A place abundant in red sandstone hills and many emerald-green forests, the town of Panchmarhi boasts of being India’s only hill resort in MP. An exclusive retreat during the past era; the place presently embraces tourists from every corner of the country. Its towering peaks, deep gorges and green glades make the beauty of this hill station enviable. The architectural splendors in blessed landscape, is what makes the place more inviting. It is only a couple of hours from Bhopal. Like the luxury hotels in Bhopal, you can find many such similar ones in Panchmarhi too. Here are the places of visit –
Pandava Caves –A very important landmark here, the caves give their name to the hill station. As per legends, the 5 brothers of Mahabharata, with Draupadi, had live a few years of their lives here.
Catholic Church – Constructed in 1892 by the British, the ancient monument shows a blend of Irish and French architecture. The stained windows add to the beauty of the edifice. The place also has an attached cemetery to it. The tombstone here is from World War 1 and 2.
Christ Church – This church was built by the British in 1875. One of the most stunning churches in the state, its building shows a superb architectural style. On top it has a hemispherical dome.
Priyadarshini Point – Known earlier as Forsyth Point, this was named after James Forsyth the captain who discovered Panchmarhi. Witnessing the lovely sunsets from this point is a superb experience.
Jatasankar– This is a holy cavern here, which is a rock formation that bears resemblance to manes of God Shiva. It is a great place for lovers of archaeology.
Apsara Vihar – This pool can be found much near the Pandava caves. It can be accessed only by foot. Here a waterfall of a height of about 30 ft flows into the pool. The depth of the water gets deeper near the fall. Its shallow ends are great for diving and swimming. A refreshing dip can be taken here.
HandiKhoh – Known also as Andhi Khoh by the natives, this is the deepest of the many gorges one will find at Panchmarhi. It is nearly 250 ft deep. It has steep sides and as per the legends Lord Shiva had imprisoned a snake here and buried it here as well.
Mahadeo– The many coppices of long sal trees and hairpin bends give way to the save shrine of Lord Mahadeo. From the roof drops of water keep falling to a holy pool in which various pilgrims from across India take a dip. The main site of worship here is the shivling. And the place is very popular during the festival of Shivratri.
Apart from these, the beautiful hill station has many other lovely places to visit too. We suggest you put up at a central hotel from where all points are accessible. The hotels here are much like the Bhopal 5 star hotels with all amenities and facilities. If you are here for more than 2 days, a comfortable hotel should be preferred.
