Tadoba traces its roots back to the Gond Tribes, a tribal group found mainly in Central India. The name Tadoba is derived from the name of their God, Tadoba or Taru. According to common folklore, Taru, a village chief, was killed in a mythological encounter with a tiger. A shrine was built in his honour on the banks of the Lake Tadoba, raising him to the status of a God. This temple is a site for celebrations even today especially during the Hindu month of Pausha, between December and January.
It was in 1955 that the Tadoba region was established as the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, making it one of the country’s oldest national parks. It is also Maharashtra’s largest national park, with an astounding 1700 sq km range that spans across towering hills, steep ravines and the odd grasslands. TATR is a tropical dry deciduous forest; come monsoon, the landscape comes alive, with the entire canopy turning green as far as the eye can see. Come summer, and green quickly turns to brown, and then the cycle repeats.