TRIP TO PANCHMARHI - THE ONLY HILLSTATION OF MP

Handi Kho

We need to break free from the hustle and bustle of our daily lives for a while, and a vacation
on a tranquil place is a way to acquire much needed peace and calm. The serenity & soothing
atmosphere which rejuvenates our mind and relaxes our body is added bonus. We decided this
summer to go to Panchmarhi; some say it is queen of Satpura, Paradise on earth, and City of
waterfalls. It is also popular as a religious site for believers and worshippers of the Hindu
culture.
There are about 121 places in itself you can visit to, namely Jatashankar, Pandava Caves, Handi
Kho, Bara Mahadev, Gupt Mahadev, Dhoopgarh, Reechgarh and my favourite-B Fall! I will
mention a few prized moments we experienced in these places.
We three families; my dads friends and ours-were going to Panchmarhi, a scenic hill station
195 km south east of Bhopal. We would catch a train to Piparia and drive to our destined
leisurely hotel rooms. This trip would take about 6 hours. We hurriedly packed up everything
and settled in bed early so we could start off fresh. All of us were waiting the exciting moment
the next day would bring us.

The next morning, after having an appetizing breakfast in the V.I.P guest house of MANIT,
Bhopal, we drove off to the station, our luggage in hand and smile on everyones faces. We
were a total of 13 people-3 couples and 7 children. The train came just in time for us to board
upon. Our excitement increased once it left Bhopal station. You would occasionally see thick
bush or green blanket of grass and grazing deer outside the window. It was beautiful! It was like
a rainbow of colors on land-the houses, the numerous people and the crop fields. The train
came to a halt after some pleasurable hours and we alighted it excitedly. Our transportation
had been arranged for in advance. All that was unforeseen was the weather.
It was drizzling when we arrived there by the local train. The sun was about to set. Looking up,
youd see the dull blue sky sifting into darkness and the birds hurrying to get shelter for the
night. We hoped into our Gypsies and we drove off to our hotels. In the middle of jungle, we
took a break and had tea and some snacks at road side dhaaba. The whole experience of sitting
on wooden coat called khaat under old bulbs, and pitch darkness around you was worth every
penny.
Panchmarhi is 3500 feet high and the driveway is through dense jungles and mountains. The
jungle is known as Satpura National park which consists of animals like lions, bears, leopards,
bison, cheetal, sambhar, bara singha and even tigers. You are most likely to encounter wild
animals on the roads itself. We too had a chance to see cheetal, monkeys etc.
The following morning we found ourselves enjoying breakfast together in a hotel lounge. We
were waiting for the rain to stop. This could not go on forever! it could ruin our plans for the
day! So we arranged temporary raincoats made of - just plain sheet of polythene, and set off to
move ahead as planned. Where there is will, there is a way. I understood this idiom to fullest on
that day.

Dhoopgarh Highest point of MP

Our first place of visit was Dhoopgarh. We started our first journey to catch the early sunrise. It
is 4429 feet high, and it is the highest point of MP. It is said that the stretch of the suns first
rays reaches this point. On reaching we could see and feel the serenity of the place. We were
among the clouds swaying us. The beauty of the landscape surrounding us was mesmerizing.
There were dense gorges, deep valleys, long, narrow paths and immense highlands and peeks
around us.
There is God Shivs Jatashankar mandir, very popular, one and half km away and that too had to
be reached by walking. Then there were Pandava caves which were two and half km far. The
view you get from the top of caves- of the gardens below- is just spectacular!

Spectacular View from Pandav caves

There is one spot Priyadarshini from where you can capture the beauty of nature, the Mahadev
caves and one was Reechgarh, meaning house of the bear. We decided to go there. We
descended and moved through it; in some places torches were required. We reached a place so
narrow that we had to bend and fold ourselves like an animal to go through a small tunnel one
after another to reach to the other end. We were excited enough to do that too. At last we
reached the end and came out. Next was the Duchess Fall but visitors cannot go there during
the rainy season for obvious reasons.
The next day was scheduled for B fall! B fall got its name from its waters that fall 400 feet from
above and sting you like a bee. But to reach there you have to descend around 300 steps and
vice versa. In our group five brave hearts, including me, decided to go and experience
something we have never done before and descended those steps. There are some thoughtful
people who sell lemonade when youre halfway there. It was fun in watching everyone dancing

under the falls and having the best time like us.

Bee fall

We returned to Bhopal in the same way we had gone there, bringing with us a fresh, new and
fully enriching experience.
The stressful life of today, which is badly affecting the mind and body of the people, cries for
help and support. Nature has proved to be a medicine for the all of us in the past; it can play
same vital role in the rejuvenation of the human body and soul. Thus, instead of going away
from nature in pursuit of happiness, one should shun the material things in order to be truly
happy and in-tune with nature and ones own life. Now, asceticism is not being advocated;
what is being prescribed is that every opportunity to connect with nature should be grasped
and the ties with nature should be replenished. And most importantly, in day-to-day life, every
effort should be made to minimize the damage caused to nature and its resources.
Writing this article and sharing with IIK was another marvelous experience as I nearly floated
back there while describing my adventure and the next time when any one of you visit this
place please remember me and enjoy the trip and see how our motherland never ceases to
surprise us by gifting a hill station in Madhya Pradesh. Amazing! Isnt it?