About Pachmarhi

Pachmarhi is a pristine hill station which is also known as Satpura ki Rani. It is staying amidst Satpura hills in the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the most popular destinations in Madhya Pradesh. Pachmarhi is a treasure trove of rich history and nature’s bounty. It is not famous only for its enchanting waterfalls, but also for its beautiful temples. Temples in Pachmarhi have its unique connections with Indian Mythology. UNESCO designated Pachmarhi Park as a biospheric reserve in 2009. Pachmarhi is a paradise for travelers. It is not because it is covered with lush greenery and biodiversity but it has rich culture and heritage.

Pachmarhi is famous to have the existence of Lord Shiva on this religious and spiritual land. Most of the spiritual stories, stories of famous temples in Pachmarhi revolve around Lord Shiva. It is well-known for five caves called the Pandavas cave which has a tale behind it. It is believed that the 5 Pandavas visited this place during their exile. Also, it has a Priyadarshini waterfall that appears to be falling from heaven. Another is Apsara vihar which is a beautiful place ideal for a family picnic. Rajendragiri Sunset Point provides the most spectacular sunset view.

Pachmarhi has various nature drops, striking greenery, and echo points. It has impressive scenic views, waterfalls, and exceptional wildlife like The Bori. The place also consists of ancient history with remarkable cave paintings. Those paintings are estimated to be around 10,000 years old.

---

Temples in Pachmarhi

• Jata Shankar
• Bade Mahadev Temple
• Gupt Mahadev Cave Temple
• Chauragarh Temple
• Pandav Caves

Jata Shankar Caves

The Jata Shankar Cave in Pachmarhi is a natural cave containing lingams. Jata means hair and Shankar is another name of Lord Shiva. This cave serves as a shrine to the God Shiva and is a popular destination for pilgrims. It is the place where Lord Shiva concealed himself from the wrath of Bhasmasur. Two little ponds, one of cold water and the other one of hot water fed by springs exist in the locality. There is a presence of dripstone formations inside the cave that paved the way for Shiva. The ceiling of this famous shrine has a formation that represents a group of snakes. Hence, it symbolizes the hair of Lord Shiva. And is also called a hundred-headed divine snake Sheshnag.

Importance of Jata Shankar Cave Temple

• Jata Shankar is a natural cave that is at a distance of 2 km from Pachmarhi.
• It is one of the most beautiful pilgrim locations in the Pachmarhi hill resort.
• There is a water breach from the cave called ‘Gupt Ganga’. No one knows the water source of it.
• It has a natural Shiva lingam under the shadow of a huge rock.
• There are idols of Lord Shankar and Goddess Parvati. They enshrined at a platform on the upper section of the cave.
• There are 108 natural lingams present in this cave.
• There are no entrance fees needed for the pilgrims to visit the holy place of worship.

Jatashankar Temple Timings

• The Jatashankar Temple is open for tourists on all seven days a week from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M.
• It remains open for pilgrims on all public holidays as well.

Bade Mahadev Temple

The Bade Mahadev Temple in Pachmarhi is another famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is one of the oldest temples in Pachmarhi. Its location is near caves in the hilly region of Pachmarhi. This temple is 11 Km from Pachmarhi station. The entrance of this temple is 15ft long which passes through the narrow caves. The temple thronged with hundreds of devotees. During Maha Shivaratri, Nag Panchami, and Karthik Masa days, the number reaches higher.

As per the mythology, The Demon King Bhasmasura got the boon to turn anyone into ashes. He by placing the hand on anyone’s head could do so. Bhasmasura tried to keep his hand on Lord Shiva. Lord Siva escaped from Bhasmasura and took refuge in a cave. Lord Vishnu in the form of Mohini approached Bhasmasura and killed him in these Caves. The devotees used to take the holy dip in the pond located inside the cave. The temple remains open on all days. The best time to visit is Oct-Jun.

Gupt Mahadev Cave Temple

The Gupt Mahadev is another cave temples in Pachmarhi. It is in the Mahadeo hills of Pachmarhi near Bade Mahadev Caves. Gupt Mahadev is a 40 ft long cave dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is home to Shivlinga and Lord Ganesha. There is a statue of Lord Hanuman at the entrance of the cave. Only 7-8 people can move inside the entrance at a time. The way to Gupt Mahadev Temple in Pachmarhi passes through the small hills. The passage has a beautiful natural scenic beauty. It is the place where spirituality seems to meet adventure. It is a place best for both nature enthusiasts and the devotees of Lord Shiva. The timing to visit Gupt Mahadev Temple is 6 AM to 6 PM. The entry is free in Gupt Mahadev Temple in Pachmarhi.

