Walkabout town in Pachmarhi to Pandav caves, Madhya Pradesh Photo Journal

Lotus flowers filled this lake and others during our trip in December to Pachmarhi. The Pandav caves, set at a height with a scenic view of manicured gardens added to the floral bonanza.

Lotus filled lake in Pachmarhi hill station

Garden setting with Pandav caves at a height in the background

Pandav caves and garden at pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh

A side chamber in Yudhishthir’s living area had a seat carved in the wall, and felt great for meditation.

On our first evening at Pachmarhi, we took a walk to Jatashankar Caves, and next morning it was time to see the Pandav caves. The jungles of Madhya Pradesh have many places which the Pandavs may have touched during their 13 years of exile (Mahabharata). The caves of Bhimbetka near Bhopal also get their name from Bhim, the third Pandav. Though the caves themselves belong to Paleolithic times, but the famous paintings are from the Mesolithic period and later. Bhimbetka is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The jungle is said to be Khandav van, mentioned in the world’s longest epic – Mahabharata, of which Bhagwad Gita is a small part.

Pandav Caves

Pandav caves at pachmarhi, madhya Pradesh

The five caves have been hand-carved out of the hillside itself. The biggest suite of rooms belonged to the eldest Pandav - Yudhishthir, the guide said. A side chamber in Yudhishthir’s living area had a seat carved in the wall, and felt great for meditation.

travel Pandav caves, pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh

On climbing the roof of the Pandav caves, we found ourselves stepping on the remains of a brick stupa. It felt like sacrilege to wear out the last remains of it with our footsteps! The guide explained that the bricks underfoot were a harbinger of new technology in construction practices. Evidently so – On the foundation of hand-carved hillside homes stood an indigenous brick and mortar stupa to commemorate man’s improving skills. The caves were used by Buddhists monks as residential and meditation quarters when the stupa was a living structure.

Garden around Pandav caves at Pachmarhi

Garden around pandav caves in pachmarhi hill station, Madhya Pradesh

pachmarhi hill station, Madhya Pradesh tourism

Travel guide to Pachmarhi

Road map to Pachmarhi


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Distance from Pachmarhi

Mumbai – Pachmarhi: 864 km

Bhopal – Pachmarhi: 211 km

By train

Piparia railhead is 47 km from Pachmarhi on the Mumbai-Howrah mainline, from where buses and taxis are available for Pachmarhi.

Anisha
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अच्युतं केशवं रामनारायणं कृष्णदामोदरं वासुदेवं हरिम्, अच्युतस्याष्टकम् : Achyutashtak Sanskrit Lyrics by Adi Shankaracharya ji