Trip To Dhuandhar Waterfall Jabalpur: Niagara Waterfall of India

The geography of India is one of the most diverse geographies in the world and the Indian subcontinent hosts some of the largest rivers and Mountain Ranges of the world. Central India is famous for its flora and fauna and it accounts for nearly 30% forest cover of India. River Narmada flows through this region and forms a boundary between North India and South India. Narmada River flows through a rift valley between the Satpura and Vindhya Range and throughout its course it covers a wide variety of landscapes. While passing through the district of Jabalpur in the state of Madhya Pradesh it forms a waterfall which is popularly known as “Dhuandhar Waterfall”. A large number of tourists and pilgrims visit this spectacular waterfall every year and this waterfall is featured on the list of most visited waterfalls in India.

The marble rocks of Narmada River provide a livelihood to locals as they sell statues of Gods and Goddess to tourists carved out of these Marble Rocks. Although there are many waterfalls in India the flow of water at Dhuandhar waterfall beats any other waterfall in India and therefore it was named Dhuandhar. Dhuandhar waterfall is the most visited place in Jabalpur district and I would recommend all my readers to visit this place once in their lifetime. In this article, I would be describing my trip to Dhuandhar Waterfall Jabalpur, how to reach Dhuandhar waterfall, which is the best time to visit Dhuandhar Waterfall and other places to visit nearby to Dhuandhar waterfall. I hope this article would serve as a guide to all my readers and they would be able to enjoy this spectacular gift of nature.

My Trip to Dhuandhar Waterfall Jabalpur

New Delhi to Jabalpur

I had read about the Dhuandhar waterfall and the Marble rocks alongside river Narmada in Jabalpur during my college days but never had a chance to visit this place. My friend was getting married and the marriage venue was in Bhopal i.e. the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. The distance between Bhopal and Jabalpur is only 300 Km and it was a perfect time for me to fulfill my college days wish. I decided to explore the city of Jabalpur first and then attend the marriage ceremony. I tweaked my plan and booked a train ticket from New Delhi to Jabalpur. There are 5-6 trains running on a daily basis from New Delhi to Jabalpur. I booked my ticket in New Delhi-Jabalpur Superfast Express Train and after 16 hours of a train journey, I reached the city of Jabalpur at 7 A.M in the morning. After depositing my luggage in cloakroom I was ready to explore the beauty of Narmada River through the marble rocks of Jabalpur.

Play the video to take a virtual tour of Dhuandhar Waterfall Jabalpur

Jabalpur Railway Station to Bhedaghat

The Dhuandhar waterfall is situated in a small town called Bhedaghat of Jabalpur District. Bhedaghat is approximately 26 km from Jabalpur Railway station and frequent bus and taxi services are available. If you are traveling via bus it would take approximately one hour and charge INR 25. If you wish to travel via Auto or Taxi then it would cost you around INR 400-500 but would definitely save your traveling time. As soon as you cross the city traffic everything gets smooth and you would start seeing the plateaus surrounded by thick forest cover.

Dhuandhar waterfall from long distance
Image of Dhuandhar Waterfall taken from the entrance gate a Bhedaghat

Bhedaghat and Exploring the Dhuandhar Waterfall

Once I reached Bhedaghat I saw a welcome gate constructed by Municipal Corporation of Bhedaghat. From the gate, you have to walk down nearly 1 km to reach the waterfall. If you are coming by your own vehicle or booked cab there is a parking facility available. The area around Bhedaghat has a lot of restaurants and small shops selling sculptures and idols carved on marble obtained from the Narmada River. You will see hundreds of shops on both sides of the path from Bhedaghat till you reach the Dhuandhar waterfall. After taking breakfast from one of the restaurants I was ready to explore the Dhuandhar waterfall and capture its beauty in my camera.

Dhuandhar Waterfall Bhedaghat Jabalpur
Entrance gate of Dhuandhar Waterfall at Bhedaghat. The waterfall is just 1 km from here.

The Dhaundhar Waterfall Jabalpur

The word Dhuandhar is a Hindi word derived from two words i.e. Dhuan (smoke) + Dhar (flow) which means when water falls from height to ground the water droplets get converted into water vapors giving an effect of mist formed by water. The word Dhuandhar has another meaning i.e. very fast which signifies the fast current of River Narmada while it falls from Dhuandhar Waterfall. I was nearly 30 meters away from the waterfall, still,l small water droplets were falling on my camera lens and it gave a feeling that someone is sprinkling water on you as if you are a guest. The force with which the waterfalls form Dhuandhar Waterfall is so turbulent that you can hear the roaring sound from quite a far distance. The Wikipedia Page of Dhuandhar waterfall mentions its height as 30 meters which is not correct. In fact, the height of the waterfall is around 30 feet or approximately 10 meters.

