanquished the tiger, others believe that it was Taru, despite his valiance, who was slain. At any rate, the man passed into legend. A shrine was erected in his honour and the lake, as well as the forests surrounding it, came to bear his name. Hence, from Taru, comes Tadoba.