Forest Essentials

If you’re at Kanha National Park, there is a good chance that your resort or hotel has a souvenir store with vibrant door hangings, bag charms, bookmarks, trinkets – all bearing colourful animal and bird prints. These are lovingly handcrafted by the women at PashooPakshee, an organisation that works with local, marginalised communities living in wildlife conflict areas.

As the name suggests, all PashooPakshee creations draw inspiration from inhabitants of the wild: tigers, deer, monkeys, butterflies, owls and a host of other birds and animals. These souvenirs and accessories emphasise the deep connection between human beings and nature, and the sense of well-being that comes from staying close to one’s roots.

On a weekend at Kanha, we visited the workshop that brings to life the many products that we had noticed on display throughout our trip. It is a quaint little mud cottage at The Corbett Foundation. The interior, bursting with vibrant colour pops, is in sharp contrast to the sober exterior of the cottage. Inside, Indrakala, Sanju and Sandhya, three enterprising women from the local communities, are busy stringing together wall hangings. It is a skill they have picked up from the trainers at PashooPakshee. Reflective of their own individual ecosystem, these products facilitate sustainable livelihoods for forest communities.

The products are crafted with natural materials such as cloth, clay, wood and paper, and bear an earthy imprint, true to the nature of its creators. They make for thoughtful and conscious gifts and souvenirs, while also supporting local craftsmanship. Be it a fridge magnet or a figurine in the garden, the world of Pashoo Pakshee makes for beautiful memories of a fine jungle trip.

You can attend a Craft Your Souvenir workshop for group size 2 to 15 at the Kanha Craft Center. There are artisan led and artisan taught workshops where guests can make their own unique Kanha souvenir, interact with the artisans and listen to their interesting stories about their life in proximity to the protected forests.

How to get there: The closest airport to this part of Kanha is Jabalpur (131km), about four hours away. The closest railway station is Gondia Junction, 125km away.
Best time to visit: The centre is open all year, but October to March is when Kanha is at its best.
Address: Corbett Foundation, Infinity Resort, Baherakhar village near Baihar, P.O. Nikkum, Balaghat, Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh
Timing: 11am to 4pm; closed on Tuesdays
Contact: +91-9650193664 (Infinity Resort)

There are many other similar ways of experiencing Madhya Pradesh’s idyllic, artistic charms. Here are a few experiences to consider:

Madhya Pradesh is a craft-rich state. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has joined hands with PashooPakshee to set up a sustainable, craft-based livelihood generating centre called Madla Craft Centre in 2021 to provide travellers with a destination-specific responsible souvenir to take home with them and an opportunity to see the artisans at work. The Responsible Souvenir Development Project was started to promote the state’s eco-friendly handloom and handicraft products. It is an encouraging community-based tourism and helps uplift the locals by providing them with long-term employment.

You can attend a Craft Your Souvenir workshop for group size 2 to 15 at the Madla Craft Center. There are artisan led and artisan taught workshops where guests can make their own unique Panna souvenir, interact with the artisans and listen to their interesting stories about their life in proximity to the protected forests.
How to get there: The closest airport is at Khajuraho (22km), and the railway station for Madla Gate of Panna National Park is also at Khajuraho.
Address: Responsible Souvenir Centre, NH39, Panna Khajuraho Road, Panna
Timing: 11am to 4pm; closed on Mondays
Contact: +91-9343425688

Close to the legendary musical town of Maihar, Art Ichol in Ichol village is set in four acres of green. It is an abode of art, open to artists from across the world. They come here for residencies and workshops. But you don’t have to be an artist to be able to visit Art Ichol. It welcomes everyone.
How to get there: Khajuraho (120km) and Jabalpur (160km) are the closes airports. Maihar, just 8 km away, is the closest railway station.
Address: Art Ichol, Khajuraho-Bandhavgarh Highway, Ichol Village, near Maihar, Madhya Pradesh
Cost: `7,000 onwards
Contact: +91 8349449999;
Website: http://artichol.in/