Chauragarh Temple

The Chauragarh Temple is another temple in Pachmarhi dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is another name for Chote Mahadev Temple. The mythological story of this famous temple also revolves around Lord Shiva. Most of the temples in Pachmarhi are directly or indirectly connected to Lord Shiva.
The temple is at an altitude of 1,330 meters, atop the Chauragarh peak. It is accessible only by a 3.4 km long trek that begins at Mahadeo cave. Chauragarh Temple sits right at the peak of Chauragarh amid the verdant valley. On reaching, you get a splendid view of dense forest, valleys, and hills from the temple. Apart from tourists, there’re many ardent devotees from far and near who trek up the hill to visit the temple. There is a ritual of carrying 3-4 quintal heavy Trishul as an offering to Lord Shiva. It becomes more prominent during Shivratri.

Pandav Caves

The Pandav Caves, as the name, defines seem to have connections from Mahabharata. It is another temple in Pachmarhi. It is at a distance of 2km from the Pachmarhi bus station. Pandav Caves is the site where the Pandavas stayed during their exile. This is the story before the Mahabharata war. Pandav Caves is a group of five rock-cut temples. Amongst these five caves, the most well ventilated and spacious one is the ‘Draupadi Kuti’. It follows the name of Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandava brothers. The darkest of all the caves is the ‘Bhim Kothari’, named after the toughest of the five brothers – Bhima. All the five caves are hewed in a rough manner, which does not mar their beauty or attraction.

These attractive caves have many stories belonging to various eras. Buddhist monks used to use these caves for meditation during the 1st century AD. It is now a protected monument and tourists flock from all over India to see this place. The Pandav Caves contain valuable paintings according to stories that don’t exist now. Satpura ranges though contain many other, more ancient rock shelters. Some of these caves contain paintings left by Stone Age people. These are Dhuandar Caves, Bharat Neer, Chieftain’s Cave, Hearer’s Cave (Harper’s Cave), shelters in Kites Crag.

Best Time to Visit

Pachmarhi is one of the most beautiful hills of Madhya Pradesh. It leaves you standing still whenever you visit there. But, October to March is the best time to visit Pachmarhi. Since the pleasant weather has a touch of rain and winters which makes you feel more calm and relaxed. The views at these times are also more beautiful as rain always adds more charm to the hills and waterfalls.
Though summer also adds equal adventure when you visit. So, you can also spend your summer vacations at Pachmarhi in leisure. A 3-4 days trip would let you explore the “Queen of Satpura’s- Pristine Pachmarhi ” at the best.

Where to Stay in Pachmarhi

If you are planning to visit temples in Pachmarhi, you might be finding hotels to stay. Here are some of the best hotels to stay in Pachmarhi.

Hotel Pachmarhi

The Hotel Pachmarhi is one of the best service providers in Pachmarhi. Their USP includes comfortable stay, delicious food and unmatched best class room services. It is one of the hotels that won’t burden your pockets and provides you best class services. One can choose from their range of Standard, Deluxe and Premeium rooms. Pachmarhi Restaurent at Hotel Pachmarhi offers delicacies from North and South India. It also offers Italian, Chinese, and Gujarati Cuisines. The vegetarian delicacies and affordable menu prices are the USP of their restaurant. The Hotel also provides local sightseeing. You can book the hotel and can take advantage of the services they provide.

MPT Karnikar Bungalow

The MPT Karnikar Bungalow Pachmarhi – MPTDC Pachmarhi provides traditional hospitality. It’s a beautiful Colonial style bungalow located near the market area at Pachmarhi. Karnikar Bungalow is one of the popular budget hotels in Pachmarhi. It is 55 km from Pipariya Railway Station, 212 km from Bhopal Airport.It’s a 19th centuary colonial style building surrounded with luxuriant greenary. The hotel provides all the needed comforts and quality services at affordable rates.

MPT Amaltas

Nestled in the midst of lush green, MPT Amaltas is an ideal retreat for couples and families alike. A sprawling property that boasts of the best South Indian food in all Pachmarhi. MPT Amaltas and its serene quiet environment will have you coming back, over & over again. It’s a budget hotel offering class service, of which MPT Hotels & Resorts are synonymous of. Amenities include Dinner, Air conditioned rooms, parking facilities and conference room.

MPT Champak Bungalow

This heritage property has seen cabinet meeting and VIP retreats. This quintessential British Bungalow is near Pachmarhi Lake. MPT Champak Bungalow is provides peerless service, vantage location and an enchanting ambience.Amenities include dinner, air conditioned rooms, bar facilities. It also gym facilities, parking facilities, pool facilities, and conference room.

How to reach Pachmarhi

Nearest Airport- Bhopal and Jabalpur Airports are the nearest to reach Pachmarhi. Raja Bhoj Airport in Bhopal is at a distance of 200kms(5hrs) from Pachmarhi.
Jabalpur Airport is at a distance of 258 km and you can reach Pachmarhi within 6hrs.

Nearest Railway Station– Pipariya is the nearest railway station(54kms/1.5hrs).
You can also reach there from Bhopal or Nagpur. Distance from Bhopal is 190kms(4.40hrs).

By Road- Pachmarhi is well connected by road from the neighboring places. Private and public buses at regular intervals are available. One can reach Pachmarhi from Bhopal, Pipariya, or Nagpur. Luxury buses are also available to come to Pachmarhi. Taxis are also available from these places.