Maikal Hills

The Maikal Hills are range of hills in the state of eastern Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh India. The Maikal Hills are an eastern part of the Satpuras in Kawardha District of Chhattisgarh and Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, overlooking the scenic town of Kawardha. Their altitudes range from 340 m to 942 m above sea level. This densely forested and thinly populated range gives rise to several streams and rivers including the tributaries of Narmada and Wainganga rivers. The hills are inhabited by two tribal peoples, the Baigas and the Gonds. The hill range is rich in flora and fauna wealth.^[1]

Maikal Range
View of the Maikal Hills in Kabirdham District
Highest point
Elevation	941 m (3,087 ft)
Naming
Native name	मैकल पर्वतमाला (Hindi)
Geography
Maikal Range Location of the Maikal Range
Country	India
State(s)	Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh
Rivers	Narmada and Wainganga
Range coordinates	22°30′N 81°30′E

History

This region was known as Mekala and was once ruled by the Panduvamshis of Mekala. Their territory included parts of the present-day Mandla, Shahdol, and Bilaspur districts.^[2]

Culture

Folk songs are part of the heritage of the tribal peoples of the Maikal Hills.^[3]

Geography

The Maikal are a hilly region in central India. This mountain range is one of the broad topographical divisions of Chhattisgarh. The landscape of Satpuda-Maikal extends for a distance of about five hundred kilometer. To one side of this stretch of landscape, the Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary of Chhattisgarh is located. On the other side of the Satpuda-Maikal lies the Melghat Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra. This stretch of land extends along with Satpuda and Maikal range in Chhattisgarh.^[4]

Natural Reserves

The following protected areas are located in the range:

Kanha National Park

Kanha National Park is a national park and a Tiger Reserve in the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh and located in the Maikal hills of the Satpuras. Besides harbouring a viable population of the tiger, Kanha has distinguished itself in saving the endangered hard ground barasingha from extinction, and supporting the last world population of this deer species^[5]

Geology

The hills are known to contain bauxite, an ore for aluminium.

Maikal Hills ore Healing Vegetation of Maikal Hills Flora of Kabirdham District

See also

• Mekala

References

1. Maikal Hill Range in India
2. Ajaya Mitra Shastri (1995). Inscriptions of the Śarabhapurīyas, Pāṇḍuvaṁśins, and Somavaṁśins: Part I. Motilal Banarsidass. p. 118. ISBN 978-81-208-0635-1.
3. Elwin, Verrier; Hivale, Shamrao (1944). Folk-songs of the Maikal Hills. London: Oxford University Press.
4. Maikal Range Archived 2011-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
5. Kanha National Park

External links

• Media related to Maikal Hills at Wikimedia Commons