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National Chambal Sanctuary- India

Home to the unassailable crtically endangered gharial crocodiles and the Ganges river dolphins this sanctuary is located near Etawah in Uttar Pradesh, India. It extends into Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh also and hence it is co-administered by the three states. The pristine Chambal river cuts through mazes of ravines and hills and leaves many sandy beaches throughout the 425 km (264.1 mi) long sanctuary.History: The epic Sanskrit narrative the Mahabharata, refers to the Chambal river as the Charmanyavati : originating from The blood of thousands of cows sacrificed by the Aryan King Rantideva. "So large was the number of animals sacrificed in the Agnihotra of that king that the secretions flowing from his kitchen from the heaps of skins deposited there caused a veritable river which from this circumstance, came to be called the Charmanwati.Charmanwati was the southern boundary of Panchala Kingdom.

King Drupada ruled the southern Panchalas up to the bank of the Charmanwati river.In the Mahabharata, the Chambal area was a part of Shakuni¡¯s kingdom. The infamous dice game whereby Shakuni won the kingdom of the Pandavas' for his nephew Duryodhana was played hereabouts. After the attempted disrobing of Draupadi (the daughter of Drupada) she cursed anyone who would drink the water of the Charmanwati river. The legends of its curse by Draupadi and it's bloody ¡®unholy¡¯ origins due to King Drupada have helped the Chambal to survive unpolluted by man, and its many animal inhabitants to thrive relatively untouched.

The Chambal remains one of India¡¯s most pristine rivers.A good population of Indian Skimmers is the strongest birding attraction here. This endangered species is easily seen near Bah and is one of the few remaining places where you can get close views of this beautiful bird.In 1979 a 400 kilometers stretch of the river was designated, the National Chambal Safari and given protected areas status. The century currently boasts of 242 species of resident and migratory bird species,Marsh crocodiles (muggers), gharial (gavials), eight species of turtles, and Gangetic dolphins.