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longbreak

ROOM WITH AVIEW: HotelPanchavati isamong the budgethotels run by MPTourism inPachmarhi

Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh’s only hill station, offers scenicvistas, lovely waterfalls, a thrilling variety of avifauna and outdooractivities and adventure sports, says Devika Raghave

Sonnets fromSatpura

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Sitting petite at a height of 1,000 m

Pachmarhi is the closest hill station for

Bhopalis and is an easy access from the

neighbouring states. The spectacle one

gets to exult in at this time of the year

here, is just marvellous. The majestic

Satpura ranges transport you to a differ-

ent time while taking a morning walk or

just lazing around the lawns watching

the hoodless Gypsys laden with boister-

ous youngsters with jarring Bollywood

numbers. But as they quiten down, you

fall back in time.

I have visited Pachmarhi many a

time, but each season has been extraor-

dinary. Some 10 years ago, I was privi-

leged to stay at the Mahadeo Forest

Resthouse that seems to be getting

harder to stay at of late. having got a

tiny break from the usual routine, I

rounded up my family and landed up at

the famous Bison Lodge. It is the first

ever building constructed by James

Forsyth here at Pachmarhi in 1862. It

was here that Bori, the first reserve for-

est of India, was born.

Rich in waterfalls and vantage points,

the Pachmarhi region was the kingdom

of the Gond tribe king Bhawut Singh and

became a hill station and sanatorium for

British troops in the Central Provinces of

India in the second half of the nine-

teenth century.

Considering that it is the perfect get-

away for all class and kind, the MP

Tourism department has provided

amenities and accommodation for all

kinds of travellers. That taken care of,

the best thing is to roam and roam free.

The Bee Fall were in full swing with chil-

dren coming in from various schools

from all over India and, I, for one, was

there only to get my feet tickled by the

tiny fish in the pool, waiting to nibble at

your feet. Now who needs a Japanese

spa!

After the clamour, it was siesta time

though it was disrupted by monkeys

frolicking on the tin roof. So, we drove

up to Dhoopgarh just in time to catch a

glimpse of the setting sun. Amidst the

hullabaloo, we drew much consolation

from the hot, fluffy, most delicious aloo

vadas. Apart from the humdrum,

Dhoopgarh offers magical moments at

both sunrise and sunset.

You can easily catch a glimpse of the

rare red mongoose or a sloth bear fami-

ly sauntering about in search of grub. A

herd of Indian bisons graze about gently

but get alert as we drive past them. It’s

the calm that you revel in here, watching

the peaks being transformed into a

painting.

The slight chill brought about by

sundown took us away from the high-

land to where a snug family time

awaited. Nights here are totally for

long walks and sitting about catching

up on time lost. The long verandahs

and courtyards are ideal to relax and

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SCENES FROM A HILL STATION: (Clockwise from farleft, facing page) Tourists enjoying a shower under the BeeFall; a serene view of the Pachmarhi lake; tourists take inthe Satpura range; sundown at Dhoopgarh

Rich in waterfallsand vantage points, the

Pachmarhi region was thekingdom of the Gond tribe kingBhawut Singh and the capital

of the Gond dynasty

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Mahadev. This narrow path can be

passed by only eight people at a time.

The Gond tribal villages in these parts,

revere the forest and still live off its boun-

ty — gathering honey and roots for vari-

ous ailments is their primary occupation.

Chauragarh still remains one of the most

revered temples of the Gond tribes;

Pachmarhi once belonged to them.

At the ticket counter at the Bison

Lodge, hire a guide for the surrounding

treks. Rich in bird species as well as

flora, Pachmarhi is a haven for natural-

ists. Towards the end of June, the night-

sky gets all twinkly with fireflies in a

frenzy to mate. Waves of these flickering

lights enchants even the most hardcore

city slickers.

Pachmarhi is a destination for all age

groups. It’s fun for the little ones as they

get to watch the wildlife at Bori or oth-

erwise, for the youngsters, it’s a haven

for trekking, paragliding or camping and,

for the not so young, it is a peaceful site

to enjoy some boating, watching the

monsoon bring in the clouds or bask in

the beauty of the rising or setting sun.

Pachmarhi lies within the Pachmarhi

Biosphere Preserve, created in 1999 to

link two forest reserves into a larger

wildlife conservation area at the highest

point in Central India. UNESCO added

Pachmarhi park to its list of Biosphere

Reserves in May 2009. Pachmarhi also

has a lot of cave paintings in the forests,

some of which have been dated to be as

much as 10,000 years old. The endless

stretches of the Satpura range come

alive with a burst of colours in spring

and the valley is oversome with the lilt-

ing fragrance of flowers.

listen to engrossing jungle tales nar-

rated by the watchman.

Early the next morning, I walked to

the bus stand via the Old Church, the

air heady with the fragrance of mango

blooms. For tourists, the bus stand is a

multi-purpose zone of shopping for trin-

kets. There’s also a newspaper vendor, a

tea stall and the famous Subeda Sri

Ram Akhada.

Devotees from near and far come to

visit the Gupt Mahadev, Jatashankar

and Chauragarh. The Chauragarh tem-

ple, a popular pilgrimage centre devoted

to Shiva, is located four kilometres away,

at the end of a steep climb of 1,300

steps from Gupt Mahadev. Devotees

have to make a strenuous climb carrying

a trishul as an offering to Lord Shiva.

Jatashankar, a natural cave temple, is

located in a deep ravine, with enormous

boulders perched above. The cave con-

tains stalagmites revered as naturally-

formed lingams. The steep path that

takes you deep inside the caves, is

strewn with figures of Ganesha or a lion

formed by erosion and calcification by

perennial ground water.

The Gupt Mahadev is a 40-feet-long

cave, in which idols of Ganesha and a

Shiva lingam have been enshrined. The

path that leads to the Gupt Mahadev

cave goes from inside the Bade

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ETERNAL SIGHTS: The Denwa river flows swiftly through the Denwa valley; the Jatashankar Shivtemple is a natural cave, located north of Pachmarhi, in Hoshangabad district

NAVIGATORHOW TO REACHBhopal (195 km) is thenearest airport. Here, youcan easily hire taxis forPachmarhi. By rail, you cantravel up to Pipariya (47km) on the Mumbai-Howhrah track. By road, itis well-connected to allmajor cities and towns ofMadhya Pradesh and thecities of neighbouringstates. Delhi to Pachmarhiis about 875 km andJaipur to the hill station isabout 560 km.

Essentials:Sunglasses, sunblock,wide-brimmed hats, swim-ming trunks, trekkingshoes, binoculars, cameraand a rucksack.

Must dos:Paragliding and adventuresports are organised byMP Tourism daily atPachmarhi’s only air strip.Enjoy nature walks andboat rides in the lake, wildberry and nimbu paani atHandi Khoh, a dip in BeeFalls and have hot aloovada at Dhoopgarh. Buygenuine rudraksh atJatashankar.

Where to stay: Log on towww.mptourism.com for avariety of stay options andhotel reservations.

The PachmarhiBiosphere Preserve was

created in 1999 to link two forestreserves into a larger wildlife

conservation area at the highestpoint in Central India

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