5 Places to Visit in Jabalpur

The land which was sage Jaabali’s Tapasya Bhumi and the land where the holy river Narmada flows is the virtuous, eponymous land of Jabalpur. An eclectic mix of pilgrimage destinations, ancient monuments and beautiful waterfalls attracts tourists from all over to Jabalpur.

How to get there?

• By air: The Jabalpur Dumna Airport is at a distance of 20 km from Jabalpur city of Madhya Pradesh and this airport is very well connected to the other major cities in the country.
• By rail: There are regular trains from other major cities of the country and the stations are Jabalpur Railway station, Deori, Adhartal, Jamatra Paraswara, Madan Mahal.
• By road: There is the Jabalpur bus station and it is very well connected to other major cities of the country via regular buses.

When to Visit?

The best time to visit Jabalpur would be during winter i.e. October to January. It is a great time for sightseeing. Summer and Monsoon are the two extreme weathers with soaring high temperature and heavy, thunderous showers respectively hence it is to be avoided.

1. Madan Mahal Fort

A long, mammoth like structure emanating strength, defense and historic beauty is the Madan Mahal fort which is situated atop a hill in Jabalpur town. The construction is mainly of Gond style and it was built in the 11^th century. It can be easily reached by road as there are various buses and taxis that ply to this place. The Madan Mahal fort is that one place which gives one a huge perspective into the defense and military acumen of our ancient rulers and makes for a good one-day visit.

2. Rani Durgavati Museum

Located at the heart of the Jabalpur city in Napier town is the ancient Rani Durgavati museum. It is paradise for archeology, art, history aficionados alike. There is an assorted collection of prehistoric relics. Mythological sculptures. There are galleries for stone and copper inscriptions, ancient coins, and also a photography exhibition. It is open on all days except for Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

3.  Chausath Yogini Temple

Considered the holy abode Goddess Durga along with her 64 yoginis, the Chausath Yogini temple is located in Bheda Ghat. This is one of those heritage sites which have retained their strong resolve despite being in a dilapidated condition. There is a steep flight of stairs which leads to the main temple atop a hill. The temple compound by itself looks strong yet beautiful with various sculptures of yoginis sculpted on it.  There are 64 shrines in the temple dedicated to all the yoginis and it is awe inspiring to see and absorb the essence of mythology our country.

4. Dhuandhar Falls

The sight of gushing water is a thaumaturgy in itself as it appears to be the flow of melting snow and that is the beauty of the Dhuandhar falls. It is located at a distance of 30 km from Jabalpur. This is the Narmada river making its way through the world-famous Marble Rocks which then plunges as the Dhuandhar falls. The main attraction here is the beautiful boat ride in the valley of white marbles which appears yellow during sunset.

5. Kanha National Forest Reserve

This is probably the best place to visit if there is a family with children visiting Jabalpur. The Khatia entrance gate is very well connected from Jabalpur and the best time to visit would be from October to June. There are a wide variety of animals that captures the essence of our land viz, tigers, Barasingha, wild dogs along with a variety of water birds, scavengers. There are also jeep and elephant safaris which is an amazing opportunity to take a tour of the reserve.

All in all, there can be no misconception about this beautiful place and one can be sure to be not disappointed after a visit to Jabalpur as there is a wide variety of tourist destinations that one can visit.