General Information:
Temperature : Max. 35°C and Min. 22°C in Summer. Max. 21°C and Min. 4.5°C in Winter.
Rainfall : 200 cms.
Best Season : September to May.
Introduction:
Pachmarhi is Madhya Pradesh’s most verdant jewel, a place where nature has found exquisite expression in myriad enchanting ways. Green shades embrace the mountains, and everywhere is heard the gentle murmur of flowing water. Bridal paths lead into tranquil forest glades; groves of wild bamboo and jamun, dense sal forests and delicate bamboo thickets. The valley, ravines and maze of gorges, sculpted in red sandstone by the wind and weather, add their own coloring to this palette of shades, and cascading waterfalls flash silver in the sunshine. Deep azure pools are hidden delights and everywhere, wildlife watchers will be rewarded by fascinating glimpses of the animal and bird kingdoms. Complementing the magnificence of nature are the works of man; Pachmarhi is also an archaeological treasure house. In cave shelters in the Mahadeo Hills is an astonishing richness in rock paintings. Most of these have been placed in the period 500- 800 AD, but the earliest paintings are an estimated 10,000 years old.
Getting There:
Air: Nearest airport is Bhopal 210 km.
Rail: Pipariya 47 km, on the Howrah-Mumbai main line.
Road: Bhopal, Indore, Nagpur 262 km, Pipariya 47 km etc connect Pachmarhi.
Tourist Attraction:
Priyadarshini (Forsyth Point): This vantage viewing point marks the place from where Pachmarhi was discovered by Captain Forsyth in 1857. The British developed Pachmarhi as a resort and their influence is embodied in its churches and colonial architecture.
Jamuna Prapat (Bee Fall): A spectacular fall in the stream, which provides drinking water to Pachmarhi. The bathing pools above the fall are very popular.
Handi Khoh: Pachmarhi’s most impressive ravine has a 300 ft. high precipice and dramatically steep sides.
Apsara Vihar (Fairy Pool): Easily accessible from Jai Stambh, this ‘fairy pool’ is an ideal picnic spot for families with small children, since the pool is shallow, deepening only towards the base of the fall.
Rajat Prapat (Big Fall): Those seeking adventure will find it in this ten-minute walk over rocks and boulders from Apsara Vihar to the top Rajat Prapat the ‘big fall’.
Irene Pool: This pool was discovered by Irene Bose, wife of Justice Vivian Bose, and named after her. The route upstream leads to a cave, through which the stream goes underground and then over a khud in a series of falls.
Jalawataram (Dutchess Falls): The descent is steep and the trek strenuous for almost all of the 4 km to the base of the fall’s first cascade.
Sundar Kund (Saunder’s Pool): Crossing the stream below Duchess Fall and following a footpath about 2.5 km in a south-westerly direction brings one to huge rocky pool in the Jambu Dwip stream, an excellent place for swimming.
Mahadeo: Regarded as holy for countless generations, Mahadeo hill has a shrine with an idol of Lord Shiva and an impressive Shivlinga, On the east side of the hill is an excellent cave shelter with paintings.
Chhota Mahadeo: Revered as a sacred spot, this is a narrow point in the valley with rocks overhanging a stream and a small spring from which water cascades down.
Chauragarh: 4 km from Mahadeo, it is one of Satpura’s prominent landmarks, and the sacred summit is crowned with emblems of Mahadeo worship.
Jata Shankar: A sacred cave under a mass of loose boulders in which the Jambu Dwip stream has its source. A rocky formation of this place resembles the mated locks of Lord Shiva.
Dhoopgarh: The highest point in the Satpura range with a magnificent view of the surrounding ranges. A very popular spot for viewing the sunset.
Pandav Caves: Five ancient dwellings excavated in the sand stone rock in a low hill. Pachmarhi derives its name from these caves, which, as the legend goes once provided sanctuary to the five Pandav brothers. These caves are now protected monuments.
Tridhara (Piccadily Circus): A popular picnic spot where two streams meet in a junction.
Vanshree Vihar (Pansy Pool): A beautiful spot on the Denwa stream, cool and shady among trees, ferns and semi-tropical vegetation.
Reechgarh: A wonderful natural amphitheatre in the rock, approached through a cave-like entrance of the south side.
Sangam (Fuller’s Khud – Waters Meet): These is the lowest of the picnic spots on the Denwa and offers fairly good bathing pools both below and above the meeting of the waters.
Chatholic Church: Built in 1892 by the British, the Catholic Church is a blend of French and Irish architecture. Its Belgium stained-glass windows add rare attraction and beauty to the building. The Church has a cemetery attached to it and graves date from 1859, World War I and II.
Christ Church: Built in 1875 by the British, this church is generally regarded as the most beautiful small church in Madhya Pradesh. The Church’s architecture fascinating; its ‘sanctum-sanctorum’ has a hemispherical dome on top with its ribs ending with faces of angels. The stained glass panes adorning the walls and rear of the altar were imported from Europe. They present a gorgeous view as the sunrays pass through them. The nave of the church does not contain even a single pillar for support. The baptismal font is a rare brass piece and the bell is as old as the church and its chimes can be heard from a long distance.
Satpura National Park: Set up in 1981, Satpura National Park is 524 sq. km in area. It spreads through a dense forest of evergreen sal, teak and bamboo. The high peaks of Dhoopgarh and Mahadeo, Bori’s legendary teak and bamboo forests, Pachmarhi’s fascinating natural beauty of deep valleys, high mountains, rivulets, water falls and Tawa’s vast reservoir combine to give this park unique beauty and breathtaking variety of attractions. The Park is home to the bison, tiger, Leopard, Bear, Four-horned deer, blue bull and a rich variety of birds.
Bison Lodge: Constructed in 1862, the Bison Lodge is the oldest house in Pachmarhi. It now houses a beautiful museum depicting the rich flora and fauna of Pachmarihi.
The Cave Shelters: Some of the best cave shelters and groups of shelters around Pachmarhi are:
1.Dhuandhar: Approached from the footpath to Apsara Vihar. The painting mostly in white, including a group of arches with the typical Gond bun and hoped earnings.
2.Bharat Neer (Dorothy Deep): It has well executed animal paintings and, when excavated in the 1930s, yielded many pottery shards and microliths.
3.Asthachal (Monte Rosa): There are four shelters with paintings, comparatively early linear drawings. Along the northern side of Jambu Dwip valley are some six shelters with many paintings of animals and human figures, including a detailed battle scene.
4.Harper’s Cave: So named because have one of its paintings – a man seated and playing a harp is close to the Jata Shankar Shrine.
5.Chieftain’s Cave: Derives its name from a battle scene showing two chieftains on horses. A terrace that runs the length of the south, southeast and east faces of Kites Crag has some fine cave paintings, the majority of which are in white or outlined in red.
