The Kingdom of Kuruba

Once the exclusive hunting reserve of the kings of the Wodeyar Dynasty, the former rulers of the Kingdom of Mysore, the lush, rich forests of Nagarhole National Park, near Karnataka, India, became a wildlife sanctuary in 1955, a national park in 1983, and a tiger reserve in 1999.

Long before any of that, the Kadu Kuruba tribes shared the forest with tiger, leopard, wild dog, bison, elephant and many others. Kadu means forest  Today they live on the fringes of the forest but their tribal spirit remains deep within. Orange County resorts works to help the Kadu Kuruba sustain their traditions by providing a platform for native and regional artists, to perform and celebrate the art forms of their ancestors.

At Kabini, the vibrant social tapestry of the local Kadu Kuruba tribe is celebrated and activities are themed around the local culture and customs. Guests are welcomed to visit a tribal village and experience the hospitality of the Kurubas. Every alternate evening, a troupe of Kuruba tribal dancers performs their traditional dance around a campfire, to the accompaniment of two wooden drums and one wind instrument. This dance is traditionally performed during festivals & times of strife and is an invitation to their gods to join them and bless the occasion.