Jabalpur

Located on the banks of river Narmada, the city of Jabalpur houses several mesmerising gifts of nature and never fails to amaze a tourist. From the spectacular route of the Narmada, through the shape-shifting marble canyon to the Dhuandhar falls at Bedhaghat, or the Balancing rock which is known to withstand earthquakes of magnitude as high as 6.5, Jabalpur is a reflection of the strength and beauty of nature. The fantastic creations like the Dumna Nature Reserve Park maintain this industrial city's connection with nature and are sure to ignite imaginations in the busy minds and create a sense of relaxation and rejuvenation.

The city of Jabalpur has witnessed several historical events, memoirs in which transports a tourist back in time and is sure to fuel the explorer within. Jabalpur is said to be named after saint Jabali Rishi. In Arabic, the word Jabal means mountains. So there is a possibility that the name of the city is also derived from here. This city was the capital of Tripura Kingdom in the 10th century and was ruled by the Hayahya. Many relics from the reign of King Ashoka were discovered in here. In the 16th century, the city was ruled by the Gonds and then taken over by the Marathas in the 17th century. The British defeated the Marathas in the 19th century and made Jabalpur the headquarter of Nerbudda territories. It also became the capital of Saugor which is the present day Sagar District and Nerbudda District. After Independence, the cantonment in the city was dedicated to army training and a vehicle factory and a gun carriage factory were also established. Once a part of the Gond empire, the history of Jabalpur, inspired by figures like Rani Durgavati is a strong evidence of the strength of Indian women. Jabalpur not only mesmerizes us through the beauty of the Kalachuri art and unique constructions like the Madan Mahal Fort but also reminds of the sacrifice of Mahatma Gandhi whose remains were immersed in the Narmada in Tilwara Ghat amidst pure marble on both sides. A great deal of importance was given to make this city a famous tourist destination.

Jabalpur is home to many religions from around the country. Hindi is the language which is predominantly spoken here. Marathi and Urdu are also understood widely around the city. The culture here is closely related to Hindu culture as the majority of the people living here are Hindu. Jabalpur is famous for its durry designs which is a craft form where carpets are handmade from cotton and wool. The city is also known as Sanskardhani and is the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh as it is associated with many cultural connoisseurs who have performed exceptionally in the department of fine arts. Rammanohar Sinha who was the designer of the original preamble to the Constitution of India was native to this city. Famous personalities like Makhanlal Chaturvedi, Harishankar Parsai, Beohar Rajendra Simha, Subhadrakumari Chauhan, Seth Govind Das and Roopkumar Soni are from Jabalpur.

Jabalpur has a number of well laid out restaurants as well as flavors, spices and delicacies of the streets that you should not miss. Indulge in local food items such as Bhels, Aloo-Tikki, Chaat, Dosas, Lassi, Rabri, Jalebi and more. Also try the lip-smacking 'Indian-Chinese' food available here.
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Day 1: Enjoy a lifetime experience in a boat on the Narmada amidst marble mountains in Bedhaghat.(most preferably in moonlight) Follow the Narmada to the Dhuandhar Falls and let the beauty of nature sink in your mind.
Day 2: Explore the Madan Mahal Fort, Rani Durgavati Museum, Balancing rocks.
Day 3: One may visit Pisanhari ki Madiya and Chausath Yogini temple or experience an evening arti on the Narmada in Gwarighat.
Day 4: Enjoy a day out in Dumna Nature Reserve or proceed to Kanha National Park for a jungle adventure.