Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary is wildlife sanctuary situated on the northern boundary of Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

and Nimach districts in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

, India

India

India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

. It is spread over an area of 368.62 km squire adjoining Rajasthan

Rajasthan

Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

state in India

India

. It was notified in 1974 and more area was added in 1983. The Chambal River

Chambal River

The Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River in central India, and forms part of the greater Gangetic drainage system. The river flows north-northeast through Madhya Pradesh, running for a time through Rajasthan, then forming the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh before turning...

passes through the sanctuary and divides into two parts. The western part is in Nimach district and eastern part is in Mandsaur district

Mandsaur District

Mandsaur District is a District of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The town of Mandsaur is the administrative headquarters of the district.-Origin of name:...

Flora and fauna

The Sanctuary is open throughout the year. With a varied terrain of wooded hills – the forest

Forest

A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...

being dry, mixed and deciduous

Deciduous

Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...

- and flat grasslands around Gandhi sagar dam

Gandhi Sagar dam

The Gandhi Sagar Dam is one of the four dams built on India's Chambal River. The dam is located in the Mandsaur district of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is a masonry gravity dam, standing high, with a gross storage capacity of 7.322 billion cubic metres from a catchment area of...

submergence, it offers abundant opportunities of sighting a variety of wildlife

Wildlife

Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....

. The principal tree species found in the Sanctuary are Khair

Khair

Khair is a city and a municipal board in Aligarh district in the Indian state....

(Acacia catechu), Salai, Kardhai, Dhawda, Tendu

Tendu

Tendu means "stretched" or "pulled" in French. It also may refer to:* Tendu, Indre, a commune in France* tendu, local name of the tree Diospyros melanoxylon * battement tendu, a dance or ballet movement...

, Palash etc.

The Predominant wild animal species that inhabits the Sanctuary are the deer, of which the most easily sighted are chinkara

Chinkara

The Chinkara is a species of gazelle found in south Asia.-Habitat and Distribution:It lives in grasslands and desert areas in India, Bangladesh and parts of Iran and Pakistan...

or Indian gazelle, nilgai

Nilgai

The nilgai , sometimes called nilgau, is an antelope, and is one of the most commonly seen wild animals of central and northern India and eastern Pakistan; it is also present in parts of southern Nepal. The mature males appear ox-like and are also known as blue bulls...

, sambar

Sambar Deer

The Sambar ' is a large deer native to southern and southeast Asia. Although it primarily refers to R. unicolor, the name "Sambar" is also sometimes used to refer to the Philippine Deer and the Rusa Deer...

, leopard

Leopard

The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...

,common langur, wild dog, peacock, otter

Otter

The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....

, crocodile

Crocodile

A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...

etc.

Places archaeological and religious importance

Sanctuary has many places of historical, archaeological and religious importance. These are Chaurasigarh, Chaturbhujnath temple, Bhadkaji rock paintings, Narsinghjhar, Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh or Hinglaj Fort is an ancient fort situated near village Navali in Bhanpura tehsil of Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh. Its coordinates are Latitude 25°30' N and Longitude 65°31' E. It is situated at a distance of 165 km from Mandsaur town and 26 km from Bhanpura town in...

Fort, Taxakeshwar

Taxakeshwar

Taxakeshawar or Takhaji is a place of religious and historical importance in Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh. It is situated at a distance of 22 km from Bhanpura town on Hinglajgarh road. This is the site of serpent king taxak , where he is worshiped as Taxakeshawar but the local...

temple etc.

Chaturbhujnath (hindi

Hindi

Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...

:चतुर्भुजनाथ) temple is about 8 km from Gandhi sagar dam

Gandhi Sagar dam

site. There is a statue of Lord Vishnu in this temple. A fair is organized here on the occasion of Tejaji dashami, tenth day of the month of Bhadra Hindu month to mark the birth of Tejaji. Very near to this temple is the site of Bhadkaji (hindi

Hindi

:भड़काजी) rock paintings of period about 1400 years old.

Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh (Hindi

Hindi

: हिंगलाजगढ़) or Hinglaj Fort (Hindi

Hindi

: हिंगलाज क़िला Hinglaj Qila) is an ancient fort situated near village Navali

Navali Mandsaur

Navali is a village in Bhanpura tahsil in Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh. Navali derives name from Latin word Navalis meaning "pertaining to ship".-History :...

in Bhanpura

Bhanpura

Bhanpura is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandsaur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.Bhanpura is 127 km from Mandsaur in north-east direction. The Bhanpura town is south of other historically important places Hinglajgarh and Navali in Mandsaur district. It has a museum...

tehsil of Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

district in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

. Its coordinates are Latitude 25°30' N and Longitude 65°31' E. It is situated at a distance of 165 km from Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

town and 26 km from Bhanpura

Bhanpura

town in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

. This fort has been at its peak of grandeur during Parmara rule. There are many artistic sculptures of various periods in this fort. The Nandi and Uma-Maheshwar sculptures were sent from here to France and Washington for display in India festivals and left a mark at International levels. The Hinglajgarh had been centre of excellence in craftmanship of sculptures for about 800 years. The statues recovered from this fort are from Guptas period to Parmara period. The most ancient statues are from 4-5th century AD.

