Panna National Park was created in 1981. This sanctuary was formed with areas from Gangau National Park created in 1975 and it is famous for the big wild cat or the famous Tiger. As a matter of fact, this reserve was declared a Project Tiger Reserve in 1994,the 22nd in the country and 5th in the State. With a close proximity to Khajuraho the forest has developed itself as an important place to visit for those who want to get a glimpse of the elusive tiger and enjoy nature.

Location of Panna National Park on Google Maps:

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Panna National Park is situated in at a distance of around 57 km from Khajuraho in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Besides being famous for its diamonds, Panna is also well known for some of the best wildlife species in India. Panna Wildlife National Park is one of the best Tiger Reserves in the country. The park is known worldwide for its wild cats, including tigers as well as deer and antelope.
The main attractions of the place are the Pandav falls with its lake fed by a waterfall, and the Rajgarh Palace, which is a magnificent piece of architecture overlooking the valley. Being close to Khajuraho the place forms a world heritage site famous for the exquisite sculptures adorning the temples there. The erotic images on the walls of the temples are well known and attract tourists from all over the world. Major attractions are the Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Lakshman Temple, Devi Jagdamba Temple, temple of Vishwanath and Nandi, Chaunsath Yogini Temple, Parsvanatha Temple, Shanti Nath Temple, Ghantai Temple, and temples of Brahma and Hanuman.

How to Reach Panna National Park
Air : The nearest airport is at Khajuraho at a distance of around 57 km from the Panna National Park.
Rail : Satna, at a distance of around 90 km, is the nearest railway station.
Road : The park is well connected with the other parts of the region by a good network of roads. Distances of some important places in India from the Panna Tiger Reserve are Khajuraho 57 km, Bhopal 727 km, Delhi 889 km, Chennai 1,761 km, and Kolkatta 1,040 km.

Flora in Panna National Park

Dry and hot climate, in union with shallow Vindhyan soils has given rise to dry Teak and dry mixed forest. Thorny woodlands and riverines also remain scattered amidst the blossoming vegetation. Teak, tendu, mahua and dhaora are common trees.

Fauna in Panna National Park

Tiger, the king of the jungle, roams freely in this secure, though a bit small habitat along with leopard, wild dog, wolf , hyaena, caracal and other smaller cats. Sloth bear has its most favourite home in the rock escarpments and undisturbed vales.
The avifauna comprises more than 200 species including white necked stork, bareheaded goose, honey Buuzzard, King vulture, Blossom headed Parakeet, Paradise flycatcher etc. Variety of snakes, including the python and other reptiles are found here.

Safaris

Rent your own jeep for a safari into the park. An hour long boat ride offered by the park authorities is a good option to catch a glimpse of water predators and other animals around the lake. Elephant safari is one of your best bets to spot a striped beast up close.

Places to stay in Panna National Park

Tree houses and tourist lodges are available in the vicinity of the Panna National Park to accommodate the visitors.
- Pashan Garh Panna National Park, Amanganj Road, Panna, Madhya Pradesh – 488001, India
Email:pashangarh.panna@tajsafaris.com
- Ken River Lodge, Ken River Lodge is 2 km from the Panna National Park. Swiss cottage tents with attached toilets and showers give you all the modern amenities along with the thrill of staying in a tent.
- Jass Trident Hotel/Khajuraho, A five-star hotel, Jass Oberoi is located 2 kms from the airport.
- Hotel Jhankar
- Hotel Payal
- Hotel Rahil

How to Reach

By Air: The nearest Airport to Kanha National Park is Nagpur (265 km), which is well connected by air to major cities of India.
By Rail: Jabalpur (165 km) and Nagpur (265 km) are the nearest Railheads from Kanha National Park.
By Road: Kanha National Park is well connected by road to major cities of Madhya Pradesh. The State Transport Buses regularly ply between Khatia Village (the western entrance to Kanha) to Mukki (30 km), Jabalpur (165 km), Nagpur (265 km) and Khajuraho (445 km).

Location of Kanha National Park on Google Maps:

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About Kanha National Park

Kanha natural habitat consists of sal and bamboo forests, some spectacular water bodies and streams, and rolling grasslands which stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic natural splendor. The same abundance of wildlife species exists today in Kanha National Park, which forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only habitat of the rare Hard Ground Barasingha (Cervus Duvaceli Branderi). By a special statute enacted in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a series of stringent conservation program for the protection of the park’s flora and fauna has given Kanha its deserved reputation for being one of the finest and best administered National Parks in Asia, an irresistible attraction for all wildlife lovers and a true haven for its animal and avian population.
One of the richest sanctuaries in India, in terms of wild life, the Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary is home to a number of animals, birds and reptiles. Often considered to have influenced the composition of Rudyard Kipling’s novel, the jungle book, with its vast store of wildlife, the Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary is a must-visit for all lovers of the wild.
The climate of the region around Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary is tropical. Summers are hot and humid with a maximum and minimum temperature of 40.6°C and 23.9°C. Winters are pleasant with an average maximum and minimum temperature of 23.9°C and 11.1°C, respectively. The annual average rainfall is 152 cm.

