The Marble Rocks is an area along the Narmada river in central

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

near the city of

Jabalpur Jabalpur is a city situated on the banks of Narmada River in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. According to the 2011 census, it is the third-largest urban agglomeration in Madhya Pradesh and the country's 38th-largest urban agglomeration. J ...

; in Bhedaghat of

Jabalpur District Jabalpur district is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The city of Jabalpur is the administrative headquarters of the district. The area of the district is 5,198 km² with population of 2,463,289 (2011 census). As of 201 ...

, in the state of

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

. The river has carved the soft

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite. Marble is typically not Foliation (geology), foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the ...

, creating a beautiful gorge of about 8 km in length. It is a popular Indian

tourist destination A tourist attraction is a place of interest that Tourism, tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of ...

. The local marble is mined and carved into various figures and transported all over India.

Geography

The Marble Rocks are a gorge along part of the Narmada River’s 1,077 km (669.2 mi) path through Madhya Pradesh.Narmada Control Authority
/ref> Earlier, the gorge was narrow in size and hence, monkeys could cross over from one side to another. This gave the gorge its local name- Bandar Kudni (meaning monkeys' jumping place). The white marbles are predominantly rich in

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

and are closer in hardness to soapstone. This softness allows them to be carved. The area also contains blue and brown coloured marble.

Attractions

The area has many tourist activities. There is a cable car to take visitors across the gorge, row boats for guided tours of the river downstream of the falls, and many small shops filled with crafts made from the local materials. The most beautiful time for boating is during Purnima; especially during Kojagari Puja on

Sharad Purnima Sharad Purnima (also known as Kumara Purnima, Kojagari Purnima, Navanna Purnima, Kojagrat Purnima or Kaumudi Purnima) is a religious festival celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu lunar month of Ashvin (September to October), marking t ...

, wherein boating is considered healing for the body and soul.Kojagari Puja
on Sharad Purnima

https://www.freepressjournal.in/cmcm/sharad-purnima-2017-kojagiri-purnima-significance-tithi-and-all-you-need-to-know] On Kaumudi celebration as it is also called; it's believed that the moon showers elixir or Amrit on Earth through its beams, as the moon and the earth are at closer distance on Sharad Purnima night, and due to this, the moonlight has magical healing properties which are said to nourish the body and soul of an individual. The moonlight on Purnima has magic healing properties, which is why it's acknowledged to shower ''Amrit Varsha'' (Elixir shower) on the Narmada river which meanders through the pristine rocks. Both bathing and boating are also considered very sacred on Kartik Purnima in the holy Kartik (month).

External links

*
MPTourism
on

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References

Landforms of Madhya Pradesh Tourist attractions in Jabalpur Rock formations of India Canyons and gorges of India {{MadhyaPradesh-geo-stub