This event is ticketed. The ticket price includes lunch.
Pardhis are a nomadic community that since the time of the Mughal emperors, have been hired to help in shikar (hunting), whether it was for sport for the British or for the royal kitchens of the ‘zameendars’ (landowners). However, due to combined efforts of the Forest Department and NGO's, a large part of the population has given up hunting. Thus, ‘Walk with the Pardhis', not only encourages this reformation but also aims at providing an alternative source of livelihood for the community members while utilising their already existing skill sets.
The initiative has been undertaken by the Last Wilderness Foundation in association with the Panna Forest Department is one of a kind walk in the wilderness with the people of the forest, where you can be privy to some spectacular stories. This initiative is bound to help you reconnect with the wilderness, as well as help 'read' the forest as the Pardhis do, wherein the trained Pardhi will lead a nature trail for tourists, students or nature enthusiasts on a designated trail/ route in Panna. Tourists can now enjoy the local cuisine prepared by trained community members of Ranipur village, which is a heritage village situated in the buffer zone of Panna Tiger Reserve. The initiative looks to provide a source of income for the community members. During the lunch, guests can also interact with the villagers for a holistic picture of rural living.
