PLACE NEARBY

Kela Devi Wild Life Sanctuary

Kela Devi Sanctuary is named after the locally famous kela Devi temple at its entrance. As you enter the Sanctuary, the hustle bustle of the temple complex gives way to tranquility, merely few hundred meters inside. It is a world of nature, Spread around is a vast expanse of wilderness – undulating highland. Hills in the interior are still higher, extensive and rugged. The panorama comprises dense forest to scrub composition changing from place to place like patterns in kaleidoscope.

Another typical feature of the sanctuary is the numerous khos or deep gorges breaking the ground. These several hundred feet deep khos initially fall steeply, forming irregular, lofty walls of rocks, which further down, slope gently into narrow valleys. The rich and dense forest in the khos virtually make them impenetrable and inaccessible - ideal place for animals to take shelter and rest. Some interesting khos in the sanctuary are Chirmul, Ghanteshwar, Khadi (Keri Umar), Kudka and Nibhera.
Kela Devi highland forest undergoes unbelievable dynamic change with the season. It's all lush green during monsoon. The ground cover turns into a carpet of bright ststraw color soon after the monsoon. The forest canopy is a mixture of various hues coppery being predominant in winter. This turns to all ash grey in summer.
The river Banas touches the western tip of the sanctuary while the Chambal flows along south-east, forming its natural boundary at places.
Among mammals Chinkara, Wild Boar and Jackal can be seen commonly in morning and late afternoon. Leopard, Sloth Bear, Hyena, Wolf and Sambhar sightings are occasional at night. And of course the tiger continues its secretive existence.