Jabalpur is situated on the banks of holy river Narmada in Madhya Pradesh state. Jabalpur is the administrative headquarters of the district known by the same name. Jabalpur is an ancient city of great historical and cultural significance and has seen the rise and fall of many dynasties.
The rocky hills of granite stone & sand-stone that surround the city give it a picturesque setting. There are many popular tourists’ destinations to visit in and around Jabalpur.
Madan Mahal Fort
Madan Mahal Fort was built by the Gond ruler, Raja Madan Shah, in 1116. Later on it was repaired by Gond ruler Sangramshah. The fort is built on top of a rocky hill some 500mts above the ground. Balance rock is another attraction here. On the way to Madan Mahal one can see is a large piece of natural rock balanced on tip of another rock which is a geological wonder.
Rani Durgavati Memorial and Museum
The museum which was founded in 1964 and is dedicated to the memory of the great Gond Queen Durgavati. It is a two storied building and the first floor exhibits the collection of sculptures, inscriptions and prehistoric relics while letters and photographs relating to Mahatma Gandhi are on display in the second floor. Some of the rare collection of the museum includes 10th century red sandstone sculpture from Tripuri, 36cm high sandstone idol of Durga and circa 10th century A.D. sandstone sculpture of Saraswati.
Bhedaghat or Bheraghat
Bhedaghat or Bheraghat is at a distance of 23 km from Jabalpur city. This is one of the most favourite picnic spot for tourists visiting Jabalpur. This place has many perpendicular Marble Rocks that rise to hundred feet on the either sides of Narmada River. One can enjoy boat rides here. Many Bollywood movies have been filmed here.
Dhuandhar falls
It is a very picturesque water fall close to the popular tourist spot of Bhedaghat. Dhuan in Hindi means smoke. The waterfall is so called because the water droplets go up in a concentrated mass and this creates the illusion of smoke. Due to powerful plunge of the waterfall its roar can be heard from a very far distance. Rope-way ride over the river is also available here.
Chousat Yogini temple
Chausat Yogini Temple is dedicated to Goddess Durga. This 11th century temple is some 5km from Jabalpur. Here 64 idols of attendants of Durga or yoginis are placed in a row in circular fashion. The temple located on a hill top was built during the rule of the Kalchuri Dynasty.
Bargi Dam
Bargi dam is about 40 kms away from Jabalpur city. This is a major dam built on the river Narmada. This place is a major tourist’s attraction and various water sports facilities are available here like cruise ride, motor boat ride, speed boat etc.
Dumna Nature Reserve
Dumna Nature Reserve is 10km from the centre of Jabalpur. The reserve is spread over a total area of 1058 hectares and houses animals like Spotted Dears, Chitals, wild boar, porcupine, jackals, monkey and many species of birds. One can enjoy a nature walk in the reserve. Boating facilities are also available in the nearby Khandari Dam.
Bajnamath and Sangram Sagar
Bajnamath and Sangram Sagar are located 15km from Jabalpur. Bajnamath is renowned for the medieval architectures built by well-known Gond ruler Sangram Shah between 1480 and 1540. The Sangram Lake houses many aquatic creatures. Many migratory birds from central parts of western Asia like pin-tailed ducks, coots and red-perched pilchards are also seen near the lake.
Tripur Sundari Temple
Tripur Sundari Temple is about 5km from Jabalpur. The temple is famous for the idol of the Goddess and is a major tourist’s destination.
Roopnath
Roopnath is situated 84 km from Jabalpur. The main attraction here is a Shiva Lingam that is placed on the cleft of a rock.
Rookhad
Around 84 km from Jabalpur. Rookhad is a wildlife sanctuary located adjacent to the Pench National Park.
Bandhavgarh National Park
Bandhavgarh National Park is positioned in the Umaria District of Madhya Pradesh. The park is situated 197 km away north-east of Jabalpur. Bandhavgarh National Park was declared as a National Park in the year 1968. Earlier this wildlife reserve was game preserve of the Maharajahs of Rewa. Today it has high population of Bengal Tigers. Other animals spotted here include leopards, gaur, bison, sambar, barking deer, nilgai, wolf, hyena, caracal, cheetal, and many others. Some of the other important tourist spots in Bandhavgarh are Bandhavgarh Fort, Baghel Museum, Mahaman Pond, Bari Gufa and Ketkiha - Pendanus Point.
Panna National Park
Panna National Park is situated in Panna about 160 km from Jabalpur. Tis wildlife reserve is spread over an area of 543 Sqkm along the banks of river Ken. It is one of the most famous Tiger Reserves in the country. The park is home to a wide diversity of wildlife like the leopard, jungle cat, leopard cat, rusty spotted cat, wild dogs, jackals, wolves and foxes. Reptiles include spectacled cobra, Russel’s viper, saw scaled viper and common krait. The park also has several species of birds. Panna is famous for its diamond mining industry. Pandav falls and Rajgarh Palace are other major attractions here.
Kanha National Park
Kanha National Park is located about 160 kilometres from the Jabalpur. This is a tiger reserve and is spread over an area of 1945 sq. km. This horseshoe shaped valley is famous for the hard ground Swamp Deer (Barasingha) which was brought back from the brink of extinction. The park is also renowned for the high tiger concentration. Apart from this there are several other species of wild life found here like the wild cat, fox, jackal, wolf, gaur, swamp deer, spotted deer, barking deer, sambar, nilgai, hyena, civets, porcupine, pythons, cobra, vipers, snakes, turtles, etc.
How to Reach Jabalpur
Jabalpur Dumna Airport which is a domestic airport is located at a distance of 20 kms from Jabalpur city. This airport is well connected with the major cities like Gwalior and Delhi. Jabalpur has a major railway station that is well connected to many Indian cities. It falls on the main Mumbai-Howrah line and most of the trains running in this route stop at Jabalpur. The city is well connected by a good network of roads with all the major cities in the state as well as neighbouring states.
Accommodation
Plenty of accommodation options are available in Jabalpur that caters to different budget of the tourists.