Bird Population

The bird species in the park include storks, teals, pintails, pond herons, egrets, peacock, pea fowl, jungle fowl, spur fowl, partridges, quails, ring doves, spotted parakeets, green pigeons, rock pigeons, cuckoos, papihas, rollers, bee-eater, hoopoes, drongos, warblers, kingfishers, woodpeckers, finches, orioles, owls and fly catchers.

Flora

The landscape of the Kanha National Park is made up of massive plateaus, with enormous grasslands, and open pastures. Sulkum, Banjar and Nila Rivers pass through the park, with a number of perpetual springs supplementing them. The central meadows boast of a huge water body, known as Shravantal. The tree species found in the Kanha Tiger Reserve of India include Bija, Haldu, Dhaora, Sal, Ban-rahar, Bamboo and Sindhur.

Wildlife attractions

The major wildlife attractions in Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary are Tigers, Leopards, Dholes (Indian wild dog), Indian Bisons, Sambar, Chital, Barasingha, Barking Deer, Black Buck, Chausingha, Nilgai, Monkeys, Mongoose, Mouse Deer, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Porcupine, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Hare, Rock Pythons among many others.

Safaris

Jeep Safari and Elephant Safari are the two options for spotting wild animals in the park. The safaris can be enjoyed any time during the day while the best time for animal spotting is during early morning or late evening. The safari timings generally are 6 AM to 12 Noon and 3 to 5:30 PM.

Places to visit:

Bamni Dadar

It is also known as the sunset point is quite popular among tourists. Most tourists visit Bamni Dadar to get the wonderful view of the setting sun and this is also one of the beautiful area in the park, Animals that can be sighted around this pont are typical of the mixed forest zone: sambar, barking deer, gaur and the four-horned antelope etc

Kanha Museum

Kanha Museum inside the park is another interesting place to visit. The museum is the right place to understand the topography and other interesting aspects of the park.

Places to stay in Kanha Wildlife Sanctuary

- Wild Chalet Jungle Lodge: A fine jungle lodge on the banks of the river Banjar, Wild Chalet is situated on the periphery of the Kanha National Park. Wild Chalet Kanha provides accommodation in rustic cottages. The lodge is well equipped with all modern facilities.
- The Krishna Jungle Lodge: Located on the periphery of the park in village Mocha, Jungle Lodge offers fine accommodation facilities.
- Tiger Land Resort: Not too far from Kisli Gate, the Tiger Land Resort is spread over in 5 acres and is well tucked away from the main road. The resort is well equipped with modern facilities.
- Tuli Tiger Resort: Located in the heart of Kanha, the Tuli Tiger Resort beckons tiger lovers from all over the world to come and explore Kanha. The resort is beautifully set and has a host of modern facilities in place.
- The Celebration Van Vilas: Celebrations Van Vilas is a fine resort located at Khatia side of Kanha. The resort is well managed and provides comfortable accommodation.
- Mogli Resort: Located close to the entrance, the resort offers fine accommodation facilities, which include swimming pool, games and restaurant.
- King’s Crown Resort: The Kings Crown Resort offers accommodation in AC, Air Cooled Super Deluxe Cottages. The resort is well equipped with modern facilities.
- Baghira Log Huts: (MPTDC hotel) is a jungle lodge situated on the periphery of the Kanha National Park. It provides cottage accommodation, bar and a restaurant.

History and Mythology

Looming high over the entire park and located in the heart of it’s core area, is a fort dating back to the mythological era of Rama and Hanuman from the Hindu epic Ramayana. It is said that the two monkeys who created the “setu”, or bridge, between India and Lanka to enable Rama to cross over and vanquish the demon king, Rawana, were also the architects of the Bandhavgarh fort. This fort was used by Rama and Hanuman on their journey back to their kingdom from Lanka. This fort was later handed over by Rama to his brother Lakshmana who came to be known as the “Bandhavdhish”, lord of the fort.

Bandhavgarh national park is well connected with all the major cities and station in India.

Location of Bandhavgarh National Park on Google Maps:

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Distance from major cities :
Umaria : 35 km/ 45 min
Khajuraho : 270 km/ 6 hrs.
Jabalpur : 190 km/ 4 hrs.
Satna : 120 km
Delhi : 978 km
Gwalior : 565 km
Katni : 102 km

By Air:
Fly from Delhi, Agra or Varanasi to Khajuraho and drive (7-8 hours) to Tala park entrance at Bandhavgarh. Nearest airport from the park is Khajuraho.
By Rail:
Nearest railway station is Umaria after Katani railway station, from there it is about 40 minutes drive to Nature Heritage. Alternatively, take the overnight train from Delhi to Umaria and drive (30 minutes) to the park. Only jeeps are available for transfers. Khajuraho / Bandhavgarh distance is 250 Kms, (8 hrs drive).

Best Time To Visit

There are three well defined seasons – the cool (from middle of October to end of February ), the hot (from march to middle of June), and the wet (from middle of june to middle of October.
Casual Summer clothing of natural colors is best from march to may. Sunglasses and sunhats are preferable. From November to Febuary carry warm clothing for chilly mornings and misty evenings. The ideal season for tiger spotting is from November to June.
The park is closed form July 1 to September 30.