Taxakeshwar temple

Taxakeshawar (तक्षकेश्वर) or Takhaji (ताखाजी) is a place of religious and historical importance in Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

district in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

. It is situated at a distance of 22 km from Bhanpura

Bhanpura

town on Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

road. This is the site of serpent king taxak , where he is worshiped as Taxakeshawar but the local people call him Takhaji. Curiously enough he shares the worship of the country folk with Dhanvantri, the Indian Aesculapius. The shrine in question stands on a most romantic spot from village Navali

Navali Mandsaur

Navali is a village in Bhanpura tahsil in Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh. Navali derives name from Latin word Navalis meaning "pertaining to ship".-History :...

situated on the table land at the foot of which Bhanpura lies.

This place is very important from natural and scenic beauty. James Tod

James Tod

Lieutenant-Colonel James Tod was an English officer of the British East India Company and an Oriental scholar.Tod was born in London and educated in Scotland, later joining the East India Company as a military officer. He travelled to India in 1799 as a cadet in the Bengal Army where he rose...

had visited this place in 1821 and was amazed to see its scenic beauty. There is a grand natural water pool full of many varieties of fish. The source of water in it is a hot water spring which falls from a height of about 200 feet. The river Takhali at a distance of about 10 km from Chambal River that flows to Jhalawar

Jhalawar

Jhalawar is a city in southeastern Rajasthan. It was the capital of the former princely state of Jhalawar, and is the administrative headquarters of Jhalawar District. Jhalawar was once known as Brijnagar .-Jhalawar town:...

in Rajasthan

Rajasthan

falls into this water pool and forms the water fall.

This place is probably the only site having a temple and a statue of nagaraja Taxak. Statue of Taxaka is shown with seven serpent hoods protecting from above. In one hand of Taxaka is shown a human head. On one side is shown his wife and his son on other side. The period of installing this statue is estimated to be 12th century.
A fair is organized on every purnima of baisakh month of Hindu Calendar.

In front of the statue of Taxaka is installed the statue of Dhanvantari

Dhanvantari

Dhanvantari is an Avatar of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition. He appears in the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the gods , and the god of Ayurvedic medicine...

. The main temple has also the statue of Shiva

Shiva

Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

, considered as swami of Taxaka.

Bhanpura Museum

Bhanpura
Bhanpura
Bhanpura is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandsaur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.Bhanpura is 127 km from Mandsaur in north-east direction. The Bhanpura town is south of other historically important places Hinglajgarh and Navali in Mandsaur district. It has a museum...

is 30 km from Gandhi sagar dam

Gandhi Sagar dam

and 127 km from Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

in north-east direction. The Bhanpura town is south of other historically important places Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

and Navali in Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

district. It has a museum depicting the popular arts of Mandsaur. Illustrated oil paintings are also found around Bhanpura. At the museum, art from the Gupta

Gupta

Gupta is a common surname of Indian origin.According to some academicians, the name Gupta is derived from Sanskrit goptri, meaning military governor. A more direct translation of the Sanskrit word gupta is 'secret' or 'hidden'. According to prominent historian R. C...

era (4th-5th century) to the time of Pratihara

Pratihara

The Gurjara Pratihara , often simply called Pratihara Empire, was an imperial Indian dynasty that ruled much of Northern India from the 6th to the 11th centuries. At its peak of prosperity and power , the Gurajara-Pratihara Empire rivaled or even exceeded the Gupta Empire in the extent of its...

s and Parmaras is depicted, and well-sculpted portraits of Uma

Parvati

Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...

-Maheshwar

Maheshwar

Maheshwar is a town in Khargone district of Madhya Pradesh state, in central India. It is located 13 km east of National Highway 3 and 91 km from Indore, the commercial capital of the state. The town lies on the north bank of the Narmada River.-Etymology:The name Maheshwar comes from...

, Kartikeya, Vishnu

Vishnu

Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

, Gavoi

Gavoi

Gavoi is a comune in central Sardinia , part of the province of Nuoro, in the natural region of Barbagia. It overlooks the Lake of Gusana.-History:...

and Nandi are displayed. It has the ninth century monolithic temple of Dharmarajeshwara, carving it out of solid natural rock. The most important and interesting monuments at Dhamnar are the Rock cut caves and temples. There is a series of fourteen seventh century rock-cut Buddhist Caves with monasteries and Stupas.

