“Sahib! 50 me Jump, 50 me Jump, 50 me Jump.”
You can hear these voices as you sail across the Marble cliffs of Bhedaghat, Madhya Pradesh. Located on the banks of the Narmada, around 25 km away from Jabalpur, the city is known for its mysterious color changing Marble cliffs, the falls of Dhuandhar, and the Chaunsath Yogini temple.
The mystery of Marble Rocks!
This marble rocks gorge is formed by the erosion of the Narmada river as it flows towards east. The river often termed as the “lifeline of Madhya Pradesh” is responsible for making these cliffs as it flows through these limestone structures creating a beautiful spectrum of shapes and shades.
Spread over the stretch over 8 km, the site is best visited through boat rides with guide narrating local stories and musings all along. River, after cutting across these cliffs merges to become a smoky mighty waterfall called as Dhuandhar.
Thanks to the various angles of Sunlight onto different parts of the cliffs, one can see different shades of color traversing through the ranges. There is White, wheat and brown, and then there is pinkish-bluish-green; while the cliffs are largely made of soft marble and limestones, they do appear as soapstone if observed keenly.
To go around the cliff, and to closely look at them, one can opt for a boat ride or cable car ride which will take them through the gorge. For even more mystical experience, make sure to take a guided boat ride in the moonlight as the reflection of the rocks in the water is an absolute treat to the eye. We bet you won’t be able to take your eyes off from the channel as the beauty and immersive aura envelopes you with it.
Adding onto its charm and thriller is the courageous act done by several children who perform live jumps from the cliff, sometimes from height nearing to as high as 100 ft direct into the deep waters. One jump is charged INR 50 generally per passenger per boat. A documentary made by Scroll.in features some of these fearless boys, amongst whom the only one to jump from the Dhuandhar fall is a boy named Guru. This video is recommended to get an intimate experience of the act performed by the Boys of Bhedaghat.
Stories and beyond!
Boatman here are skilled storytellers: you hear a plethora of stories about the rocks, their formation, about the Bollywood movies been shot in the area, about the shapes and sizes you spot on the cliffs, from three Monkey of Gandhi to the trilogy of Brahma Vishnu Shiv (trilogy of Hindu Lords), there’s just so much in here.
Raising the bar, is the separate nomenclature given to different areas according to their characteristics, for instance, you will find an open area with several prospective outlets being called as Bhulbhulia, the maze while the narrow cliffs at the very end of the route is known as Bandar Kodini(equivalent to Monkey’s Leap).
The standard boat ride generally ends at Bandar Kodini but given a few extra bucks and a daring boatman, one can surely enjoy the meticulous intricacies of the way ahead.
Not only to waterfall, but the marbles of Bhedaghat also makes their place amongst the various artifacts and handicrafts being made out of these stones and sell across several shops situated near the Ghat.
Things to keep in mind!
1:Nearest Airport: Jabalpur Airport, around 30 km away.
2:Nearest Railway Station: Jabalpur Railway Station, around 20 km away
3:Nearest Bus Stop: Ranjhi Bus Stand, around 30 km away.
4:The best time to visit the cliff is from October to April as boating is not available during Monsoon season for obvious reasons.
6:Both boating and Cable Car are available all seven days during the non-monsoon period from morning to moonlight.
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