Mission Higher Secondary School

The starting of education institutions in Seoni by the missionaries of Scotland dates back to the last two decades of the 19th centaury . The missionaries quickly realsied the need for educating the people an for removal the illiteracy which was a curse on the society and which was wide spread made a small beginning by opening a primary school in1886 and a full fledge High School in 1990. The building of the high school is still a landmark of the town and gives the town its identity. The founder of the school Rev. John Macneil a strong and a man full of zeal and devotion was a visionary who made up his mind to build this large building in a place which was literally a take and for which he went to Nagpur on cycle returning back to Jabalpur the same day on learning that the commissioner was in Jabalpur on leaving of the feat performed by Rev. John Macneil and seeing his determination and devotion the commissioner readily allotted the land through doubting as to how in a swampy and wet land the huge building will be built and how long it will last. But the building has stood the test of time and is still standing much in use.


In the beginning the parents were highly reluctant to send their children to school for fear that they will be converted to Christianity. The teachers went from house to house and it took a long time to allay the fears of the parents. The school had a capacity to admit 2000 children but only 30 to 40 took admission. However with the passage of time more and more children were admitted. The school has produced many students who have made this mark not only in India but abroad also occupying important posts in government and private sectors.


The first principal was Mrs F O Donell from 1900 to 1925. The second principal was Rev. T E Robinson from 1925 to 1948. The third principal and the first Indian Principal was Re. J K Singh from 1948 to 1974 and the fourth was Mr. M K Singh from 1974 to 1994 later on followed by Mr G J Singh 1994 to 1998 and Mr V J Masih from 1998 to 2000.

The third school was established in 1976 and is now a higher secondary school. In all there are more than 5000 students in all three schools. The school continues to spread knowledge and is known for good discipline and quality education.

Land of the 'The Jungle Book'

The Pench Tiger Reserve and its neighbourhood is the original setting of Rudyard Kipling's most famous work, The Jungle Book. Kipling borrowed heavily from Robert Armitage Strendale's books 'Seonee', 'Mammalia of India and Ceylon' and 'Denizens of the Jungle' for the topography, wildlife, and its ways. Mowgli was inspired by Sir William Henry Sleeman's pamphlet, 'An Account of Wolves Nurturing Children in Their Dens' which describes a wolf-boy captured in Seoni district near the village of Sant Baori in 1831. Many of The Jungle Book's locations are actual locations in Seoni District, like the Waingunga river with its gorge where Sherkhan was killed, Kanhiwara villlage and the 'Seeonee hills'.

Mogliland

Remember Mowgli, the pint-sized 'Man-Child' or Bagheera, the Black Panther? And who can forget the inimitable Sher Khan, the villain of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book.
Kipling was inspired to write his memorable book by the luxuriant forest cover of Pench teeming with an astonishing variety of wildlife.

Topography
The terrain of the park is undulating with mainly gentle slopes criss-crossed by streams and nullahs. Most of these water courses are seasonal. Many of the hills are flat-topped and allow fine vistas of the forests around. The best known of these is 'Kalapahar' with an altitude of 650 mts. The Pench river flowing through the centre of the Reserve is dry by April but a number of water pools locally known as 'dohs' are found, which serve as waterholes for wild animals. A few perennial springs also exist.


Conservation History
In the year 1977 an area of 449.39 sq km was declared Pench Sanctuary. Out of this, an area of 292.85 sq km was declared Pench National Park in the year 1983 and 118.31 sq km remained as Pench Sanctuary. In 1992 Government of India declared 757.89 sq km area including the National Park and the sanctuary as the 19th Tiger Reserve of the country. The name of Pench National Park was changed to "Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park" in November 2002 Similarly the name of Pench Sanctuary has been changed to "Mowgli Pench Sanctuary".

The Pench hydroelectric dam straddles the Maharashtra - Madhya Pradesh boundary. The dam, constructed between 1973 and 1988 has resulted in the submergence of about 74 sq km area out of which 54 km is in the Park, the rest being in Maharashtra.

Forests and Wildlife
Over 1200 species of plants have been recorded from the area including several rare and endangered plants as well as plants of ethno-botanical importance.

The area has always been rich in wildlife. It is dominated by fairly open canopy, mixed forests with considerable shrub cover and open grassy patches. The high habitat heterogeneity favours high population of Chital and Sambar. Pench tiger reserve has highest density of herbivores in India (90.3 animals per sq km).

Via: Seoni (60km), Jabalpur (195km), Nagpur (92km), Chhindwara ( 120 km).

Best Season
The best time to visit the park is between February to June, although the cool season is much more comfortable and still very good for wildlife. The park is closed from July 1 to October 15 because of the monsoon. For those planning a visit, a stay of at least three nights is recommended in order to have a good chance of seeing the more elusive animals - although, of course, a brief visit will also be very interesting.


Park Attractions

Jungle Safari
The major attraction of the Park is the jungle safari. In a Jeep drive round the park one can see a variety of animals and birds, especially large herds of chital numbering over a thousand. The varied topography and ever-changing vegetation provides an unforgettable experience for the visitor.

Elephant Rides
The Park has elephants that are used to track and show tigers to the tourists. An elephant ride into the forests is an enchanting experience.

Boating
The large Pench reservoir within the Park with its numerous islands provides a magical setting for boating. Motorboats, paddleboats and rowboats are available for the tourists.

River Rafting
Rafting can be done in the Pench river outside the Park between 1st September and 15th October. The forested banks of the river along with rocky stretches of the river locally called kassa make for an adventurous, memorable experience.