Tourism Village Dobha (Bandhavgarh Gateway)

 Just 7 km from Tala Gate & Tala Fort on All-Weather Road Unlike remote forest villages, Dobha is reachable year-round. Located in Manpur Block of Umaria District of Madhya Pradesh, The most “immersive tribal-wildlife” village for domestic & international tourists, Dobha is a 150-year-old forest hamlet at the doorstep of famous Bandhavgarh National Park. Falling under Dobha Gram Panchayat, this village of 47 families across 2 tolas – Lekha & Kachra Dongri offers Baiga tribal heritage, wildlife, indigenous food like Kodo roti, Mahua Ladoo, Kutki kheer, wild vegetable sabzi and Char – cooked by Baiga women, and living folk traditions by forest on all sides. Deer, peacocks, langurs, wild boars seen regularly Deer & peacocks in backyard, tiger reserve next door. Live Karma/Shaila dance, Gaudi Gatha session (story telling) Ramlila scenes by 89+ active village artists with overnight bhajan-kirtan. Guided forest walks, birdwatching, Mahua collection demo, Danu Baba temple visit etc. Pure air, unpolluted environment, Naturally Rich, Spiritual Site. One can visit Dobha to experience, and stay with a Baiga family enjoying local Baiga dialect as well as Hindi and Bagheli too, enjoying direct forest-to-plate meals. Best location advantage is one can walk into Bandhavgarh National Park directly from the rural homestays which are traditional Baiga mud-timber homes. 

 Itinerary:

Three days stay at Dobha will allow tourists to enjoy:

Famous tourist attractions: Dobha is connected to various natural, environmental and heritage sites, some of which are: 

1. Forest Dobha - 0 KM, 
2. National Park - Bandhavgarh Tala Gate 07 KM.
3. Danu Baba temple visits and Danu Baba Diwali fair

Village Life Experience: 

1. Nature's Pharmacy: The Baiga tribal community in the village have practical plant knowledge is experts in identification and usage of various medicinal plants, these communities. 
2. Bird watching - In the heart of forest. 
3.  forest walk - With the tribe people,
4. Rural life - learning the daily chores milking the cows, working on the agriculture fields. 
5. Learning the tribal culinary art - Gulgula, Parampuri, Mahua-thera, Mahua/Kaddu ki kheer, Chila, Kodo roti, Mahua Ladoo, Kutki kheer, wild vegetable sabzi. etc. 
6. Local games - Play local games like kabaddi, Gilli-Danda, Rassikud etc with the kids in the village.
7.  The festivals: Saila and Karma tribal dance in the village, listen to Toomba and Algoja (played with two flutes at a time), Phagwa (sung and performed at the time Holi), Ram Leela (performed at the time of Dussehra festival), Vangeet (sung during wood cutting).
8. Story telling - Gaudi Gatha storytelling. 
9. Local Handicraft: Bamboo craft & leaf plate making practiced by Baiga families also the villagers make flute from wood and other products.

How to reach:

By Flight -: Dumna Airport, Jabalpur 229 km

By Train -:  Umaria Railway Station at 63 Km 

By Bus -: Nearest Bus Stand/ Station is Tala at 10 km, Manpur – 20 km. 

By Road -: Well, connected to the State and National Highway, Kachcha + Pakka mix. All-weather access – vehicles reach in monsoon too.