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Dhuandhar Falls

Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat

Soaring in glittering splendour, the Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat rise to a hundred

feet on either side of the Narmada. The serene loveliness of the scene is one of cool
quiet, the sunlight sparkling on the marble-white pinnacles and casting dappled
shadows on the pellucid waters. These white rocks with views of black and dark
green volcanic seams are truly majestic, and produce a magical effect on moonlit
nights
The holy river flows by tranquilly flanked by the towering cliffs which reflect in it like
a mirror the changing moods of nature. A little distance away, it becomes turbulent
as it plunges in a mighty water fall known as Dhuandhar.
In his Highlands of Central India Captain J. Forsyth speaks eloquently about the
infinitely varied beauty of the rocks :
"the eye never wearies of the . . . effect produced by the broken and reflected
sunlight, now glancing from a pinnacle of snow-white marble reared against the
deep blue of the sky as from a point of silver, touching here and there with bright
lights the prominence of the middle heights and again losing itself in the soft bluish
grays of their recesses. . .
Here and there the white saccharine limestone is seamed by veins of dark green or
black volcanic rock; a contrast which only enhances like a setting of jet, the purity
of the surrounding marble."

Places to visit
Marble Rocks
The perpendicular magnesium limestone rocks fringe the
crystal clear placid waters of the Narmada providing a
fascinating site. Boating facilities are available between
November-May. Boating on a moonlit night, when the whole
stretch of water is transformed into a sheet of liquid silver is
absolutely magical. In the narrow channel of the mighty river,

there is a place approached so closely from the opposite

banks that the local people have aptly named it the
"Monkey's Leap" .

Dhuandhar Falls
The Narmada, making its way through the Marble Rock,s narrows down and then
plunges in a waterfall known as Dhuandhar or the smoke casade. So powerful is
the plunge that its roar is heard from a far distance. The falls and the breaking of
the volume of water at the crest present an awesome spectacle of Nature's power
unleashed.
Chausat Yogini Temple
Situated atop a hillock and approached by a long flight of steps, the Chusat Yogini
Temple commands a singularly beautiful view of the Narmada flowing through the
jagged Marble Rocks. Dedicated to goddess Durga, this 10th century temple has
exquisitely carved stone figures of deities belonging to the kalchuri period.
According to a local legend, this ancient temple is connected to the Gond Queen
Durgavati's palace through an underground passage.
Soapstone Artefacts
The soapstone revealed by the Narmada provides occupation to families of carvers
of gods and goddesses, lingas, crosses, madonnas, ashtrays and trinket boxes.

Access
By Air : Jabalpur (23 km) is the nearest airport.
By Rail : Jabalpur, on the Mumbai-Howrah via Allahabad main line, is the main
railhead. All mail, express and passenger trains halt here.
By Road : Frequent buses, tempos and taxis are available from Jabalpur

Dhuandhar
As the name suggests, this place is one of smoke (dhuan) as well as the cascade
(dhar), a blessed combination made possible by the wondrous Narmada. With an
origin at Amarkantak, some two hundred kilometres away and then a meander
through the hills and hillocks of eastern Madhya Pradesh, the river gains enough
magnificence and strength by the time it reaches the outskirts of Jabalpur to
present some pretty natural sights.

You may also be interested in this deeper view:

The strangely robust topography of the area has made even the likes of Narmada
bow. As the river hustles and bustles through the terrain, it is made to pass

Bhedaghat Marble Rocks

From Dhuandhar, we push off to Bhedaghat. It isnt far and takes the vehicle just
ten minutes. Evening has set in, and we rush to avoid the after-dusk effect.
Bhedaghat is also on the Narmada, offering a gateway to admire the scintillating
marble rocks on the river. The serenity of the place enthrals, the river is anything
but the turbulent sort we had witnessed earlier. The calmness is breathtaking.

I find another photogenic environ. The click goes again.

The rocks continue to enthral me. So does the serene water. Vast reaches of the
river that flows quietly through. The river is deep; at one point of our seamless
endeavour the guide indicates that the depth is 350 pt. I havent much of an
inclination in checking the veracity of the claim but am rather left astounded at
this fact. It somehow seems that there is a big body of water in deep marble
valley and I am on it. This feeling leaves me in a state of magic trance.

as a Maruti after an accident. But then who wants a badly twisted Maruti!

Nothing on world can be better, at this moment!

The earth seems one big endless pool of water.