Things to do in Bandavgarh

- Jeep Safari
Morning and evening jeep safaris in Bandhavgarh National Park are escorted by our specialized naturalists for extensive wild life viewing. An open Gypsy awaits you to take you even more closer to the nature and to see the majestic tigers. We provide some fruits neatly packed and a bottle of mineral water for you 4 hour safari in the jungle.
- Elephant Safari
The experience of sitting high a top an elephant in a teak wood chair, through the cool jungle of Bandhavgarh, is an experience you’ll never forget. The tour includes air-conditioned hotel transfer, Park admission, safari ride, buffet lunch all in one complete package. Don’t miss this great value tour.
- Fauna
Bandhavgarh is blessed with a large variety of residents – both in terms of animals and birds. In the category of animals, it is possible to sighttigers, leopards, gaur (Indian Bison-although some say this is no longer seen), chital (spotted deer), Sambar deer, Dholes, nilgais, wild boars,chinkaras, sloth bears, rhesus macaques, black faced langurs, jungle cats, hyenas, porcupines, jackals, foxes, wild dogs, chausinghas and ratels, among others. It is the density of it’s big cat population that has made Bandhavgarh really famous across the globe. Bandhavgarh National Park is also famous for bird watching. It has more than 140 bird species. The main bird species at Bandhavgarh national park are white browed fantails, steppe eagles, green pigeons, grey malabar hornbills, black and white malabar hornbills (quite a rare sighting), blossom headed parakeets, parakeets, blue bearded bee eaters, green bee eaters, white bellied drongos, owls, Jerdon’s and gold fronted leaf birds, minivets, woodshrikes and the lovely paradise flycatchers.
- Bandhavgarh Fort. The Bandhavgarh Fort is situated in Bandhavgarhin Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located on the Bandhavgarh hill, rising 811 meters above sea level at the centre of the Bandhavgarh National Park. It is a surrounded by a large number of smaller hills separated by gently sloping valleys.
- Baghel Museum. Located at a close proximity from the resort at Bandhavgarh national park, it houses certain precious belongings of the Maharaja of Rewa who maintained Bandhavgarh as his Shikargah, or a game preserve, a stuffed white Tiger still stands in the museum amidst certain personal belongings of the Maharaja.
- Village Tala. To view a day in the life of an Indian village where the pace of life is still measured by the rhythm of the seasons.
- Climber’s Point – Nature’s Beauty. Woody climbers of butea superba and Bauhinia wahlii amidst the giant sal trees offer spectacular view for the tourist.

Accommodation Facilities at Bandhavgarh

- Bagh Sarai Resorts: Village Parasi, Post Dhamokhar, Bandhavgarh National Park,Bandhavgarh National Park 484661, India.
- Infinity Resort: NA Bandhavgarh Wilderness, | P.O. Taala, Bandhavgarh National Park,India.
- Maharaja’s Royal Retreat: Bandhavagagh Village Tala Dist Umeria, Bandhavgarh National Park484661, India.
- Wildhaven Resort: Bandhavgarh National Park, India.
- Tiger Trails Resort: Village Tala | Distt. Umaria, Bandhavgarh National Park 484661, India.
- Golbro Tiger View Resort: Near Petrol Pump, Tala, Bandhavgarh | Distt. Umaria, Bandhavgarh National Park 484 661, India.
- Nature Heritage Resort, Bandhavgarh.
- Tiger Den Resort
- Bandhavgarh Jungle Resort

Maps of Maps.Google.com

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Once you are in the tree house, one of the activities you would really like to do is to enjoy the national park, and for that purpose, you have a Morning and Evening Jeep safari that is organized in the Tiger reserve, with all the vehicles being 4 x 4 Suzuki open jeeps, fitted with comfortable bucket seats and fridges. Inside the park you have the option of leaving the jeep and getting on the elephant to take your chance of getting close to the tiger. In addition, you have the Bandhavgarh Fort inside the park which forms the heart and the highest point of the park which you can plan to visit.
In addition, to increase the chances of spotting a tiger, there is a small water body at the hideaway. This water body is frequented by many animals including the Tiger, and if you have the patience, then spending of a few quite hours on the machaan may prove rewarding especially for photographers. And like any other nature park, you will have a large number of bird species, so carry your binoculars.

How to get there:

By Road: Bandhavgarh is located in the heart of central India, and takes time to reach, not being relatively easy to reach, the road journey towards the end is through beautiful forests, jungle villages and stunning landscapes. The beauty of Bandhavgarh combined with the call of the wild makes the journey worthwhile especially when you are expecting an audience with the King of the jungle.
Bandhavgarh is 34 km away from Umaria, it is 220 km away from Jabalpur, the nearest railhead and airport. Khajuraho is 280 km away while Satna is 112 km away.

Distances from important towns to Bandhavgarh.
Delhi : 880 Kms (approx.21 hours)
Khajurao : 280 Kms (approx.6 hours)
Satna : 112 Kms (approx.4 hours)
Katni : 95 Kms (approx.2 hours)
Kanha National Park : 240 Kms (approx.6 hours)
Jabalpur : 220 Kms (approx.4 hours)
Varanasi : 475 Kms (approx.9 hours)
Allahabad : 345 Kms (approx.7 hours)
Rewa : 225 Kms (approx.2 hours)
Umaria : 34 Kms (approx.1 hour)

By Air :
There are daily flights to Khajuraho from Delhi by Jet Airways, Indian Airlines and Kingfisher and from Khajuraho it is a 5-6 hour road journey. There are also daily flights to Jabalpur from Delhi, Mumbai, Indore, Gwalior and Bhopal by Deccan airways, Kingfisher and Indian Airlines, from Jabalpur it is a 4 hour drive.

