<p>Driving down from Jabalpur on a fairly good road lined by green fields on either side, and on which herds of cattle made frequent appearances to slow down our pace, we arrived at Bhedaghat in about an hour-and-a-half. It is one of Madhya Pradesh’s lesser-known tourist spots.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The state’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites — the Khajuraho temple complex, Bhimbetka rock shelters and Sanchi Buddhist monuments are better known to the rest of India. So is Mandu, which is on the tentative list. And thanks to their appeal to women, even Chanderi and Maheshwari, where the eponymous sarees are made, are also familiar to most Indians. Madhya Pradesh is rich in historical places — it has about 290 monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India, while there are 349 monuments protected by the MP State Department of Archaeology.<br /><br />Though lesser known than the world heritage sites, Bhedaghat does get its share of tourist hordes. It has famous sights — Dhuandhar Falls, marble rocks, and the Chausath Yogini temple. Also, this area is a flourishing centre for marble craft.<br /><br />Majestic cascades<br /><br />The massive, thundering Dhuandhar Falls has been sometimes called the Niagara Falls of India. You can take a boat ride over the rather tranquil Narmada river here to see the famous marble rocks up close. Rising up on either side of the waters, white in most places, pink and grey in some, these rocks are a beautiful sight. A cable car ride is another option. We chose to walk down.<br /><br />The way to the falls is lined with scores of craft and souvenir stores that sell a variety of marble-craft products, some also made of soapstone. The soft marble available in this area makes for a pliable raw material for these craftsmen. From tiny agarbatti (incense) holders and small grinders for a spoonful of ingredients to large statues of gods and famous persons, we saw an impressive range. Images in various stages of completion were in the corners of some stores and in some places, beside the showroom in a small dump-like area.<br /><br />These beautifully handcrafted pieces become a testimony to the skill of the local craftsmen. We were told that there are about 300 to 500 craftsmen there. We saw plenty of figures of animals used on decorative items — elephants, peacocks and horses mostly.<br />Kitchen utility items were available in abundance. Chapati rolling boards, trays and grinders of all shapes, sizes and weights were selling well.<br /><br />Idols of gods were seen in every store. Ganesha, Krishna, Durga, especially in her ashtabhuja (eight arms/hands) form, Sita and Rama, Shivalingas on pedestals, Nandi and Saraswati appeared to be the most popular. Interestingly, there were statues of national leaders like Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, what looked like Ambedkar, etc. Name plates are a big business — you can order one before you go down to visit the falls and it’ll be ready by the time you return.<br /><br />Flower vases and photoframes also crowded the shelves of these stores. Mirrors with marble frames jostled for space alongside those which were accessorised with shells. The variety of wall art was more evidence of their creativity and the finesse of their workmanship. Many of these craftsmen told us they had been practising this craft from generations and had been trained by their father or other elders in the family. <br /><br />First, sketches are made on paper. Then the items are painstakingly fashioned with the use of tools like drills, hammers, screwdrivers, handsaws, punch and point etc. Several artisans we spoke to told us they belonged to the Vishwakarma community, which has been traditionally associated with the fields of architecture and sculpture.<br /><br />However, a few of them had taken to the art out of sheer passion. Like Vishnu Sharma, whose showroom, with his workshop alongside and his home behind, is just opposite the Chausath Yogini Temple, which itself is a short distance from Dhuandhar Falls. He told us that he began trying his hand at this craft as a child, despite his father’s disapproval, and improved his skills. Today, his retail store does brisk business. He sells a lot of traditional Indian items to foreigners who admire it.<br /><br />Temple of posers<br /><br />The Chausath Yogini Temple here is a little treasure. ‘Yogini ’ refers to a female yogi or a sacred feminine force. The yogini cult is among the most secret of Hindu cults, and there are various theories about its origin and practices. This temple, we were told, is only among the four of its kind in India. <br /><br />Dated to 10th century, it has chausath (Hindi for 64) images of yoginis (hence the name). A long and steep flight of over 100 steps leads to the temple. I decided against the ascent, given the paucity of time. However, my friend, who had visited the place the previous day, said that the friendly priest shared all the information about the significance and history of the temple.</p>
