Pachmarhi is a

hill station A hill station is a town located at a higher elevation than the nearby plain or valley. The term was used mostly in colonial Asia (particularly in India), but also in Africa (albeit rarely), for towns founded by European colonialists as refuges ...

Narmadapuram district Narmadapuram district is one of the districts of Madhya Pradesh state of India, and Narmadapuram city is the district headquarters. Geography The district has an area of 5408.23 km². Narmadapuram district is bounded by the districts of R ...

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 ...

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

of 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 ...

. It has been the location of a

cantonment A cantonment (, , or ) is a military quarters. In Bangladesh, India and other parts of South Asia, a ''cantonment'' refers to a permanent military station (a term from the British India, colonial-era). In military of the United States, United Stat ...

(Pachmarhi Cantonment) since

British Raj The British Raj (; from Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British Crown on the Indian subcontinent; * * it is also called Crown rule in India, * * * * or Direct rule in India, * Quote: "Mill, who was himsel ...

. It is widely known as ''Satpura ki Rani'' ("Queen of

Satpura The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and ends in Chhattisgarh. The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and th ...

"), situated at a height of 1067 m in a valley of the

Satpura Range The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and ends in Chhattisgarh. The range parallels the Vindhya Range to the north, and these ...

Dhupgarh Mount Dhupgarh or Dhoopgarh is the highest point in the Mahadeo Hills (Satpura Range), Madhya Pradesh, India. Located in Pachmarhi in Hoshangabad district Narmadapuram district, formerly Hoshangabad district, is one of the districts of Mad ...

, the highest point (1,352 m) in

and the

range, is located here. It is a part of Satpura Biosphere Reserve. Pachmarhi is a hill station of central India. It is also famous for Satpura Tiger Reserve, Satpura National Park,

Lord Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

Pandava The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, IAST: Pāṇḍava) refers to the five legendary brothers— Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva—who are the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. They are acknowledg ...

s of

Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruk ...

History

The name Pachmarhi is believed to be derived from the Hindi words ''Panch'' ("five") and ''Marhi'' ("caves"). According to a legend, these caves were built by five

brothers of

Mahabharatha The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the struggle between two groups of cousins in the Kuruks ...

era during their thirteen years of exile. The caves are situated on a hilltop and provide an excellent vantage point. Pachmadhi region was Ruled by Bhonsale Kings।. It came under Marathas in 18th Century under SenaSahebSubha Maharaj Raghuji Raje Bhonsale। Before the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

, the Pachmarhi region was under the kingdom of the Gond Bhagvat Singh, although it was not a populated village or town at that time. Captain James Forsyth of the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

along with Subhedar Major Nathoo Ramji Powar who was later made the Kotwal (in charge of the armoury) of Pachmarhi, spotted the plateau in the Pachmarhi region in 1857, while leading his troops on the way to

Jhansi Jhansi (; Hindi: झांसी, Urdu: ) is a historic city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It lies in the region of Bundelkhand on the banks of the Pahuj River, in the extreme south of Uttar Pradesh. Jhansi is the administrative hea ...

. It quickly developed into

and

sanatorium A sanatorium (from Latin '' sānāre'' 'to heal, make healthy'), also sanitarium or sanitorium, are antiquated names for specialised hospitals, for the treatment of specific diseases, related ailments and convalescence. Sanatoriums are often ...

for British troops in the

Central Provinces The Central Provinces was a province of British India. It comprised British conquests from the Mughals and Marathas in central India, and covered parts of present-day Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra states. Its capital was Nagpur. ...

of India. The population in 1901 was 3,020, rising to double that number in the hot summer months. Pachmarhi also served as the

summer capital A summer capital is a city used as an administrative capital during extended periods of particularly hot summer weather. The term is mostly of relevance in historical contexts of political systems with ruling classes that would migrate to a summe ...

for the

. The forest around the town is home to many rare varieties of plants.

