MP: Stay in Amarkantak or Pachmarhi? Marble Rocks?

tirtha.mitra

wher is the better place between AMARKANTAK and PANCHMARI? where to stay at marbel rock?

old india hand

Also interested, any advice for Amarkantak?

rangss

Are you looking for a stay in the hills? I mean a "hill town" experience. If yes, Amarkantak is not a good option. But here is something good about Amarkantak:

Amarkantak is the birthplace of the rivers Narmada and Sone. Both these spots are about half a mile from each other. The source of Narmada is in a tank in a temple dedicated to the river goddess.

Amarkantak lies 1057 metres above sea level in the midst of sal and mixed forest. It is a the meeting point of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras and the Maikal Hills. A little distance from Gaumukh, the source of the Narmada, is Kapildhara, where the Narmada cascades more than 20 metres down a sheer basalt rock. It is a unique spot as as one wouldn't expect a small stream turning into a mighty river, within a few kilometers of its source. Four kilometers from Amarkantak is Kabir Chabutara, where the saint and poet Kabir spent many years here in meditation. As the source of the Narmada, which is more than 150 million years older than the Ganga and is considered by many Hindus to be the most sacred for all the rivers of India.

The Mahadeo Hills are near Amarkantak and have been immortalized by Rudyard Kipling in his famous "Jungle Book" spreading the Indian term "jungle" all over the world. This region has some rich flora and some species are entirely unusual for Central India where Amarkantak lies. Interestingly enough there are plants of the north-west and central Himalayas. According to biologists, the eco-system of Amarkantak is truly unique, closely resembling that of isolated valleys or islands, because whereas the proportion of species genera is 13:1 in the world, in India it is 7:1 and in Amarkantak it is 15:1. Amarkantak has some extremely valuable medicinal plants, which are now gravely endangered.

Amarkantak is actually a small village. There is a few ashrams around. A couple of lodges with basic amenities. It would be better to visit Amarkantak either from Bilaspur in Chattishgarh or Jabalpur in MP. The road from Bilaspur is quite good and passes through some thick sal and deodhar forests. It goes through the Achanakmar sacntuary.

__________________
...and I took the road less travelled.

old india hand

thanks rangss -

It's expected Amarkantak would be an attractive district - however, is there any unsightly mining taking place in the locality?

Given that one can satisfactorily stay in a basic lodge (or ashram) - can Amarkantak town/village/temple centre be considered an attractive place?

rangss

No mining at all. In fact years ago, the sal trees here were a source of valuable timber especially for railroad sleepers (- 'ties' as you would call them in UK orAustralia). But there is a ban on lumbering in this region and hence all the sal trees are protected.

I really cannot place Amarkantak in terms of attraction. I found some attraction but none that could pull me there. The source of Narmada was my main interest but I was disappointed to find a big temple around it and all the pagan worshippers. It was not as earthy as I assumed it would be. Same with the source of the Sone, though a little further down the steps on the slope of the mountain, there is a good spot where you can view the entire Sone valley. The Kapildhara falls would be impressive after monsoon I guess. There is a huge Jain shrine being built at Amarkantak. It would take another 25 years I guess, looking at the pace of work, and the scale.

If you are a nature lover and know your genera well, Amarkantak is a good place. Otherwise, a day trip from Jabalpur or Bilaspur is sufficient.

tirtha.mitra

karnail

Amarkantak is really a great place. I have been to Amarkantak and loved it. My Experience of Amarkantak.

__________________
http://karnail.blogspot.com/