Yedsi Ramling Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary, Dharashiv: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Yedsi Ramling Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary

The Government of Maharashtra declared the sanctuary on 23 May 1997, covering about 22.4 sq km across land near Yedshi in the Balaghat range. It is managed by the state forest department and is classed as IUCN Category IV.

The Barsi Light Railway line, built in 1907 between Kurduvadi and Latur, passes through the sanctuary. The Ramling temple, dedicated to Shiva, is its best-known landmark. The sanctuary faces pressure from fires, grazing, illegal felling and the invasive shrub Lantana camara.

Useful facts

Yedsi Ramling Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary facts at a glance

Location

Near Yedshi, about 20 km from Dharashiv city

Experience type

Forest walk and temple visit

Known for

Ramling Shiva temple, leopard, sloth bear and 100+ bird species

Notified

23 May 1997; about 22 sq km

Opening

Sunrise to sunset; fees not published

Managed by

Maharashtra Forest Department

Why it matters

Why Yedsi Ramling Ghat Wildlife Sanctuary is worth your time

Yedsi Ramling Ghat was notified as a sanctuary on 23 May 1997 and covers about 22 sq km. It is small, but it holds one of the few patches of wooded hill in a district that is mostly dry farmland, and it works as a green lung and a water catchment for the area.

For visitors it adds a quiet nature stop to a heritage-focused trip. News reports in recent years have also described a tiger from distant Vidarbha settling in the area, though a sanctuary this size cannot hold one for long and sightings should not be planned around.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   Ramling temple

   A Shiva shrine reached by a descent into a deep ravine, quiet and cool compared with the plateau.

2. 02

   Birds and small animals

   Over 100 bird species are recorded, with leopard, wolf and sloth bear present but rarely seen.

3. 03

   Dry hill forest

   Sandalwood, khair, neem and babul on rocky slopes make a good contrast with the town and plains.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Drive out on the Latur–Barshi highway, which passes through the sanctuary, and stop at the forest office at Yedshi for current rules on entry, walking and parking. The forest here is dry deciduous and thorny scrub on the Balaghat hills, with sandalwood, neem, khair, babul and bel among the trees, and a good deal of grassland on the slopes.

The main stop is the Ramling temple, a Shiva shrine in a ravine so deep that its spire cannot be seen from afar. You descend to it on foot. Go early, walk slowly and keep quiet if you want to see birds; more than 100 species have been recorded. The sanctuary is also home to leopard, sloth bear, wolf, jackal, blackbuck, barking deer and monitor lizards, but sightings are rare and nothing should be promised.

There is a forest rest house at Yedshi, and a railway rest house on Durgadevi hilltop near the temple has been noted. Check availability with the forest office. Carry water, food and a hat, and avoid the trail after heavy rain.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Near Yedshi, Dharashiv district, about 20 km from Dharashiv city, on the Latur–Barshi highway

Time needed

2 to 3 hours with the temple; a half-day with travel

Best time

October to February, at sunrise or the last hours of daylight

Walking level

Moderate

Senior comfort

The temple sits in a deep ravine, so expect steps and slopes on the way down and back up. Seating and shade are limited and toilets are basic. Older visitors can enjoy the forest edge and the temple approach at their own pace.

Tickets and access

The sanctuary is open from sunrise to sunset. Entry fees, guide rules and any vehicle permit are not published online; confirm with the Range Forest Officer at Yedshi before you go. No safari timings are known.

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