Introduction: The great poet "Kalidas" was amazed at beauty of Amarkantak.Though that beauty is not there yet the green Mountain, water fall and loneliness are still even today asset of Amarkantak.
We left chhatisgarh fort station at 8.30 P.m. by Sarnath Express and reached pendra road at 2 p.m. At dawn we left the station and availed Amarkantak but. By Zigzag way we reached Amarkantak (45 k.m.) in one and half hour. The work of temple and its main gate is not yet complete. We took shelter in newly buitd "Athishala". I want straight on the bed and took a nap. I got of at 11 a.m and straight went to a "Marwari" hotel.
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| Kapil-Dhara (Amarkantak) |
The view from the hotel is both holy and eye catching. On the other side on the road there is green land touching the "Narmada" river. On the stone ghats the tourist were bathing. For river dam water is not flowing. On the other bank of the "Normada" there is dense forest. We crossed the main entrance and arrived at stone build large yard surrounded by wall. At the middle there is holy "Narmada Kunda" and 12 small-large temples are present. Apart from them Goreksnath, Suryanarayan, Haragauri, Radha-Krishna, are worshiped. The temples are simple and made of brick not more than 100 - 150 years old. On one side we saw a burnt-brick made headless horse rider sits beside headless "Mahut". The energetic tourists were passing beneath the narrow Elephant in the hope of having got rid of sin. Two half-sank temples are in "Normada Kunda" and a stone structure raises his head on the water. Here bathing is forbidden. Just behind this on one green "Tila" are the ancient temples of the "Kalchuri dynasty". The temple and the yard were like a Pyramid and the adjacent "Shiva" temple was also of the same type. There is the temple of "Karnadev" same distance up. There are 15 small and big temple, all are somehow damaged.
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| Old Normoda Temples (Amarkantak) |
The historical age of "Amarkantok" is not less than 300 years. The hilly road has gone through ups and downs. The total place is lonely and after only one K.m walk we could reach "Narmada Maika Bagicha". There are some hermits dwelling and in the middle a small temple of "Normada Devi". On return we went to "Mritunjoy Ashram". Next day we went to "Kapildhara", 7 K.m. away. Crossing the bus stand and keeping on right hand one by one forest department office, "Ramkrishan Mission" we went ahead and our constant companion on the left hand is the Normoda river. The dam on the Normoda river came to our view. We went up on the hilly road and our car stopped at "Kapil-ban" and the tribal Museum is very near. Through the green forest, the red soiled road is going to "Kapil-dhara". Just beside, there is a cave-temple dedicated after famous "Kapil-Muni".
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| New Normoda Temples (Amarkantak) |
We went to "Shone-mura", the origin of "Shone" river, in the return journey. We went downwards through steeps and there was a hanging watch tower. The hill suddenly ends here and this place though 3500 feet above sea level but a ended here.
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| Shiva Temple (Amarkantak) |
How to go: There are some train to reach "Bilaspur" from Kolkata like the Mumbai Mail (No - 2810), the Ahmedabad Express (No - 2834) etc. The Narmada Express (No - 8234) reaches Pendra from Bilaspur. From Pendra by bus Amarkantak is only one and half hour journey. There are also some buses, though few, to reach Amarkantak from here.
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