The Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Mahasamund district. The reserve is about 100 km from Raipur and about 45 km from Mahasamund city. It was established in 1976 under the Wildlife Protection Act. The Jonk River flows through the sanctuary, which is a tributary of the Mahanadi river. The sanctuary lies 25 km to the east of Sirpur, Mahasamund which is known for its monuments, collectively known as Sirpur Group of Monuments.
Wildlife of the sanctuary include Tigers, Sloth Bear, Flying Squirrels, Jackals, Four-horned Antelopes, Leopards, Chinkara, Black Buck, Jungle Cat, Barking Deer, Porcupine, Monkey, Bison, Striped Hyena, Wild Dogs, Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Jackal, Gaur, Muntjac, Wild Boar, Cobra, and Python. Recently wild buffalo were imported from Manas National Park for reintroduction in the wild. The sanctuary also has a large population of birds that include Peacock, Parrots, Bulbul, White-rumped Vultures, Green Avadavat, Lesser Kestrels, Peafowl, Wood Peckers, Racket-tailed Drongos, Egrets, and Herons. Bird watching in Barnawapara is one of the most enjoyed and popular activities.
There are a number of scenic waterfalls in the sanctuary, like Dhaskund waterfall, Siddhakhol Waterfall, Nakuti Darha waterfall, etc. There are other tourist attractions, such as Gond Nagarjuna caves, which the local Gondi people consider as sacred and have been worshipping there. The Gonds call it ‘Chanda Dai’. Once the Dalai Lama had come to meditate in this cave. Other places like Turturiya Dham are also popular. It is situated on the northern boundary of the sanctuary besides the Balamdehi river, 13 km from Barnawapara, is believed to have been the abode of Sage Valmiki and the place where Sita lived in exile, and where Luv and Kush were born.