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

added Pachmarhi park to its list of

Biosphere Reserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...

s in May 2009. The total area of Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve is 4981.72 km². It is located at longitude 22° 11’ to 22° 50’N and latitude 77° 47’ to 78° 52’E. It covers parts of three civil districts, viz; Hoshanga bad (59.55%), Chhindwara (29.19%) and Betul (11.26%). It includes three wildlife conservation units viz., Bori Sanctuary 485.72 km²), Satpura National Park (524.37 km²) and Pachmarhi Sanctuary (491.63 km²).

Town

The town is not very large, and most of its area is under the administration of the Pachmarhi Cantonment Board, serving the

Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...

. It is the center of the Army Education Corps (AEC). The population of Pachmarhi is about 12,062 as per the report released by Census India 2011, most of whom are connected with the Army installations, tourism, and forest department. A rarely used airstrip is situated on way to

. It is overrun with grass and is seldom used. A Helipad is also there near the airstrip. Tigers and Bisons are known to have been sighted near the airstrip. Leopard sightings are common along the edge of the Pachmarhi Cantonment.

Climate

The climate is mild, with temperatures ranging from warm to cool. Summers have significantly more rainfall than winters. Köppen and Geiger classify this location as Cwa. The average temperature in this area is 21.7 °C. The average rainfall in this area is 2012 mm. May is the hottest month of the year, with an average temperature of 30.3 °C. December is the coldest month of the year, with an average temperature of 15.5 °C.

Tourism

Pachmarhi is a tourist retreat. Throughout the year, tourists visit Pachmarhi. There are numerous hotels, most of which are located near the market. Only a few cottages, resorts, and MP tourism hotels are located in the Pachmarhi area, about 2 or 3 kilometres from the bus stop. Pachmarhi's forests are home to numerous cave paintings, some of which are estimated to be 10,000 years old. The garden at the base of Pandava Caves, a tourist attraction, is depicted in the photograph. Although the caves are Buddhist in nature, the name has stuck. The area has abundant timber reserves, including teak, but due to its status as a reserve, no new construction or tree felling is permitted. Pachmarhi, which has a diverse and rare flora and fauna, requires central and state government approval for any new construction outside of the town limits. Some of the places of tourist interest here are: *

Rajat Prapat The Rajat Prapat is a waterfall in Narmadapuram district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is the 30th highest waterfall in India. The falls It is a horsetail type waterfall with a single drop of . Etymology When sunlight falls on it ...

(large waterfall) *Bee Fall *Bada Mahadev *Gupt Mahadev *Chauragarh (Shiv devotees come here in huge numbers during

Mahashivratri Maha Shivaratri ( IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu ...

) *

(the highest peak of the Satpuras and Madhya Pradesh) *Handi Khoh (deep valley) *Apsara Falls (fairy pool) * Jatashankar (stalagmite-filled cave in a deep ravine) *Dutchess Fall *Pachmarhi Hill (whole view of Pachmarhi City) *Pansy Pool *Waters Meet *Picadilly Circus *Patharchatta *Crumps Crag *Lady Robertson's View *Colletin Crag *Mount Rosa *Reechgarh *Rajendra Giri (gardens with natural scenery) *Bansri Vihar *Little Fall *Naagdwari *Draupadi Kund *Twynham Pool *Chhota Mahadev *Nandigad Pachmarhi offers a variety of natural attractions such as lake boating, paragliding, greenery, views, waterfalls, mountain streams, and wildlife. Pachmarhi is also home to the National Adventure Institute, which hosts a variety of adventure training camps. Bharat Scout & Guides is also located there.

Wildlife

“ Satpura Tiger Réserve “ Large mammal species include

tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus '' Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on u ...

leopard The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus '' Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, a ...

wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

, gaur (''Bos gaurus''), chital deer (''Axis axis''),

muntjac deer Muntjacs ( ), also known as the barking deer or rib-faced deer, (URL is Google Books) are small deer of the genus ''Muntiacus'' native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. Muntjacs are thought to have begun appearing 15–35 million years ago, ...

