From the real story of The Jungle Book to the horror of the ‘headless boy’; These wildlife sanctuaries of India are very scary and magical – ..

When we think of forests or wildlife sanctuaries of India, images of dense trees, high mountains, flowing rivers and tigers and leopards emerge in our mind. But this land of India is as beautiful as it is full of mysteries. There are also some forests here which are known for their antiquity, folklore and some incidents for which even today’s modern science does not have the answer.

If you are also fond of getting close to nature and experiencing its unexplored aspects closely, then you must know about these 6 most unique and mysterious forests of India.

1. Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Maharashtra (Magical forest that glows at night)

Bhimashankar Sanctuary, surrounded in the beautiful and high hills of Sahyadri, is very special in itself. On the surface, this forest is famous for its giant squirrel ‘Shekru’, but during the monsoon days, a magical sight is seen here.

Miracle of bioluminescent fungus

During the rainy season, some parts of this forest glow with green light in the dark of night. According to scientists, this happens due to the ‘bioluminescent fungus’ growing on the trees here. This forest glowing in the silence of the night feels like a fairy tale.

There is also a mythological story associated with it. It is believed that in this dense forest, Lord Shiva assumed his ferocious form to kill the demon named Tripurasura. The sacred ‘Bhima River’ here originated from the drops of sweat that came out of his body after the war.

2. Jatinga Wildlife Sanctuary, Assam (hotbed of mysterious death of birds)

Jatinga, situated in the beautiful valleys of Assam, is a place whose mystery has not been solved till date even by the world’s greatest ornithologists. This place is known throughout the world as the center of “bird suicide”.

Every year in the months of September and October, especially on the foggy nights of Amavasya, the local and migratory birds here suddenly start behaving strangely. They get attracted towards the light and crash into trees or houses and die mysteriously. While scientists believe it to be the loss of balance of birds due to fog and strong winds, local people believe that there are some invisible forces in this valley which confuse the birds at night.

3. Dow Hill, Kurseong, West Bengal (ghostly shadows and fear of ‘Death Road’)

The Dow Hill forest of Kurseong, located near the Darjeeling hills, is more infamous for its horror stories than its natural beauty. The temperature here remains much lower than normal for twelve months of the year, due to which a strange silence and fog always prevails here.

Tourists and woodcutters coming here claim that they have seen the shadow of a ‘headless boy’ roaming in this forest, who suddenly disappears among the trees. In addition, a road passing through this forest is called ‘Death Road’ by the local people, where strange sounds and scary shadows are often reported.

4. Mawphlang Sacred Forest, Meghalaya (Protected by the Law of the Gods)

This forest of Mawphlang located in the Khasi Hills of Meghalaya is centuries old. The biggest specialty of this forest is that it has a strict and unbreakable rule. This entire forest is considered ‘sacred’ by the local tribes.

• What is the rule? You cannot take even a small leaf, flower or dry wood from inside this forest to your home.

• religious affiliation: The local tribals believe that their god ‘Labsa Suham’ resides in this forest, who protects it. According to folklore, those who tried to break this rule or harm the forest either mysteriously disappeared or fell victim to some serious and incurable disease.

5. Pench Tiger Reserve, Madhya Pradesh (Mowgli’s real birthplace)

Pench Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh is one of the most magnificent and dense forests of India. This forest is not just home to tigers, leopards and wolves, but it is also associated with our childhood memories.

Famous author Rudyard Kipling in his classic book ‘The Jungle Book’ The inspiration to write was taken from the forests of this Pench. It is believed that in the 19th century, a child was actually found here who was raised by wolves (the original character of Mowgli). The stories of famous characters like Mowgli, Bagheera and Sherkhan were woven on the fabric of this forest.

6. Sundarban Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal

Sundarban, which is included among the world’s largest mangrove forests and huge delta, is known for its own world. Dreaded salt water crocodiles and dangerous man-eating tigers are found in this forest with a network of marshy lands and rivers. The tigers here are notorious for swimming in water and hunting humans secretly.

The water here naturally rises and falls twice a day (tides and ebbs). Whenever the fishermen and honey gatherers of Sundarban go inside the forest, they first pray to the goddess of the forest. ‘Bone Bibi’ Let’s worship. The local people have an unwavering belief that only the grace of Bone Bibi can save them safely from the clutches of these dreaded man-eaters.

Understand the unique specialty of these forests at a glance

These wildlife sanctuaries and forests of India are not just home to plants and animals, but they are living examples of our ancient culture, history and wonders of nature which it is the responsibility of all of us to preserve. Only their conservation will keep our future generations connected to this precious and mysterious treasure of nature.