MOUNTAIN ESCAPES
| PACHMARHI |
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| Pachmarhi guide
>>> Pachmarhi travel guide and tourist information on Pachmarhi, how to get to
Pachmarhi, also details on sightseeing in Pachmarhi, best time to visit Pachmarhi and
accommodation in Pachmarhi |
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Time stands still at Pachmarhi, an evergreen
plateau in the Mahadeo Hills of Madhya Pradesh. Pachmarhi's pristine beauty lies in its
innocence and its unspoilt splendour. The area is a visual treat - red sandstone cliffs
and deep gorges cleave the valleys; verdant forests and flower-filled vales are drenched
by numerous streams and brooks. The hills that surround Pachmarhi are washed in green.
Waterfalls cascade down every conceivable rock face and create pools.Groves of jamun and
bamboo are scattered about the countryside, while the forests are thick with sal trees.
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Many a trail leads you to blissfully secluded
forest glens. The Satpura National Park is home to exotic bird and animal species - the
gaur, sambar, leopard, barking deer, langur and the occasional tiger; spotted pigeons,
gold-throated chloropsis, great pied hornbills and kingfishers, to name a few.
Beauty apart, the Mahadeo Hills are a pilgrimage centre, 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.
There is a colonial side to Pachmarhi, too. Red-roofed bungalows with pretty gardens,
jacarandas and laburnums overhanging pebbled paths, churches with stained glass windows,
and a typical cantonment area complete the picture. This sublime landscape is offset by a
historical heritage of Stone Age cave paintings, the oldest of which is 10,000 years.
Pachmarhi is a place that has escaped the onslaught of reckless development - a fate
suffered by so many other hill stations in the country - and the area has been declared a
biosphere reserve.
Pachmarhi extends an open invitation: to wildlife enthusiasts, bird watchers, trekkers,
hikers, bikers, history-buffs, pilgrims and lotus-eaters. What are you waiting for?
Getting to Pachmarhi
Pachmarhi is 864 km from Mumbai and 211 km from Bhopal, the nearest airport with
connections to all major cities of India. The quickest way to get here is to fly to Bhopal
and then take an onward bus or taxi to Pachmarhi. The closest railhead is Piparia, 47 km,
on the Mumbai-Howrah mainline, from where buses and taxis are available for Pachmarhi.
Within the city you can walk, hire a bike or a jeep to see the sights.
Best time to visit Pachmarhi
This is a year-round destination with a pleasant climate. Summer temperatures rarely
exceed 37ºC and winter temperatures never fall below 7ºC. Carry light woollens for
summer evenings and heavier woollens for winter.
Accommodation in Pachmarhi
Budget accommodation is plentiful, but advance bookings are recommended. MPSTDC has
mid-budget log huts and low budget motels where room tariffs begin at Rs 350 and the
luxury hotel tariff is Rs 1,000 and above. MPSTDC has offices all across the major cities
of India, where enquiries can be made regarding reservations. The MPSTDC, Pachmarhi Tel:
(07578) 252 100 and MPSTDC head office, Bhopal Tel:(0755) 277 8383, 277 4343
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