, sambar deer (''Cervus unicolor''), and

rhesus macaque The rhesus macaque (''Macaca mulatta''), colloquially rhesus monkey, is a species of Old World monkey. There are between six and nine recognised subspecies that are split between two groups, the Chinese-derived and the Indian-derived. Generally b ...

s. The endemic fauna includes

chinkara The chinkara (''Gazella bennettii''), also known as the Indian gazelle, is a gazelle species native to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India. Taxonomy The following six subspecies are considered valid: * Deccan chinkara (''G. b. bennettii'') ...

nilgai The nilgai (''Boselaphus tragocamelus'') (, literally meaning "blue cow") is the largest Asian antelope and is ubiquitous across the northern Indian subcontinent. It is the sole member of the genus ''Boselaphus'' and was described by Peter Sim ...

, wild dogs, the

Indian wolf The Indian wolf (''Canis lupus pallipes'') is a subspecies of gray wolf that ranges from Southwest Asia to the Indian Subcontinent. It is intermediate in size between the Himalayan wolf and the Arabian wolf, and lacks the former's luxuriant wint ...

, bison,

Indian giant squirrel The Indian giant squirrel or Malabar giant squirrel (''Ratufa indica'') is a large multi-coloured tree squirrel species endemic to forests and woodlands in India. It is a diurnal, arboreal, and mainly herbivorous squirrel. Distribution and hab ...

s, and flying squirrels.

Biosphere

The forests of Pachmarhi, especially in the summer, are densely forested with fruit trees such as mangoes, jamun, custard fruit, and lesser-known but delicious local fruits such as khatua, tendu, chunna, khinni, and chaar. The forest is also known for its abundance of medicinal plants and herbs. Pachmari's forest is also densely forested with oak and blue pine.

Dhupgarh

Satpura ranges' highest point is 1352 m. It's well-known for its sunrise and sunset views. At night, one can see the lights of neighbouring towns such as Itarsi. During the day, the lush green valley provides a captivating view. The summit can be reached by road or by foot.

Chauragarh

This is the third highest peak. It is a pilgrimage site with Lord Siva's temple at the top. There is a Chauragarh fort there built by the king

Sangram Shah Sangram Shah was a king of the Garha Kingdom of Gondwana, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Sangram Shah, who belonged to the Gond Dynasty in central India, was the 48th and most well known ruler of the dynasty, and during his reign he had c ...

of Gond dynasty It is Developed by SenaSahebSubha Janoji Maharaj of Nagpur। From the Maratha Era the Pilgrimage from Nagpur Start। It is also a very well known spot for sunrise viewing. The sunrising scene seen here is breathtaking and climbing 1365 steps to reach the point makes it worth.During the festivity of Nagpanchami and Mahashivratri, devotees flock to chauragarh temple in large numbers, heaving up massive near about 2 lakh '' trishuls'' as offerings which are kept in front of the temple and also in the way of the temple.

Bee Hill and Bee Falls

This is a waterfall in Pachmarhi. It is named as such because from a distance the waterfall sounds like a bee. Bee Falls takes its name from bees since this place is famous for honey bees.

Dutchess Fall

This waterfall is the most remote. There are

Doctor Fish The red garra (''Garra rufa''), also known as the doctor fish or nibble fish, is a species of cyprinid that is native to a wide range of freshwater habitats in subtropical parts of Western Asia. This small fish typically is up to about in tot ...

in the pool made by the waterfall. The road to this waterfall is extreme, with very steep inclinations. There is straight downward trekking of 1 km.

PanarPani

Panarpani has a natural fresh water lake with forest around.

Sangam

This is a conflux of mountain streams behind

. The water in these streams is crystal clear in all seasons except of course autumn.

Jatashankar and Mahadev caves

These are mountain caves with fresh water dripping from them. One can witness ecosystem at work out here with mountains feeding the streams with fresh water, the water that they soak-in during autumn. As the name suggests, these caves and many others like these are the abode of

lord Siva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...

Silver Falls

Also called Rajat Prapat/Big Fall. The falls comes 2800+ feet roaring down the gorge creating a silver streak that gives its name. The view of dense, serene, virgin forest and stream is simply mesmerizing.

Apsara Vihar

This is a mountain stream that creates a natural water pool, cascades and waterfall in its course.

