Chasing tigers at Brij Sone Bagh

On the edge of Bandhavgarh 

Our villa — Gaj Villa, named after the elephants that have only recently become part of this ecosystem — opened into a living room, dressed in subtle tiger motifs. All the villas are named after the jungle’s inhabitants. Sage greens, beiges and browns featured across the space, with lounge chairs tucked beside the sofa. A diwan anchoring the far end, paired with a vintage entrepreneur’s desk, felt almost poetic in its placement. The bedrooms (across villas, we were told) follow a visual rhythm of mandala drawings etched onto the main wall and spherical cane lights that cast a warm, diffused glow throughout the space. In the bathroom, a small flight of stairs leads to a temperature-controlled private plunge pool and just beyond, sal trees stand guard, occasionally interrupted by a visiting family of langurs.

The next morning began before sunrise, with a minor detour. A tiny frog had briefly claimed our bathroom but was swiftly (and bravely) relocated by a member of the staff. Then came the safari. What unfolded wasn’t just about spotting a tiger. It was an immersion into the fragile, often brutal ecosystem they inhabit. We learnt that while an unofficial estimate puts the tiger population in Bandhavgarh at around 165, cubs aren’t counted until they reach adulthood. Survival here is a constant affray, with threats from rival adults and other predators. Our guide, naturalist Suyash Namdev, brought these realities into focus as we tracked movement through the forest. 

Survival of the bravest 

When we finally sighted one of the two dominant males said to be circling the area, the reaction was visceral: gasps, quickened heartbeats, a shared disbelief. Around the tiger, the forest revealed its timid cast too: deers, boars, monkeys and an ever-present chorus of birds. The morning climbed to a different high at a 10th-century shrine perched within the forest, before tapering into a breakfast laid out against an uninterrupted view of green. Back at the property, an evening of block printing with Shivam Shukla from Team Brij Sone Bagh turned tactile and meditative, followed by an achaar and chutney demonstration that poses an ode to local culinary traditions. Meals at their in-house restaurant were thoughtfully curated, ranging from regional dishes featuring mahua to lighter, continental fare and were always served with the forest as an unassuming backdrop. 

At Brij Sone Bagh, it’s the small things that stay with you: the local snacks waiting at the cocooned villa, the Tiger Times tabloid on the centre table, little doses of local traditions and hosts who get it just right. And then the jungle, cutting through the tyranny of screens and routine, reminding you what it feels like to spend your days exactly as intended.