Balphakram National Park
| Balphakram National Park |
|---|
Balpakram National Park is a national park ranging from under 200 to over 800 meters above sea level, near the Garo Hills in Meghalaya, India. Balpakram is located between latitudes 25°20' N and 25°30' N, and longitudes 90°45' E to 91° E . The Balpakram National Park is located to the extreme South of Garo Hills, Meghalaya at a distance of 62 km from Baghmara, the district headquarters of South Garo Hills and 167Km from nearest major townTura. This pocket of pristine beauty named Balpakram National Park is also close to the international boundary of Bangladesh. It is often compared to the Grand Canyon National Park of USA.
It is often referred to as the "abode of perpetual winds" as well as the "land of spirits." It is the home of the barking deer and the golden cat. Commonly seen animals include wild water buffalo, red panda, elephant and eight species of cats including tiger and marbled cat. Balpakram, land of the eternal death, according to Garo myth, has a very beautiful landscape and one of the best Canyon around the region. It is famous for unique land formations with surround the mythological stories of the Garos. Declared a national park by the Government of India, it is now a protected place and permission has to be sought from the wildlife authorities before entering. It has some unique plants species including the ones mentioned and the corridor for the Indian elephant.
Flora and fauna
Balpakram National Park, Meghalaya is one of the national parks in India. It is home to wide species of plants and animals and is located in the midst of the Garo Hills in Meghalaya. The Balpakram National Park, Meghalaya attracts both tourists and nature lovers from all over the world. The national park is full of sprawling vegetation consisting of sub tropical and deciduous trees. There is a wide range of flora and fauna in the Balpakram National Park. The reserve consists of tropical vegetation which is an ideal habitat for various species of animals like elephants, deer and so on. The park is famous for the golden cat and the barking deer. There are wide species of mammals, reptiles and birds in the forest. Other animals include Wild water buffalo, Red panda, Elephant and eight species of cats including Tiger and Marbled cat. Wide species of baboons and monkeys are also found in the forest. The rivers and lakes in the wildlife reserve are home to various species of birds. It is famous for pitcher plant and many medicinal plants called 'Dik.ke'.
Myth of Balpakram
Balpakram has many mysterious and unnatural phenomena that cannot be satisfactorily explained by modern science and logic.
• Matchu boldak karam :
On the way side there is a hard schimawallichi tree that has mysteriously acquired a depression on its trunk as if weather and worn by constant tethering of animals on its trunk . The belief is that the spirit on their way to their abode of the dead take rest here and tether the animals killed on their funeral. Surprisingly a few years ago, when one tree falls due to strong winds, another tree close to it started getting the same symptoms.
• Matchru anti • Areng patal • Goncho dare • Rongsaljong agal • Menggo kol • Wakso karam • Mebit mebang
Visitor information
The best time to come to Balphakram National Park, Meghalaya is from October to March when the weather is pleasant with little rainfall. It is a time to watch animals as they come to drink water in the lakes and rivers. The Balpakram National Park in Meghalaya can be easily reached. It is close to the capital city of Shillong and is well connected by roadways.The best travel is from Guwahati to Tura to Baghmara. Cars, trekkers and buses ply between the national park and the city.
References
Coordinates: 25°30′N 90°45′E / 25.500°N 90.750°E