Dharmrajeshwar and Dhamnar caves

Dharmrajeshwar , an ancient Buddhist and Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

cave

Cave

A cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...

temple site of 4th-5th Century in Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

, is situated in Garoth

Garoth

Garoth is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandsaur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.-Demographics: India census, Garoth had a population of 14,568. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Garoth has an average literacy rate of 63%, higher than the national average of...

tahsil of Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

district at a distance of 4 km from Chandwasa town on periphery of Gandhisagar. It is 106 km from Mandsaur

Mandsaur

Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

city and about 22 km from nearest railway station Shamgarh

Shamgarh

Shamgarh is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandsaur district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is an important railway station on Delhi-Mumbai Railway track where Almost every train stops.-Geography:...

. Its original name is Dhamnār (धमनार).

How to reach

Road - One can reach Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary by road from Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh , often called the Heart of India, is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal and Indore is the largest city....

towns Mandsaur
Mandsaur
Mandsaur or Mandsour is a city in the Malwa region and district of Madhya Pradesh state of central India. It is the administrative headquarters of Mandsaur District.-Origin of name:...

(135 km) and Nimach (100 km) or from Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

city Kota, RajasthanKota (100 km).

Rail - Nearest rail heads are Bhawanimandi (53 km), Jhalawar
Jhalawar
Jhalawar is a city in southeastern Rajasthan. It was the capital of the former princely state of Jhalawar, and is the administrative headquarters of Jhalawar District. Jhalawar was once known as Brijnagar .-Jhalawar town:...

(53 km) and Shamgarh
Shamgarh
Shamgarh is a town and a nagar panchayat in Mandsaur district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is an important railway station on Delhi-Mumbai Railway track where Almost every train stops.-Geography:...

(85 km).

Air - Nearest Aerodrome is Udaipur
Udaipur
Udaipur , also known as the City of Lakes, is a city, a Municipal Council and the administrative headquarters of the Udaipur district in the state of Rajasthan in western India. It is located southwest of the state capital, Jaipur, west of Kota, and northeast from Ahmedabad...

in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...

at a distance of 220 km.

Where to stay

Forest Rest House - 4 Rooms
Circuit House Water Resources Department - 2 Rooms
MPEB Rest House - 2 Rooms

Gallery of images from places in & around Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary

Image:Gandhi Sagar Mandsaur2.JPG|Gandhi Sagar Reservoir
Image:Gandhi Sagar Mandsaur1.JPG|Gandhi Sagar Dam
Image:Gandhi Sagar Mandsaur.JPG|Gandhi Sagar Reservoir

Image:Butterfly Gandhi Sagar Mandsaur.JPG|A Butterfly at Gandhi Sagar Mandsaur
Image:Sunrise at Gandhi Sagar Mandsaur.JPG|View of Sunrise from Forest Rest House at Gandhi Sagar Dam

Gandhi Sagar dam

Image:Gangeshwar Temple Gandhi Sagar Mandsaur.JPG|Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple at Gandhi Sagar Dam

Gandhi Sagar dam

Image:Chhatri of Yashwantrao Holkar in Bhanpura.JPG|Chhatri of Yashwantrao Holkar in Bhanpura

Bhanpura

Image:Nandi Statue Bhanpura.JPG|Nandi Statue at Bhanpura

Bhanpura

Museum
Image:Hinglajgarh Mata.jpg|The Hinglaj

Hinglaj

Hinglaj is an important Hindu pilgrimage place in Balochistan, Pakistan and Kuldevi of many Kshatriya and other Hindu Communities of India. It is situated in Balochistan province about 250 km north of Karachi.-Mythological Origin:...

Goddess at Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

Image:Hinglajgarh Fategburj.jpg|Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

Fatehburj
Image:Hinglajgarh Kachari.JPG|Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

Kachari
Image:Hinglajgarh Surajkund.jpg|Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

Surajkund
Image:Hinglajgarh Forest.jpg|Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

surrounded by Deep Forests
Image:Hinglajgarh Rani Mahal.jpg|Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

Rani Mahal
Image:Hinglajgarh Tirtham.jpg|Hinglajgarh

Hinglajgarh

Tirtham
Image:Taxakeshwar temple.JPG|Taxakeshwar

Taxakeshwar

temple
Image:Taxaka Statue.jpg|Statue of Taxaka at Taxakeshwar

Taxakeshwar

temple
Image:Statue of Dhanvantari.jpg|Statue of Dhanvantari

Dhanvantari

Dhanvantari is an Avatar of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition. He appears in the Vedas and Puranas as the physician of the gods , and the god of Ayurvedic medicine...

at Taxakeshwar

Taxakeshwar

temple
Image:Taxakeshwar waterfall.jpg|Waterfall at Taxakeshwar

Taxakeshwar

temple

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