By Train :
Bandhavgarh is connected by train, Umaria, Katni and Jabalpur are convenient rail head and many trains connect there from all parts of the country.

External articles / blogs:
1. The official site (link)
2. Reviews at Holidayiq.com (link)
3. Review at TripAdvisor (link)

But once at the resort, you feel like king and queen. The rooms are very well furnished, keeping alive the feel of the woods around. The wooden deck attached to every room is just the kind of place where you can spend hours and hours.

4. Feedback at Mouthshut (link)

Bandhavgarh, because of its smaller area and abundance of deers and sambar is the ideal place to see tigers in their natural habitat (We got to see 4!). The forest is deciduous and grasslands sparse which make tiger sighting easy. But do not go there for the tigers alone…the rest of the flora and fauna is equally interesting (at least after you have seen the tiger!). They have one safari in morning at around 6, when the jeeps are divided into 4 groups and reach a meeting place through 4 different routes through the jungle.

5. Holidays Diving Dreaming (link)

The next day the Mahouts (the Elephant ‘drivers’) had found a tiger, fit for a ‘Tiger Show’. This means that they have located a tiger, somewhat off the road (where the jeeps can’t get close), but close enough to make it in reach for a small walk of the elephant. The tiger normally just had breakfast and hence will be laying and sleeping with a full belly. This time they had located ‘B2′ the Alpha Male of Bandhavgarh!

Photos / Picture of the Tree House
An India Summer (link)
From the official site (link)

Khajuraho is a village in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 385 miles (620 kilometres) southeast of Delhi (the capital city of India). The Khajuraho group of monuments has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is a protected site. One of the most popular tourist destinations in India, Khajuraho has the largest group of medieval Hindu and Jain temples, famous for their erotic sculpture. The name Khajuraho, ancient “Kharjuravahaka”, is derived from the Sanskrit word kharjur meaning date palm.

Location (Google Maps)

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The story of Khajuraho is that in a burst of passion, the Moon God enticed the beautiful Brahmin girl, Hemavati, while bathing in the Rati one evening, resulting in the birth of Chandravarman. Harassed by society, the unwed mother sought refuge in the dense forests of Khajuraho where she was both mother and guru to her young son. The boy grew up to become the founder of the Chandela dynasty.
When he was the ruler of the land, Chandravarman had a dream where his mother implored him to build temples that would reveal all aspects of the human passion and fantasy to the world and in doing so bring about a realization of the emptiness of the human desire. Thus began the story of a fervent artistic desire for the construction of the first of the temples, and successive rulers added to that which resulted in the Khajuraho temples. The temples serve as fine examples of Indian architectural styles that have gained popularity due to their explicit depiction of the traditional way of sexual life during medieval times.
Per year in the month of February – March, Khajuraho Dance Festival is organized by the Kala Parishad under the Madhya Pradesh government. Popular Classical Dancers from all India performs during this Dance festival at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh. The aim of organizing this event is to promote cultural heritage and traditional dances of India.
Dancers from abroad also perform during this week long festival in Madhya Pardesh. Live performances of classical dances like Kathak, Kuchipudi, Odissi, and Bharatnatyam, Manipuri are the main attractions of these dance festival. The Festival of Khajuraho Dance is internationally recognized by international dancers and academies. A large number of foreign tourists come to India for classical dances like Khajuraho Festival of Dances. The venue of the festival is the Vishwanatha temple and open-air auditorium in front of the Chitragupta temple. Both the temples are beautifully lit and stand glittering with the colorful lights.

Places to stay:

Hotel Chandela ( Taj Group ) , Khajuraho
Hotel Usha Bundela Khajuraho
Ken River Lodge, (Panna) Khajuraho
Ramada Hotel, Khajuraho
The Lalit Temple View, Khajuraho
Kairali Ayurvedic Resort , Khajuraho
Grand Temple View, Khajuraho
Hotel Clarks, Khajuraho
Hotel Greenwood Khajuraho , Khajuraho
Radisson Hotel, Khajuraho
The Jewel of the Jungle, (Panna) Khajuraho
Hotel Surya
Hotel Harmony
Hotel Marble Palace
Holiday Inn Khajuraho
GW Grand Hotel
Hotel Siddharth
Best Western Greenwood Khajuraho
Hotel Casa di William
Payal Hotel

How to get to Khajuraho:

By Air
Khajuraho is directly connected with all major Indian cities.

By Rail
The nearest railheads are Mahoba and Harpalpur. Jhansi is a convenient railhead for those travelling from Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai and Varanasi the railhead is Satna, on the Mumbai-Allahabad section of the Central Railway is ideal. Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Chennai, Agra by train to the railheads.

By Road
Khajuraho is connected by regular and direct bus services with Chhatarpur, Mahoba, Harpalpur, Satna, panna, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, Sagar, Jabalpur, Indore, Bhopal, Varanasi and Allahabad.