Other waterfalls

Pachmarhi's ecosystem includes other waterfalls such as Little Fall. New year event in Pachmarhi utsav Every year from 25 to 31 December, Pachmarhi utsav is organized by govt. Of Mp. In which various celebrities have been called to perform stage shows at utsav ground and various places. At the end of 31 an event is organized by local association Pachmarhi Partyan Mitra and MARRS

Film location

Massey Sahib ''Massey Sahib'' is a 1985 Hindi drama film directed by Pradip Krishen, starring Raghubir Yadav in the title role. It was Krishen's first film, and was an adaptation of Joyce Cary's 1939 novel '' Mister Johnson''. It won Yadav two international ...

(film 1985), featuring

Raghuvir Yadav Raghubir Yadav is an Indian actor, music composer, singer and set designer who works in Hindi films. He made his film debut with ''Massey Sahib'' (1985), in which he played the title role. He has won two International Awards as Best Actor for ...

Barry John Barry John (born 6 January 1945) is a former Welsh rugby union fly-half who played, during the amateur era of the sport, in the 1960s, and early 1970s. John began his rugby career as a schoolboy playing for his local team Cefneithin RFC befor ...

Arundhati Roy Suzanna Arundhati Roy (born 24 November 1961) is an Indian author best known for her novel ''The God of Small Things'' (1997), which won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997 and became the best-selling book by a non-expatriate Indian author. S ...

* Thodasa Roomani Ho Jaayen (film 1990), featuring

Nana Patekar Vishwanath Patekar (born 1 January 1951), better known as Nana Patekar, is an Indian actor, screenwriter, film maker, and a former Indian Territorial Army officer, mainly working in Hindi and Marathi cinema. He is regarded as one of the finest a ...

Anita Kanwar Anita Kanwar is an Indian film and television actor who is best known for her role as ''Lajjo ji'' in the 1980s Doordarshan mega soap opera ''Buniyaad''. An alumnus of the National School of Drama (1978 batch), Kanwar has also worked in films ...

* Tarkieb (film 2000), featuring

Tabbu Tabassum Fatima Hashmi (born 4 November 1971), credited as Tabu, is an Indian actress who works primarily in Hindi films, alongside Telugu, Tamil and English films. Regarded as one of the most accomplished actresses in Hindi cinema, she has o ...

Raghuveer Yadav Raghubir Yadav is an Indian actor, music composer, singer and set designer who works in Hindi films. He made his film debut with ''Massey Sahib'' (1985), in which he played the title role. He has won two International Awards as Best Actor for ...

Shilpa Shetty Shilpa Shetty Kundra (born Ashwini Shetty; Née Shetty; 8 June 1975) is an Indian actress who works mainly in Hindi-language films. Shetty made her screen debut in the thriller ''Baazigar'' (1993) which garnered her nominations for two Filmfare ...

Milind Soman Milind Soman (born 4 November 1965) is an Indian actor, supermodel, film producer, and fitness enthusiast. He was a contestant on '' Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 3''. Early and personal life Soman was born on 4 November 1965 in Glasgow, ...

Aśoka Ashoka (, ; also ''Asoka''; 304 – 232 BCE), popularly known as Ashoka the Great, was the third emperor of the Maurya Empire of Indian subcontinent during to 232 BCE. His empire covered a large part of the Indian subcontinent, ...

(film 2001), featuring

Shah Rukh Khan Shah Rukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), also known by the initialism SRK, is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. Referred to in the media as the " Baadshah of Bollywood", "King of Bollywood" ...

Kareena Kapoor Khan Kareena Kapoor Khan (; ''née'' Kapoor; born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for playing a var ...

Chakravyuh The Padmavyūha ( sa, पद्मव्यूह) or Chakravyūha ( sa, चक्रव्यूह) is a military formation used to surround enemies, depicted in the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. It resembles a labyrinth of multiple defensiv ...

(film 2012), featuring

Arjun Rampal Arjun Rampal (born 26 November 1972) is an Indian actor, model, film producer and television personality who works in Hindi films. He made his acting debut in Rajiv Rai's romance film ''Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat'' (2001) and has since gone on to ...

