Caution: Elephant Zone. Do Not Stop. We shall not be responsible for attacks by elephants,” a signpost on National Highway 212 warns motorists. That sign encapsulates how far the Bandipur National Park has come since its conception, and how its fortunes have changed. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, Bandipur was a hunting ground for the maharajas of Mysore. Here, the kings and their guests would indulge in good ol’ shikaar, in pursuit of hunting trophies to display in their dining halls.

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