Articles about Khajuraho (photos, blogs, etc)

1. Photos of Khajuraho at Sulekha.com (link)
2. Photos of Khajuraho at Flickr (link)
3. Train to Khajuraho (link)
4. Video on Youtube of visit to Khajuraho (link)
5. Drive to Khajuraho (link)
6. Varanasi and Khajuraho (link)
7. Photo of Khajuraho on Flickr (link)
8. Varanasi to Khajuraho (link)
9. Khajuraho trip along with photos (link)
10. Photo of Khajuraho on Treklens (link)
11. Dance Festivals at Khajuraho (link)
12. Video of Khajuraho Dance Festival (link)
13. Jhansi to Khajuraho on Ghumakkar (link)
14. Temple Tours, Khajuraho (link)
15. Travel Blog (link)
16. Book on Khajuraho (link)
17. Review of Hotel Chandela in Khajuraho (link)
18. Photo of temple (link)
19. Photos of Khajuraho at Flickr (link)
20. Great photo of architecture of a temple (link)
21. Post with some great photos of the temples (link)
22. Photos of the temple sculptures (link)
23. Khajuraho Photo Gallery at the ASI site (link)
24. Khajuraho Photo Gallery (link)
25. Khajuraho Photo Gallery on World66 (link)
26. Khajuraho Photo Gallery at pbase.com (link)
27. Another Khajuraho Photo Gallery (link)
28. Khajuraho Photos at fotosearch.com (link)

Approach terrain to the rock carvings site at Bhimbetka

You also need to pay an entry charge way before that depends on the number of people in the vehicle. The road is well maintained, but is only a 2 lane road.
Once we reached Bhimbetka, it was fairly crowded, and initially we were surprised at the number of school buses and trips, but soon realized that this is a great educational experience for children who are interested in history and India’s heritage.

Road sign indicating that you have reached Bhimbetka

Rock carvings of cattle and smaller animals at Bhimbetka

Rock paintings of humans as stick figures in Bhimbetka

Inside the rock shelters, we tagged onto a group that was getting a guide to run them through the various rock paintings, and got to hear a fair amount. The rock paintings were made over the years, through the thousands of years when man was living at this site. We also saw a cave where they must have lived, which had natural holes at 2 ends for ventilation, and was big enough to accomodate a large number of people.

The spot in Bhimbetka where a pre-historic skeleton was excavated

Caves at Bhimbetka form natural shelters in which pre-historic man could survive

We were shown a large number of rock paintings, depicting either the people over there, or the animals they would have come in contact with; we were also shown natural rocks shaped into different forms by the action of winds, water and sea (the place was under a sea a long time back). It was hard to go from the place, but we had a schedule to keep.
After Bhimbetka, we were next targetting the sun temple at Bhojpur, around 25 kms away from Bhopal, and also off the main highway. The path to Bhojpur from this highway is not exactly the smoothest, but eventually we reached. Bhojpur has an unfinished sun temple (called the Bhojeshwar temple) which has the largest Shiv Lingams in India. This looks like a ruin, but the temple is functioning with people coming to pray and make offererings to Lord Shiva. The temple is a short slightly upward sloping walk from the main gate, and is located on a small height where you can see the neighboring area for quite some distance.

Crowd at the gate of the Shiva temple at Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh

Ladies at the temple compound in Bhojpur in Madhya Pradesh

Offering prayers at the Lord Shiva site in Bhojpur

As you reach the temple complex, you can see a small shrine where offerings are made to some priests sitting there, with a statue of Nandi also over there. Once the offerings are made, you can climb the short steps to the huge Shivalingam inside the main temple. The temple is small, and very beautiful inside (you can admire the architecture, the high roof with carvings on the pillars, the height of the platform on which the Shiva Lingam is placed). We spent some time inside the temple, did an internal round of the Shiva Lingam and were then ready to leave.

A cross section of the front of the Shiva temple at Bhojpur

A view of the giant Shiva Lingam at the Bhojpur Temple

Roof framed between the pillars of the Siva Temple at Bhojpura

By this time, we were running pretty late and decided against trying to do some boating in the Bhopal Lake (it was late, and darkness had set in). We reached the Bharat Bhavan complex, spent time inside, including admiring the architecture, the paintings, the photographs, and then when it was getting close to the time for the train, we left. And that was the end of our journey.

View more photos of Bhojpur (link) and Bhimbetka (link)

The Mahadevs are actually a complex of temples, grouped into one complex called the Bada Mahadev, and a single cave temple called Gupt Mahadev. They are located at a place with plenty of greenery, and the whole area is in the midst of hills. The road ends at that point, and you can expect a large number of vehicles (so if you are going there during festival season, expect that the trip could take some time to accomplish and a lot of crowd).
From the car, Bada Mahadev was a short walk away. It is a cave temple, with having to take off shoes long before (the main gate must be at least 100 meters away from the cave). The cave is fairly large, with a number of Trishuls at the entrance to the cave. Inside, the central section of the cave has a water stream emerging from below, and you need to walk around it (the same water flows out of the cave and into a stream below, and people take a bath in this water as a ritual). At the far end of the cave, the deity sits (photos are not allowed inside the cave, and I dutifully put my camera away).