<p>Driving down from Jabalpur on a fairly good road lined by green fields on either side, and on which herds of cattle made frequent appearances to slow down our pace, we arrived at Bhedaghat in about an hour-and-a-half. It is one of Madhya Pradesh’s lesser-known tourist spots.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The state’s three UNESCO World Heritage Sites — the Khajuraho temple complex, Bhimbetka rock shelters and Sanchi Buddhist monuments are better known to the rest of India. So is Mandu, which is on the tentative list. And thanks to their appeal to women, even Chanderi and Maheshwari, where the eponymous sarees are made, are also familiar to most Indians. Madhya Pradesh is rich in historical places — it has about 290 monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India, while there are 349 monuments protected by the MP State Department of Archaeology.<br /><br />Though lesser known than the world heritage sites, Bhedaghat does get its share of tourist hordes. It has famous sights — Dhuandhar Falls, marble rocks, and the Chausath Yogini temple. Also, this area is a flourishing centre for marble craft.<br /><br />Majestic cascades<br /><br />The massive, thundering Dhuandhar Falls has been sometimes called the Niagara Falls of India. You can take a boat ride over the rather tranquil Narmada river here to see the famous marble rocks up close. Rising up on either side of the waters, white in most places, pink and grey in some, these rocks are a beautiful sight. A cable car ride is another option. We chose to walk down.<br /><br />The way to the falls is lined with scores of craft and souvenir stores that sell a variety of marble-craft products, some also made of soapstone. The soft marble available in this area makes for a pliable raw material for these craftsmen. From tiny agarbatti (incense) holders and small grinders for a spoonful of ingredients to large statues of gods and famous persons, we saw an impressive range. Images in various stages of completion were in the corners of some stores and in some places, beside the showroom in a small dump-like area.<br /><br />These beautifully handcrafted pieces become a testimony to the skill of the local craftsmen. We were told that there are about 300 to 500 craftsmen there. We saw plenty of figures of animals used on decorative items — elephants, peacocks and horses mostly.<br />Kitchen utility items were available in abundance. Chapati rolling boards, trays and grinders of all shapes, sizes and weights were selling well.<br /><br />Idols of gods were seen in every store. Ganesha, Krishna, Durga, especially in her ashtabhuja (eight arms/hands) form, Sita and Rama, Shivalingas on pedestals, Nandi and Saraswati appeared to be the most popular. Interestingly, there were statues of national leaders like Gandhi, Subhas Chandra Bose, what looked like Ambedkar, etc. Name plates are a big business — you can order one before you go down to visit the falls and it’ll be ready by the time you return.<br /><br />Flower vases and photoframes also crowded the shelves of these stores. Mirrors with marble frames jostled for space alongside those which were accessorised with shells. The variety of wall art was more evidence of their creativity and the finesse of their workmanship. Many of these craftsmen told us they had been practising this craft from generations and had been trained by their father or other elders in the family. <br /><br />First, sketches are made on paper. Then the items are painstakingly fashioned with the use of tools like drills, hammers, screwdrivers, handsaws, punch and point etc. Several artisans we spoke to told us they belonged to the Vishwakarma community, which has been traditionally associated with the fields of architecture and sculpture.<br /><br />However, a few of them had taken to the art out of sheer passion. Like Vishnu Sharma, whose showroom, with his workshop alongside and his home behind, is just opposite the Chausath Yogini Temple, which itself is a short distance from Dhuandhar Falls. He told us that he began trying his hand at this craft as a child, despite his father’s disapproval, and improved his skills. Today, his retail store does brisk business. He sells a lot of traditional Indian items to foreigners who admire it.<br /><br />Temple of posers<br /><br />The Chausath Yogini Temple here is a little treasure. ‘Yogini ’ refers to a female yogi or a sacred feminine force. The yogini cult is among the most secret of Hindu cults, and there are various theories about its origin and practices. This temple, we were told, is only among the four of its kind in India. <br /><br />Dated to 10th century, it has chausath (Hindi for 64) images of yoginis (hence the name). A long and steep flight of over 100 steps leads to the temple. I decided against the ascent, given the paucity of time. However, my friend, who had visited the place the previous day, said that the friendly priest shared all the information about the significance and history of the temple.</p>