Dhuandhar Waterfall on Narmada River in Jabalpur
Image of Dhuandhar Waterfall taken from the nearest possible distance. One can notice the turbulent flow of Narmada River

Apart from regular tourists and visitor the site also attracts a large number of pilgrims who come here to bath in the water of Narmada River. It is a common belief in Hinduism that bathing in the river water on some auspicious day would wash away your sins. The entire area of Dhuandhar waterfall is surrounded by nature and you won’t find many facilities like changing rooms or restaurants. These facilities are available at the entrance gate of Bhedaghat. The state government has constructed barricading’s on the edge of rocks at the waterfall for the safety of visitors. You would only find small street vendors selling food items, toys, and marble statues. Apart from all the pros and cons, the best thing is that you would witness one of the best waterfalls in India and enjoy the great beauty of nature.

Pilgrims at Dhuandhar Waterfall in Jabalpur
A large number of Pilgrims and Saints visit Dhuandhar Waterfall to take bath in the holy water of Narmada River

Best Time to Visit Dhuandhar Waterfall in Jabalpur

The Dhuandhar Waterfall is open to the public throughout the year but it is not advisable to visit the waterfall in the summer months. Narmada River is a non-perennial river of India, therefore, its water content decreases significantly in the summer season. The best time to visit Dhuandhar Waterfall is after the rainy season i.e. from August till February as during this period of the year the river flows at its maximum capacity. If you are a religious person then you can visit the waterfall during Sharad Purnima. Narmada Mahotsava is celebrated with great pomp and show at Bhedaghat and you can plan your trip during this time.

Cable Car Service or Ropeway Facility at Dhuandhar Waterfall Jabalpur

One can access the Dhuandhar waterfall from the east as well as from the west bank of Narmada River. To reach the waterfall from the eastern bank you have to walk approximately one Kilometer as mentioned earlier. To see the other side of Dhaundhar Waterfall you have to take the Cable Car Service available at Bhedaghat. The Cable Car Service is available at the entrance gate of Bhedaghat. The ropeway facility starts from the eastern bank of Narmada River, crosses the river and then drops you at the west bank of the River. From there you can exit and explore the waterfall in a much better way. There are few points on the western bank of Narmada River which can be viewed like the steady flow of Narmada River through Marble Rocks but if you have a lack of time then I won’t recommend you to visit there. Cable Car Service or Ropeway Facility at Dhuandhar Waterfall charges INR 85 per person for one complete trip which is not a big amount and therefore one should try viewing the waterfall from there too (you can see the video embedded in this page). From 1:30 P.M to 2:00 P.M the ropeway facility is not available as the staff goes for lunch.

Dhuandhar Waterfall In Jabalpur
Image of Dhuandhar Waterfall taken from Ropeway.

Other Places to Visit near Dhuandhar Waterfall Jabalpur

There are many places to visit in the proximity of Dhuandhar Waterfall. Within a radius of 2 kilometers, there is a temple of Chausath Yogini, Panchmatha Temple, and Boat Ride through the Marble Rocks of Narmada River.

Chausath Yogini

The Chausath Yogini Temple is dedicated to Sixty Four yoginis (Chausath means sixty-four and Yoginis means female attendant of the mother goddess). The temple is circular in shape and it is situated nearly 500 meters from the Bhedaghat entrance gate. According to locals, the Chausath Yogini temple was built by the Kalchuri Dynasty in the 10th century and later it was destroyed and deformed by Mughal invaders. The temple hosts the idols of the Mother Goddess and Lord Shiva and to reach there you have to climb nearly 150 stairs. The temple complex is circular in shape and consists of 64 shrines dedicated to specific yoginis. The idols of each yogini are carved with uttermost precaution and they look beautiful. The architectural plan of the Indian Parliament is copied from the design of the Chausath Yogini Temple.

Chausath Yogini Temple Jabalpur
The architectural plan of Indian Parliament is copied from the design of Chausath Yogini Temple.

Panchmatha Temple

The Panchmatha Temple is situated nearly 200 meters from the Chausath Yogini Temple and one can also visit this place and pray to Gods.

Boat Ride through Marble Rocks of Narmada in Jabalpur
Boat Ride through Marble Rocks of the Narmada in Jabalpur

Boat Ride through the Marble Rocks of Narmada River

Another must do a thing at Bhedaghat is Boat Ride through the Marble Rocks of Narmada River. The Boat ride is available at Panchvati Ghat which is approximately one kilometer from Bhedaghat. Here the flow of Narmada River is steady which makes boating possible. Depending upon your budget you can reserve a boat or use a shared one. The charges for a shared boat is INR 50 for half an hour and INR 100 for one hour. The best thing about Boat Ride through the Marble Rocks of Narmada River is that every boat has a person dedicated to commentary. Through the boat ride, you would be able to see the Marble Rocks from a very close distance. Throughout this one hour ride, you will witness some best scenes of Narmada River and Natural scenery. The place is also famous for the shooting of a large number of Bollywood Movies. The Hindi Movie Asoka, as well as the crocodile fight scenes of movie Mohenjo Daro, were shot here.

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