Emerging from the cave, there are some small caves nearby where there are more small religous sites (not fully constructed temples, but more like statues where there is some prayer). And then we headed off to the Gupt Mahadev. The Gupt Mahadev is some distance away, must be atleast 1/2 kilometer – along a thinly forested trail (and there are many monkeys on the trees above). The Gupt Mahadev is a small cave with a shrine inside. The fame of Bada Mahadev is that this is the spot from where Lord Siva escaped after turning into a snake (and there is a very small path leading deeper into the cave that is not wide enough to follow – there is actually a Trishul planted at the entrance to this path).
Gupt Mahadev has standing space for not more than 12 people inside, and the path inside is very narrow (most people will have to slither in sideways, and if you are a bit heftier, then you have to struggle against rock that is at both sides). It can be claustrophic, so if you are obese, or cannot stand confined spaces, then you should re-consider about going inside. They even have an exhaust fan at the entrance to the cave for making sure that air circulation keeps on happening. There is usually a queue to get inside (Note: photography inside is banned).

From Gupt Mahadev, there is a path that leads to Chauragarh. Now Chauraghar requires a degree of fitness, since there is a pretty long climb (most people take around 5 hours to go and come back). There is travel through a jungle path, travel on steps at many places, and climbing upward on a hill slope (you can find a number of people making the journey). It feels good, but you can be wiped out when you get back. The temple is an old stone construction, and on the top of the hill you will find a huge number of Trishuls (it is considered auspicious to carry a Trishul to the temple).

Once back from Chauragarh, it is difficult to do more locations. We did go to Handi Koh, but that is more like a ravine that is shaped like a Handi from the top, and to tell the truth, we were not very interested in the sight-seeing after Chauragarh. Thus ended day 3 of the trip.

More Photos of Pachmarhi at this link.

Portrait of Lord Shiva on a rock at Jata Shankar

Climbing down the ladder at Jata Shankar

Couple entering the dark cave to reach the Jata Shankar shrine

The next place was a major exercise spot. We headed over to Bees Falls, which is a spur off the main road (you need to take a permit since the area is under the control of the forest reserve or the army). You reach a spot where there is parking, and many vehicles stop there. Our vehicle went further down on a long dusty winding road until we reached a stop which was just a short distance away from running water. There is a very small fall of water over a brick ledge, and then you have a path with semi-constructed steps and jungle track that heads down. While on the way down, we were wondering as to how we would make it the way back up since it seemed a fair distance.

Top part of water before it falls to Bees Falls

Heading down the path that leads to Bees Falls

Bees Falls along with people gathered there for getting under the water

At the bottom, there is the standard waterfall over a rocky ledge, with small shops at the side renting out costumes for the waterfall, and then people running into the waterfall and climbing on a ledge inside the waterfall. We did not do this (this was December after all), and stayed there for some time. After around 30 minutes, we decided to start up the climb. Man, it was tiring soon into the climb, and we stopped atleast 5 times into the walk (I stopped to take photos many times – getting a small rest every time). By the time we reached the top, I was totally out of breath, and had to take rest for some time.
After this tiring exercise, we decided to head back to the resort for lunch – and the buffet lunch that was part of our package (we had a total package of Rs. 43,000 for 6 people – 3 rooms for 3 N / 4 D, all meals, taxi from Bhopal and back to Bhopal, local sightseeing in Pachmarhi). The food that we were served was always great, giving the feel of home cooked food. If you compare service levels with a star hotel, then service levels were not high, but it was a decent enough place to stay (and no, Misty Meadows is not paying me to say all this ).
Post lunch, the immediate place we had to go to was called Reechgarh, and this was a small collection of rocky cliffs and cave like formations between them. Apparently, the caves were sites where animals used to stay earlier, but now abandoned. This was a small walk up a hillock, and then you need to move between the various rocky areas (basically after climbing the hillock, you had to climb down into a small area bounded by huge rocks). There were places where the rocks would almost touch, and a central huge area bounded by these huge rocks hillock like structure. We spent a fair amount of time over there, and also took a number of photos of this location.

Entrance to Reechgarh

Rocky walls coming closer together

The last place was Dhoopgarh. This is a climb up steep roads to reach the highest point of Pachmarhi, a place where you get some excellent views of sunrise and sunset. There were also some huge rocky sides of the mountain that got lit up by the evening sun. We would not get up in time to see sunrise, so we decided to see the sunset. Because of the height, there was an excellent view of the surrounding areas, and a large number of people had turned up for the same sight-seeing. As sunset grew nearer, more cameras started emerging and more photos started getting taken. There were steps built right at the viewing area, and there was a huge crowd waiting to see the sunset. And the sunset did not disappoint, with some beautiful colors.

Rocky hillock at Dhoopgarh getting highlighted by sunset

People gathered to watch the sunset at Dhoopgarh

Sunset in the distance at Dhoopgarh

Our trips for the day done, and fairly tired, we headed back to our resort, and had some nice dinner around a bonefire.

