Vacation at Pachmarhi

Went on a four day trip to Pachmarhi Ex-Nagpur over the last weekend. Pachmarhi is at a distance of around 255 km from Nagpur. The route is via Saoner (on the NH to Bhopal), Sauser, Ramakona, Chindwara, Parasia, Tamia, Matkuli and finally Pachmarhi (pronounced Pachmadhi and Pachmarie by the saabs!). We departed by car in the morning at around 0840 and reached Pachmarhi at 1530 with stops on the way for lunch and to stretch our legs. The road upto Chindwara is a dream. The road thereafter is getting broadened at places, thereby giving you some bumps. The 'ghat' section at Tamia is pretty bad and calls for really slow driving, if you care for your car! The road from Matkuli to Pachmarhi ('Ghats' once again) have been freshly laid and are in great shape. Therefore, but for the 50 km stretch close to Tamia, the roads are in great shape. You will have to contend with three 'Ghat' sections from Nagpur to Pachmarhi.

Pachmarhi is, in my opinion, one of the Hill stations which have been maintained in as-is-where-is condition since the Raj, but for some hotels which have come up in the town (an overgrown village!). One of the reasons for any lack of visible 'development' could be that most of the town comes under the Cantonment Board and cannot be messed with easily!!

The place is reasonably unpolluted and is a feast for the eyes, if you love Nature and the outdoors. Those who are looking for a 'normal' holiday will be extremely disappointed. There are atleast 70-80 spots to be seen in and around Pachmarhi. However, quite a few were closed as the roads (if you can call them so!) leading to the same had not been done up post the rains. You also have to be prepared to trek after alighting from the vehicle at each point and should be appropriately attired for the same.

If you want to enjoy yourselves and have time to soak in the place, you need to plan for a stay of at least two full days at Pachmarhi. If you have a vehicle of your own, some of the places which are easily accessible could be seen by you on the first day. On the second day, you can hire a vehicle (4 wheel drive) for reaching the difficult spots and the spots which need a forest permit (valid for the same day) to access. The spots which need a permit are Apsara Vihar, Rajat Prapat (Silver Falls), Dhoopgarh, Bee Falls & Duchess Falls. The permit can be obtained from the Forest office at Bison Lodge. The permit costs Rs. 250 & another Rs. 158 for the guide who is supposed to accompany you. You actually don't need a guide at Pachmarhi. The position as regards guides accompanying the tourists' is vague and I was able to insist and have my way that I don't need a guide. It helped that the guides really did not appear keen to accompany the tourists. However, you may take a guide along if you wish to help the locals.

I will explain as to why it is important to hire a vehicle. Some of the spots can only be accessed after a drive through dirt tracks, making it tortuous for normal vehicles which are not 'off-roaders'. Further, the forest authorities don't allow private vehicles beyond a certain point on these tracks. So, even if you wish to drive further, you will perforce have to trek or hire another vehicle on the spot which could be an expensive proposition compared to when you hire the vehicle for the entire day. For example, you can hire a 'Gypsy' for anywhere from Rs. 650-800/-for a full day whereas, hiring a 'Gypsy' for a 400 m drive at Apsara Vihar or Bee Falls could set you back by Rs. 300! I found a helpful guy called Manish Jaiswal (094069 40652, 94244 71733) who arranged for the 'Gypsy' for our tour.

The places which can be accessed on your own are as follows:

(a) Christ Church- a protestant church built in 1875. Great Architecture.Not open to the Public except on Sundays. We were lucky to have a dekho as we reached the place when the caretaker was cleaning the place. You can try looking for the caretaker in the nearby Methodist school. The stained glass panes adorning the walls and rear of the altar were supposedly imported from Europe.

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(b) Pandava Caves- five ancient cave dwellings excavated in the sandstone on a low hill. Right next to the Cantonment dwellings. View of the Sunset is good from here. Pachmarhi supposedly derives its name from these caves, which as per legend, hosted the five pandav brothers;

(c) Mahadeo- Regarded as holy for countless generations, Mahadeo Temple has a shrine with an idol of Lord Shiva and an impressive Shivalinga. If you plan to trek to Chauragarh, this is the place from which the route lies. Chauragarh is reached after a 4 km trek from Mahadeo and it's a prominent landmark with a temple on top of the hill.

(d) Handi Khoh- Pachmarhi's most impressive ravine is a sight to behold. The depth is approximately 300 ft.

(e) Bison Lodge- Oldest house in Pachmarhi, built in 1862. A Museum now. Can be given a miss.

(f) Jata Shankar- A sacred cave housing a temple under a mass of loose boulders. The first spot worth a visit on entering Pachmarhi.

(g) Priyadarshini- Vantage viewing point marks the place from where Captain Forsyth discovered Pachmarhi. Involves a trek of 350 m from the road.

(h) Catholic Church- Worth a visit if ancient buildings enchant you. Built in 1892. Situated within the Army Campus. You will need permission to enter the camp and view the church.

(j) Pachmarhi Lake- Man made lake. Pedal boats are available for hire. Fulfills the requirement of a lake at Pachmarhi, as is mandated for every hill station!!

The places which need a permit and can be visited on the second day are as follows:

(a) Rajat Prapat (Silver Falls) & Apsara Vihar: Both of them are almost co-located and it's best to attempt them in the morning as it involves a trek of approx 1.6 km to Silver falls, of which about 400 m is stony and downhill (on the way out).

After seeing the Silver Falls you can set course for a short trek to Apsara Vihar. Great place. Needs some careful climb down to reach the place. This is where Kareena is supposed to have frolicked in the water for 'Ashoka'. Nice place where you can spend some quiet moments with family.

(b) Bee Falls- A spectacular fall. Difficult to reach the base which involves a climb down of approx 400 m. Not advisable for heart patients, the elderly and people with ailments. If you have small children accompanying you, it would be advisable to arrange for a porter to carry them at least on the return. The falls are the most crowded place and you will find the place full of bathers in various poses of undress!! Trust me, its not a place where you can spend some time although the falls are spectacular.

(c) Reechgarh- A wonderful amphitheatre in the rock, approached through a cave like entrance. A great place which proves that nature can be amazing and mysterious, at times.

(d) Dhoopgarh- Highest point in the Satpura Range, with a magnificient view of the surrounding ranges, if the visibility is fine. THE place for viewing sunsets at Pachmarhi. You can also set course thereto in the morn for a view of the sunrise, although that will involve a long & hair raising ride, early in the morning. A Forest Lodge which existed at the summit, has now been converted into a tourist centre.