Abhay Deol Abhay Singh Deol (born 15 March 1976) is an Indian actor and producer who is known for his work in Hindi films alongside one Kannada and one Tamil film. Born in the Deol family, he made his on-screen debut in 2005 with Imtiaz Ali's romantic c ...

Manoj Bajpai Manoj Bajpayee (born 23 April 1969), also transliterated as Manoj Bajpai, is an Indian actor who predominantly works in Hindi cinema and has also done Telugu and Tamil language films. Regarded as one of the finest actors of Hindi cinema, he i ...

Om Puri Om Prakash Puri (18 October 1950 – 6 January 2017) was an Indian actor who appeared in mainstream commercial Hindi films as well as Bengali, Kannada,English, Punjabi and one Telugu film, as well as independent and art films and also starred ...

Esha Gupta Esha Gupta (; born 28 November 1985) is an Indian actress, model and the winner of the Miss India International title of 2007. She has established a career in Bollywood films. Gupta entered the Femina Miss India contest in 2007, where she plac ...

Access

Pachmarhi is well connected from

Hoshangabad Hoshangabad, officially known as Narmadapuram is a city and municipality in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Hoshangabad district and Narmadapuram division. It is located in central India, on the south ...

Bhopal Bhopal (; ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division. It is known as the ''City of Lakes'' due to its various natural and artificial lakes. It i ...

Itarsi Itarsi is a city and municipality in Madhya Pradesh, India in Narmadapuram District. Itarsi is a key hub for agricultural goods and is the biggest railway junction in Madhya Pradesh. Rail services from all 4 major metropolitan cities of India ...

Chhindwara , other_name = Corn city , nickname = , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , p ...

Gadarwara Gadarwara is a city and a municipality since 1867 in Narsinghpur district in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India. Geography Gadarwara is located at . It has an average elevation of 354.77 metres (1,163 feet). Gadarwara lies on the m ...

Narsinghpur Narsinghpur is a city in Madhya Pradesh in central India. It comes under Jabalpur division. Narsinghpur has a large temple dedicated to Lord Narsingh As of 2001, Narsinghpur is the most literate district of the state. History Prehistory ...

Indore Indore () is the largest and most populous Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. It is also considered as an education hub of the state and is t ...

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 ...

. Buses start from

Habibganj Rani Kamalapati is a suburb in Bhopal, India, in the BHEL township in the city of Bhopal. It is notable for the Rani Kamalapati Railway Station, the second busiest station in the city after the Bhopal Junction. This railway station was "reco ...

ISBT of Bhopal and generally take close to 5–6 hours and from Indore it takes 10–11 hours via Bhopal to reach Pachmarhi. The buses move through different towns like

Chhindwara , other_name = Corn city , nickname = , settlement_type = City , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = , p ...

, Babai,

Sohagpur Sohagpur is a town and a nagar panchayat in Hoshangabad district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the subdivisions and development blocks in Hoshangabad district. Sohagpur is also one of the legislative constituencies of Mad ...

and Pipariya. The Road name is State Highway 19 and change its name State Highway 19A from village Matkuli to pachmarhi, Matkuli is trijunction of Pipariya-Chhindwara-Pachmarhi way and pachmarhi is nearest from here about 28 km. Pipariya is the nearest railhead, many trains on Mumbai-Kolkata route stop at Pipariya.

Itarsi Junction Itarsi is a city and municipality in Madhya Pradesh, India in Narmadapuram District. Itarsi is a key hub for agricultural goods and is the biggest railway junction in Madhya Pradesh. Rail services from all 4 major metropolitan cities of India ...

is also a major railhead near pachmari. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation buses are available for Pachmarhi from

. These buses are air-conditioned.

Transport

The nearest airport is

. The nearest railway station is Pipariya.

References

External links

Pachmarhi Travel Company
*
Pachmarhi Tourist Places at MP Tourism

{{Authority control Hill stations in Madhya Pradesh Cantonments of India Biosphere reserves of India Cantonments of British India Tourism in Madhya Pradesh Locations in Hindu mythology