More Photos can be found at this location (click)

Photo at the Pandav Caves in Pachmarhi

View of the garden at the base of the Pandav Caves in Pachmarhi

After climbing to the top and getting a good view of the entire location, we decided that we had spent enough time in that location. We climbed down, wandered through the gardens, and then decided to leave. Just outside the location, there were people with horses, the deal being that they would take a person for a 5 minute run on the horse and get an opportunity to take photos. My cousin wanted to do that, and he really enjoyed it.
We asked one of the local people as to why this was called Pandav cases; the answer was most interesting. The local vendor claimed that the name had no association with the mythical Pandavas, but instead, was a name put forward by the locals when the British asked them for a name for the local caves (a long time back). And of course, if you name a cave as Pandav caves, it would seem most apparent that it would be lined by their mythical roaming around India during their time of exile (including the one year of hidden exile).
The next leg of the journey was to the Lake Pachmarhi. This is a lake that is not very big, but has boating (you can get pedal boats, and also hire a boatsman to do the actual movement of the boat). There are places of the lake that are supposed to be deep, and they are marked by poles around portions of the lake. This is helped by many boating operators all around the lake armed with whistles. Whenever any boat would go towards the deeper end, they would start whistling and running closer, making the boats move towards the desired place.

View of the Pachmarhi Lake, not very big

View of the sunset at Pachmarhi Lake

Twigs in the fading light of the sun at Pachmarhi Lake

The setting around the lake was that of a sunset time, with the light becoming that orange shade that looks beautiful. In addition, since there were hillocks nearby, the light was coming over the hill, and the place looked very beautiful. We spent quite some time over there, and ended by having tea at the tea stall right next to the lake. There was no other commercial stall or the like at that location.
After this, we headed to a Pachmarhi fair. There was a fairly huge tent and many many stalls over there selling cultural items, foodstuff, clothes, accessories, marble and wood creations, etc. The food over there was so-so (imagine trying to relish some idlis in a stall in Pachmarhi when there is a cold wind blowing). After some time, the wind started getting to us, and we decided to head back to the hotel. After some time, the car finally arrived, and this time, travelling in an open Gypsy was somewhat uncomfortable because of the cold wind.
We finally reached the resort to terminate the first day in Pachmarhi; imagine that we ate our dinner in an open lawn with the cold wind blowing around us. Now imagine all of us gathered around 2 bonefires that blew away the chill and made all of us warm and comfy. And of course, the food gave almost the same taste as home-coked food, a major comfort.

The fire buring in an exterior metal grate at the resort

Nestled in the Satpura ranges, at an altitude of 1,100m, Pachmarhi is one of the most beautiful hill stations in central India (and the only one in Madhya Pradesh). The beauty of the place is present in its relaxing nature and pace, with peace, seclusion and a quiet unobtrusive beauty as its prime attractions. Nature, finds many different way to express itself – Formed of red sandstone, the valley, ravines and the maze of gorges, add colour to this tranquil hill station. The air remains pleasantly fresh and cool throughout the year, except for the peak time in summer, thus making Pachmarhi, a hill station that can be visited throughout the year.
But more significantly it is for the silence, serenity and solitude Pachmarhi offers that keeps it distinct from many other such hill stations.
Pachmarhi is widely known as “Satpura ki Rani” (Queen of Satpura), situated at a height of 1000 m in a valley of the Satpura Range in Hoshangabad district. The highest point in the central India region and the Vindhya and Satpura range; Dhupgarh at 1100 m is located in the region.

Map of Pachmarhi on MapMyIndia.com

A derelict church and houses with a perceptible colonial ambience are vestiges of the British Raj. Pachmarhi was in fact founded by Colonel Forsyth, a Bengal Lancer, who discovered Pachmarhi in 1857, and the point where he first sighted and fell in love with the area was named after him and earlier called Forsyth Point. Today this has been renamed Priyadarshini Point. This enthralling feeling of Forsyth was echoed by other Englishmen who, finding the town pleasant throughout the year, settled here and developed Pachmarhi into a cantonment, and it is still a cantonment, with the army owning most of the town. Development has come by way of government aided projects which are geared more towards cottage industries.
Pachmarhi is a place for walks, along the short or long chakkars, along the predictable way or along lesser known routes where one can come across rock shelters such as those in the Maradeo hill covered with paintings depicting warfare, food gathering and hunting, some dating as far back as 1000 BC. Walks take one through forests and meadows, to hill tops such as Dhoopgarh, the highest point in the Satpuras where the sunsets are quite spectacular, or down gorges and valleys where water and shade have led to a luxuriant growth of vegetation in every conceivable shade of green. In addition, there are more options in Pachmarhi. For more adventure there are walks in woods in the Saputara ranges. For short walks you may visit the Jata Shanker cave. Visit to the hilltop temple of Chauragarh is another interesting option. With or without guide trekking is an excellent option to explore the hill resort of Pachmarhi.
Beauty apart, the Mahadeo Hills are a pilgrimage center, with ancient shrines to Shiva concealed in deep ravines and cliffs. The sacred site of Mahadeo in Chauragarh is the spot where the God tricked the demon Bhasmasur, and Jata Shankar, as the name suggests, resembles Shiva’s untamed locks. A dark cave in Jata Shankar has two naturally formed Shivlingas on which water drips constantly from a pool. The mythological Pandava kings are said to have spent part of their exile in the Pandava Caves or Panch Mathi, which lent their name to Pachmarhi.
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.

