Jabalpur located in Madhya Pradesh is situated on the banks of the river Narmada. With a population of over a million, it is an important city in the state of Madhya Pradesh. A major cultural and commercial hub, it is well connected to major cities in India by road and rail but air service is limited. Though Bhedaghat & Dhuadhar are the most popular attractions of the city, there are many others worth a visit too like the Madan Mahal fort, Tilwara Ghat, Pisan Hari temple. Best For:
The picturesque marble rocks at Bhedaghat best viewed in a boat ride and the breath taking falls of Dhuadhar.
Rani Durgavati Museum and the ancient temples of the city
Chowk and bazaar shopping for Chanderi sarees or exquisite silver and brass items among many other wares.
Marble & soapstone artifacts & idols sold at various stalls lined on the way to Bhedaghat & Dhuadhar. Here one can pick up numerous exquisitely carved idols of gods & goddesses, decorative cases & jewellery boxes, vases, urns etc
Dhuandhar Falls, Jabalpur
Image By Siddhartha Kongara
The best time to visit Jabalpur is from October to March. The summers (mid April – June end) are dry and very hot with temperature rising to 45°C with hot air (loo) blowing in the afternoon which makes sight seeing intolerable. Monsoon arrives by the beginning of July and lasts up to September end.
The winters season is the best time to visit the city especially October-November since the city has a festive look during these months with major festivals like Diwali, Dusshera and Eid being celebrated during this time. During winter temperature in the night falls to around 5-8°C so it is best to be equipped with suitable winter clothing.
Bigger hotels like Samdariya and Jacksons exchange money for their in-house guests. Money can be exchanged at the State Bank of India. Most hotels and big stores accept credit cards while the smaller shops especially in the old city may not except them. The city has a good number of ATMs of all major banks. One can easily locate them with a little help from the locals.
No special permit is required but an Indian visa is necessary for foreigners.
Being in the heart of the state as well as the country, Jabalpur is easily accessible from most major cities.
By Air- Dumna Airport is about 20 kms from Jabalpur. Right now only Air Deccan operates flights from Delhi & Bhopal to Jabalpur.
By Road- Located on the Varanasi-Nagpur NH-7, Jabalpur is well connected by local Government & private buses to most of the important cities in Madhya Pradesh as well as other parts of the countries. There is a regular direct bus service to Bhopal, Indore, Bilaspur, Raipur, and Nagpur etc. Being in the central part of the county it has easy access to the South as well as the North. You can hire cabs to visit nearby tourist places. Distances of a few important cities from Jabalpur are: Bhopal 337km, Delhi 800km, Mumbai 1126km, Nagpur 249km, and Khajuraho 270km.
By Rail: The town lies on the main Mumbai-Kolkatta train line. Jabalpur has a good network of trains connecting it to cities like Mumbai, Jaipur, Kolkatta, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Indore, Delhi, Patna, Varanasi & many other cities. The journey from Mumbai to Jabalpur is approx. 15 hours and a few of the trains from Mumbai are Mahanagari Express, Kolkatta Mail, Gorakhpur Exp. Etc. Mahakoshal Exp & Gondwana Exp are trains from New Delhi to Jabalpur-approximately 14 hours away, all days of the week. Bhopal & Nagpur are about 8 hrs away from Jabalpur. Kolkatta & Varanasi are also about 14 hrs away by train.
Bhedaghat: This gorge gets its name from ‘Bheda’, which means a confluence. It is here that the River Bavan merges with Narmada. Bhedaghat is about 22 kms from Jabalpur and offers a visual treat for nature lovers and can be best viewed while on a boat ride. The Narmada with towering marble rocks on both sides extending almost 100ft above the river is an artist’s delight. It offers a splendid view during the day as well as on a moonlit night.
Dhuadhar: Dhuadhar is the point where the Narmada narrows down and plunges steeply. One can hear the roaring waterfalls from a distance before one can see them. It is a beautiful sight of Nature in full glory. Popularly known as Niagara of India.
Tilwara Ghat: This is one of the places where Mahatma Gandhi’s ashes were immersed. The Pisan Hari Mandir, Mala Devi Mandir and the Bargi dam are the other attractions close by.
Madan Mahal Fort: Built in 1116 by the Gond ruler Madan Shah. The Madan Mahal Fort offers a spectacular view of the city of Jabalpur from the hill on which the fort is built.
Rani Durgavathi Museum: The museum has a fine collection of sculptures, inscription and idols on display. The museum also houses letters and photographs of Mahatma Gandhi. The museum is dedicated to Rani Durgavathi who showed great courage in facing the Mughals.
Jabalpur is a city that offers a variety of cuisine. One must not miss out on a visit to the chaat stalls in the city. One place that is worth a mention is Civic Center. You can find everything from chaat to Chinese to South-Indian to whet your appetite. Sadar is the cool hangout place for youngsters with many snack joints & coffee places.
One must not forget to try the jaljeera at the roadside stalls while taking a walk through the bazaars. The Bengali sweets and milk products at the sweet houses are definitely a delight for people who have a sweet tooth. The city is full of restaurants and dhabas which serve excellent North-Indian food at very reasonable rates.
There are a few star hotels too like The Samdariya, Hotel Satya Ashoka & Narmada Jacksons for visitors looking for high-end restaurants.
Where To Stay:
It’s easy to find accommodation to suit everyone’s pocket in this town. There is very little choice for five star hotels. The Samdariya remains one of the best options. You can also find many budget hotels near the railway station. The Madhya Pradesh tourism board also has a few properties like hotels & guesthouses in Jabalpur
Kanha National Park - 160 kms from Jabalpur. Famous for its wildlife safaris. It is one of the places where the Project Tiger was implemented. You can find leopards, Bara singha & Bisons also in this forest reserve.
Bandhavgarh National Park: 197 kms from Jabalpur is another national park worth a visit. You can take a jeep safari or ride on an elephant back. The waterholes are the best places to spot the wildlife.
Pench National Park: Another national park close to Jabalpur. 81 kms from the Jabalpur-Nagpur highway.
