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 PACHMARHI

About: Pachmarhi is a hill stationis in the Satpura range of hills. It is situated in Pipariya tehsil. It is on the way of Piparia-Matkuli- Pachamrhi road, at a distance of 123 kms. from district head-quarter. It is connected with rail upto Piparia railway station en-route of Hawrah-Mumbai rail route. Pachamrhi is at a distance of about 52 km. from Piparia railway station and 211 km. from state capital Bhopal. It is also known as "Queen of Satpura" . By popular belief the name Pachmarhi is a derivation of 'Panch-Marhi' or the five caves of the Pandava brothers. During the British regime, Pachmarhi was the summer capital of the Central Provinces.

Accommodation: There is sufficient facilities to lodge for the tourists. Among these the New Hotel has 48 double-bedded rooms and the Old Hotel has 9 double-bedded and 2 single-bedded rooms. Catering facilities is also available in these hotels.

One Holiday Home has 40 one-roomed suits, while the other has 5 two-roomed suits. Thers are also lot of other lodges and hotels to stay in Pachmarhi for outsiders. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Department also runs hotels.

Climate: The altitude of this station is about 1067 metres from the sea level and the average rainfall is about 200 cms. The maximum and minimum temperature here during the months of May and June is 39 degree centigrade and 19 degree centigrade respectively. The average temperature is thus about 10 degree less than that of the Hoshangabad valley. The atmosphere is always very clear and fresh, free from the mist or fog during the rains.

Where to see: There are so many places to view for the tourist i.e., Dhupgarh Peak (1384.75 mts) than come Chouragarh and Mahadeo. Dhupgarh is picnic spot with a motorable road upto its summit and with a rest house. Other places are Handi-Kho and Jambu Dwip. It is said that Lord Mahadeo reached the later place by tunnel from Tilak Sindur to save himself from the demon king Bhasmasura . A small stream originates from a dark cave near this place, where th idol of Jata Shankar Mahadeva has been installed. During Hindu festivals people in large number come to Jata Shankar to offer Puja. The most interesting objects of Pachmarhi Town are its five huts or caves hewn in a hall of small eminence. Dutches Fall (Jalavataran), the beautiful water-fall is a picturesque and cool spot in hot weather. Water Meet (Sangam) is the lowest of the picnic spot on the Denwa. The fine, big, rocky Saunder Pool is situated in the Jambu Dwip stream. A few caves, known as the Mahadeva Caves lie at a distance of about 3 km. north-east of Piparia road. Most of the view-points of Pachmarhi or their approach roads are touched by two fine circular roads, called "Long Chakkar" and "Short Chakkar" about 13 km. and 6 km. respectively in length.

Schools and others: Pachmarhi has an Army Education Crops Centre and school with a music wing, a higher secondary school, a civil hospital, Tibetan School, a cinema house, three post and one telegraph offices with public call facility and a very good club.

Seasons to visit:   All months in a year are convenient to visit the Pachmarhi, evenly rainy season is the most comfortable season for the tourists due to greenry at the spot.

Bori's Sanctuary :  A small forest village in the extreme south of the Sohagpur tehsil, about 20 km.west of Pachmarhi, has given its name to the oldest and most important rorest range in Hoshangabad District. The Bori range extends from the foot of the Pachmarhi hills to the Tawa and Denwa rivers, and produces some of the finest teak wood and bamboos in the State. Other common trees in the Bori forest are Saj, Dhaora and Tinsa. The Bori river which rises on the west face of Dhupgarh, is the principle tributary of the Sanbhadra. A Wild Life Sanctuary, to be known as 'Bori Sanctuary' has been set up in the area of about 1200 sq.km. The Bori Sanctuary will be accessible by rail and road from Bhopal.

Hoshangabad : It is a religious place due to holi river Narmada. A thousands of pilgrims visited to this place for sacred bath on the occasion of Makrasankranti, Mahasivaratri & all Amavasyas. A Sethani ghat is the most popular ghat for sacred bath. A crowed mela is likely to be organized in the winter season. Also the Narmada Jayanti is celebrated in the winter season and inaugurated by the Chief Minister or Minister of the state. Thousand of pilgrims attend the Narmada Jayanti. Every year, a mela held in town on the samadhi of Ramji Baba with an exhibition and it continues for a month. A lot of crowd come from the whole district alongwith an adjacent districts.

Hoshangabad town is mostly inhibited by middle class family with a mixed economy. Due to this, villagers from near-by villages came to Hoshangabad with their essential commodities like food-grains, rice, pulses, vegetables, domestic products for sale on every Sunday.