Places to see:

Handi Khoh, is the most impressive precipice, which dramatically cuts down over 100 meters deep into the bowels of earth. One can, by making a slight effort, hear the gentle murmur of flowing water and can spot huge undisturbed beehives clinging to the sheer rock face.

The rock-cut Pandav caves are associated with the Pandavas of the epic Mahabharata. Pandavas had a halt here in their wanderings across India.

Jatashankar an important rock formation is -a place sanctified by the Shaivite lore. The stones are indeed shaped like the mater hair of the great Hindu god Shiva, and inside a natural Cavern there is a stone formation like the hundred-headed divine snake Seshnag.

Forsyth Point: This vantage viewing point marks the place from where Pachmarhi was discovered. In 1857, Captain Forsyth from the Bengal Lancers approached the plateau at the head of a column of troops. At this point (originally named after him), he first glimpsed the extraordinary beauty of this aucer-shaped scenic spot. Now called Priyadarshini Point.

Duchess Falls: The beautiful streams of water get divided because of big rocks and fall down from a 4.0 kilometers of hight. The different branches of water fall makes it looks like silver embroidery over a leaf green saree.

Mahadeo: This is lord Shiva’s temple, in a hilly area. People climb long stair cases to reach the temple and few people donate Trishuls to make their wishes come true. On the way coming down there are caves with paintings and carvings.

Dhoopgarh: This nice sunset point is in the peak of Satpura range and give a beautiful picture of surroundings. Always carry ample amount of water if going to do tracking towards Dhoopgarh, there is no proper water source on the way.

Catholic Church: A great example of French and Irish mixed architecture, built by the British in 1892. There is cemetery attached to the church which has graves from the time of world war I and II.

Christ Church: This is most beautiful small church in Madhya Pradesh, built by British in 1875. Another momentum of British rule. This church’s architecture is as fascinating as catholic church.

Apsara Falls: A lovely little bathing pool, and easily accessible from Jai Stambh, this ‘fairy pool’ is an idea. Picnic spot for families with children, as the pool is shallow. Deepening only towards the base of the fall which cascade gently into its waters.

Rajat Pratap: Those seeking adventure will find it in this ten-minute walk over rocks and boulders from Apsara Vihar to the top of Rajat Pratap, the ‘big fall’. A thrilling experience is looking straight down to the bottom of the fall which plunges down a 350-foot-high precipice.

Irene Pool: This pretty pool was discovered by Irene Bose, wife of Justice Vivian Bose, and named after her. The approach to this bathing spot is from the car stop to Reech Garh, The route upstream leads to a cave, through which the stream goes underground and then over a khud in a series of falls.

Satpura National Park: For the animal lovers visit to the Saputara National Park is a must. The park has fantabulous flora and fauna. You may spot animals like the bison, tiger, leopard, bear, four-horned deer and blue-bull et al. The evergreen sal, teak and bamboo together with the mountain peaks add to the beauty of the park.

How to reach
By Air: The nearest airport is Bhopal (195 km), connected by regular flights with Delhi, Gwalior, Indore and Mumbai.
By Rail : 45 kilometres by road from Piparia station on the Indian Railways. Piparia is on the Itarsi Jabalpur train line, a 2 hrs train run from Jabalpur. All the trains on this line pass through Piparia, but only a few halt here. Although you can also take a car / taxi from the Bhopal railway station
By Road : Pachmarhi is connected by regular bus services with Bhopal, Hoshangabad, Nagpur, Pipariya and Chhindwara. Taxis are available at Pipariya.

Places to stay:

Panchvati Huts & Cottages
Golf View Pachmarhi
Rock End Manor
Satpura Retreat
Amaltas Hotel
Glen View Hotel
Pachmarhi Regency Hotel (link)
Holiday Homes
Pachmarhi Hotel
Hilltop Bungalow
Misty Meadows (link)
Club View Hotel
Indraprastha Hotel
Giri Shingar Hotel
Pandav Hotel
Sahakar Bungalow
Evelyn’s Own
Highlands Hotel

External articles:

1. Blog on abctales.com (link)
2. Pachmarhi lake (link)
3. Detailed article on Ghumakkar.com (link)
4. Pachmarhi on merinews.com (link)
5. Detailed trip to Pachmarhi (link)
6. Trip to Pachmarhi on nainakohli’s blog (link)
7. funzzone.blogspot article (link)
8. Visit to Pachmarhi (link)
9. Unforgettable trip to Pachmarhi (link)
10. Visit to Pachmarhi (link)
11. Photo of rock paintings at Pachmarhi (link)
12. Journey to Panchmarhi (link)
13. Trip to Pachmarhi with friends (link)
14. Videos of a trip to Pachmarhi (link)
15. Photos of Pachmarhi at Webshots (link)
16. Waterfall stream in Pachmarhi (link)
17. Pachmarhi photos at HolidayIq.com (link)
18. Photos of Pachmarhi (link)
19. Photos of Raj Mahal at Pachmarhi (link)
20. Photos of various tourist spots at Pachmarhi (link)
21. Road journey from Indore to Pachmarhi (link)