Amarkantak Tourism

Amarkantak

Amarkantak is a great pilgrim center for the Hindus, and it also starting place of the Narmada and Sone, holy rivers. Amarkantak is a pilgrim town and a nagar panchayat in Anuppur District in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is also known as "Teerthraj" which is the king of pilgrimages. Amarkantak is a great pilgrim center for the Hindus, and it also starting place of the Narmada and Sone, holy rivers (The Narmada River flows westwards from Amarkantak, and the Sone river flows towards the East). And this is the center, where The Narmada River, the Sone river and Johila river emerge. Amarkantak area is a natural heritage region and also a meeting point of the Vindhyas and the Satpuras mountain range amongst sylvan surroundings with the Maikal Hills being the pivot. Amarkantak is really sacred by nature- lofty mounts, holy ponds, breathtakingly beautiful and attractive waterfalls, surroundings forested, and a forever pervading atmosphere of calmness make Amarkantak a much sought once destination for the holy minded as well as for the nature lovers. Did you know, The Narmada River occupies a unique place among all the holy rivers of India because Narmada has unique purifying power, it purifies himself.

Importance Place for Tourist & Visitors : Amarkantak is a best place for tourism, because it being a unique natural heritage is incredibly wealthy in biodiversity. It is the origin of three holy rivers. It has got a number of places of natural attractiveness.

Famous Tourist Place in Amarkantak

Narmada-kund and Narmada Mandir :The starting point of Narmada River there is an open lake known as Narmadakund. Many temple placed around Narmadakund such as Narmada and Shiva temple, Shri Radha-Krishna temple, Eleven Rudhra temple, Shri Ram-Janki temple, Vangeshwar Mahadev temple, Maa Durga temple, Shiv Pariwar temple, Shri Surya-Narayan temple, Guru Gorakhnath temple, Maa Annapurna temple, Siddheshwar Mahadev temple etc.

Ancient temple of Kalachuri Period- These temple built in 1042-1072 AD by kalachuri Maharaja KARNADEVA. And these temples are placed in toward the south direction of Narmadakund and just behind it. The Machhendranath and Pataleshwar temples are outstanding Example of structural design. There is also a Keshav-Narayan Mandir (temple), which was built by "Bhonsle" ruler of Nagpur, in the 18th century. For travelling to these temples, tourists can avail local transportation like bus and auto rickshaws and rickshaws.

Sonemuda :Sonemuda is a little kund (pond) and covered around 2 sq. km of area. It is located at a distance of around 1.5 km from Narmadakund temple and it is the origin of the Sone River. The Sone River flows downward from the Maikal Mountain in the form of 100 ft. long waterfall. Little granules of gold can be found in this river so it is called Sone (Gold) River.

Mai ki Bagiya (Garden of Goddess or Mather's Orchard) :The garden has been built in honors of the Goddess Narmada. It is also known as Mother's Garden. The Mai ki Bagiya is located around 5 km from Narmadakund and covered the surrounding forests. Tourists can also discover a large range of medical herbs and plants on the banks of holy kund. It is natural garden in which features Mango, Banana, Gulbakawali, Roses and many types of fruits and flower plants. This garden also features different shrines of Hindu Gods and Goddess, a big number of trees and a rain fed kund (pond).

KAPILDHARA (Kapil waterfall) :It is a 100 ft. tall waterfall and located just 6 km. towards the northwest of the Narmadakund temple. It is surrounded with dark forests and mountain. According to Vindhya Vaibhav, Kapil Muni lived here and acknowledged divine light and performed severe austerities here. Kapil Muni believed to have meditated at this place. He also wrote "Sankhya Philosophy (an advanced treatise of mathematics)" at this place. Kapil Dhara is named after the sage of Kapil Muni. There is the sight of natural beauty with dark forests hills and mountains. The surrounding mountains are full of caves where Saints have been performing their spiritual practices. The Kapileshwar temple and famous ashram are also located nearby, where pilgrims can worship the footprints of Lord Kapileshwar Shiva and sage Kapil Muni. The holy River Narmada is connected by Kapil and Erandi flows to form this Kapil Dhara (Kapil Waterfall).

KABIR Chabutra :Kabir Chabutra, which ideally means the platform of great saint Kabir. It is located just 5 km. from Amarkantak on the way to Bilaspur (which is a district of Chhattisgarh state) and it is the meeting place of three districts (Annuppur, Bilaspur and Dndori). It is an older faith that the Great Saint KABIR performed austerities here and got spiritual powers and achieved salvation. Pilgrims coming to this place can also see the footwear of the saint Kabir kept inside a little temple near the Kabir Chabutra. It is mostly a little pond, where each morning (9 am to 10 am), tourists can see dhunipani (white smoke) screen spreading over the water and travelers can also see the Kabir waterfall.

Shri Jwaleshwar Mahadev Mandir (The temple of Shiva) :It is located at a distance of 10 km from Amarkantak on Shahdol road. It is source of third river JUHILA River. There is a 1 km long steep downhill lane that ends at main gate of Shiva temple. The temple is well-known for a black Shiv-ling which is also known as Jwaleshwar Mahadev. It is assumed that when Lord Shiva killed the Tripurasura (a demon), one of the three pieces of his body fell near the Narmadakund, which soon after on turned into the place of lord Shiva. The Lord Shiva himself established a Shiv-ling here and scattered crores of Shiv-lings over Maikal Mountain, according to Vindhya Vaibhav. And according to puranic society a rectangular area have crores of Shiva-lings is the abode of the Lord Shiva himself and is known as "Maha Rudra Meru". In India only two 'Maha Rudra Meru' one is places in Varanasi and one is places in Amarkantak. Lord Shiva and Parvati live here because this place has a unique spiritual quality.

Shri Sarvodaya Digamber Jain Temple :Shri Sarvodaya Digamber Jain temple is a new temple in Amarkantak which is located at a hill station of Amarkantak from where the largest river of western India (Narmada river) get started. This temple is under construction until now and it is similar in construction to that of the Akshardham Temple in Gujrat. There is a world's biggest Ashtadhatu (mixture of eight metals) jain statue of Bhagawan Adinath in this new temple.

This statue weights around 28 tones and measures over 24 ft in height. The temple designed and constructed, under the direction of Shri C.B. Somapura the chief architect of the Aksharadhama temple, by more than 300 artists since many years. It is a mega project with over INR20 crores being spent on constructing the temple over an area of 4 acres (16000 m2). The temple measuring around 424 ft. length, 111 ft. width and 144 ft height will be constructed here.

Brighu Kamandal :An ancient Kamandal (water pitcher) which is always full of water, here we can see also.

Dhunipani :See a hot spring in broad forest.

Dudh-Dhara :The 50 ft. tall waterfall dropdown in a form of milk-white cascade.

How to Getting there:-

By Air: Jabalpur Airport (Dumna Airport) in Jabalpur District and Raipur Airport (Swami Vivekanand Airport) in Raipur District (Chhattisgarh State) are nearest Airport from Amarkantak.

By Train : The nearest railway station from Amarkantak is Pendra railway station (Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh State) which is 65 kms. from Amarkantak. Amarkantak is 71 kms. From Anuppur railway station.

By Road : Amarkantak is connected with Pendra Road (19 kms.), Anuppur (48 kms.), Shahdol (100 kms.), Rewa (265 kms.), and Jabalpur (320 kms.) by regular bus service.