Maihar & Amarkantak Shakti Peeth Darshan Yatra

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Highlights & Route

Two Shakti Peeths of central India, both little visited by yatris from the north, anchor this journey. At Amarkantak, where the Narmada rises from a kund on a plateau 1,000 m above the plains, the Kalmadhav and Shondesh (Sonakshi) shrines are counted among the 51 places where Sati’s body fell. At Maihar, Maa Sharda sits on top of Trikuta hill, where tradition says her necklace fell, and the legend of the immortal warrior Alha still performing the first puja each dawn draws pilgrims up a thousand steps or by ropeway before the sun rises.

The route begins at Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, the nearest large railway junction to Amarkantak, and runs north-west through the forests of the Maikal range. Two nights at Amarkantak give you the Narmada Udgam temple, the Kalachuri-era stone temples beside it, Sonmuda where the Son river begins, and the Kapil Dhara falls. One night at Maihar is enough for an evening and a dawn darshan at Sharda Devi. The yatra closes with two nights in Jabalpur: the marble gorge at Bhedaghat, Dhuandhar falls, the circular Chausath Yogini temple and the evening Narmada aarti at Gwarighat.

Roads here are quieter than on the big pilgrim circuits, hotels are simpler, and the pace is unhurried, which suits families with elderly members who want to see the Narmada’s beginning without the rush of Kashi or Ujjain. A private vehicle and driver, hotels and pure-vegetarian breakfast and dinner are included, and our yatra team stays in touch by phone and WhatsApp throughout.

Route

Bilaspur → Amarkantak (2 nights: Narmada Udgam, Kalachuri temples, Kalmadhav and Sonakshi Shakti Peeths, Sonmuda, Kapil Dhara) → Maihar (1 night: Maa Sharda Devi on Trikuta hill) → Jabalpur (2 nights: Bhedaghat, Dhuandhar, Chausath Yogini, Gwarighat aarti) → Jabalpur airport or railway station

Good to know before you book

Amarkantak sits at about 1,050 m and is noticeably cooler than the plains; winter nights drop near freezing. The town is small, with simple hotels and ashram guest houses.
Maa Sharda temple is reached by about 1,063 steps or a ropeway that runs through the day for a modest fare. Darshan is possible from before dawn; the temple closes in the middle of the day and reopens in the afternoon, and timings change in Navratri, so we confirm before your dates.
The Bhedaghat boat ride through the marble rocks is suspended during the monsoon when the Narmada is high, usually from late June to September or October.
Bilaspur to Amarkantak is about 125 km (3 hours); Amarkantak to Maihar about 260 km (6 hours) through Shahdol and Katni; Maihar to Jabalpur about 165 km (3.5 hours). Jabalpur can be used as the start point instead, which shortens the first drive.
Phones and cameras are not allowed inside the Sharda Devi sanctum; lockers are available at the base.
Best months are October to March. Navratri (Chaitra and Sharad) brings lakhs of pilgrims to Maihar, and Narmada Jayanti (January or February) is Amarkantak’s big day.

Yatra Highlights

The source of the Narmada at Amarkantak with the Kalmadhav and Sonakshi Shakti Peeths and Kalachuri temples
Dawn darshan at Maa Sharda Devi on Trikuta hill, Maihar, by ropeway or steps
Bhedaghat marble rocks, Dhuandhar falls, Chausath Yogini temple and the Narmada aarti at Jabalpur

Day 1 :

Bilaspur to Amarkantak

Our driver meets you at your arrival point (airport, railway station or hotel) at the agreed time, Bilaspur Junction railway station or Bilaspur airport. We drive about 125 km (3 hours) north-west through Pendra Road and the sal forests of the Maikal hills, climbing onto the Amarkantak plateau. Lunch on your own on the way or on arrival.

Check in at the hotel. In the evening we walk to the Narmada Udgam temple complex for the aarti at the kund where the river begins, a quiet and beautiful hour. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Amarkantak

Day 2 :

Amarkantak: Narmada source, Shakti Peeths and Kapil Dhara

Breakfast, then a full morning at the Narmada Udgam complex: the Narmada kund with its 24 small shrines, the ancient Kalachuri temples beside it from the 11th century, and the Shri Yantra mandir with its unusual geometric design. Nearby are the Kalmadhav Shakti Peeth and the Sonakshi (Shondesh) Shakti Peeth, where Sati's left hip is said to have fallen; the Sonakshi temple stands at Sonmuda, the viewpoint where the Son river begins its journey east and the plateau falls away in a cliff.

Lunch on your own. In the afternoon we drive 6 km to Kapil Dhara, where the young Narmada drops about 30 m over a cliff; the path to the base has steps and can be skipped by elderly yatris, who can see the falls from the top. Mai ki Bagiya, the garden where the goddess is said to have gathered flowers, and the Sarvodaya Jain temple with its 24-tonne Adinath image round off the day. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Amarkantak

Day 3 :

Amarkantak to Maihar, evening darshan

This is the long drive. After an early breakfast we leave by 7 am for Maihar, about 260 km (6 hours) via Shahdol, Umaria and Katni, with tea and lunch stops (on your own). The road passes close to Bandhavgarh forest.

Check in at Maihar in the afternoon and rest. In the evening, if you are fresh, take the ropeway up Trikuta hill for a first darshan of Maa Sharda and the evening aarti; otherwise save it for dawn. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Maihar

Day 4 :

Dawn at Sharda Devi, drive to Jabalpur

Those who wish rise before dawn for the morning aarti at Maa Sharda, the time when, by local belief, the warrior Alha has already made the first offering. Fit yatris climb the 1,063 steps; others take the ropeway (extra cost). Darshan, then back to the hotel for breakfast.

Check out and drive about 165 km (3.5 hours) to Jabalpur, with lunch on your own. Check in. In the evening we go to Gwarighat on the Narmada for the river aarti, a smaller and more intimate version of the Ganga aarti, with lamps floated on the water. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Jabalpur

Day 5 :

Bhedaghat, Dhuandhar and Chausath Yogini

Breakfast, then 25 km to Bhedaghat. We start at Dhuandhar falls, where the Narmada drops over a ledge in a cloud of mist (the name means smoke stream), and a cable car crosses the gorge for a view from the far side. Then the boat ride through the Marble Rocks, a 3 km gorge of white and cream marble cliffs rising up to 30 m; boats run outside the monsoon and the boatmen's commentary is famous. The Chausath Yogini temple, a circular 10th-century shrine of 64 yoginis on a hill above the river, is a short climb of about 100 steps. Lunch on your own at Bhedaghat.

In the afternoon, back in Jabalpur, we see Madan Mahal fort for its view over the city and the Balancing Rock below it, and, if open, the Rani Durgavati museum. Dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Jabalpur

Day 6 :

Departure from Jabalpur

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. If your flight or train is in the afternoon, we can add Pisanhari ki Madiya, the Jain temple on a hill, or a visit to the Dumna Nature Reserve on the airport road.

Drop at your departure point (airport, railway station or hotel), Jabalpur airport (Dumna) or Jabalpur Junction railway station. The yatra ends here.

Overnight: not included

Night	Place	Hotel (or similar)	Room type
Night 1	Amarkantak	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 2	Amarkantak	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 3	Maihar	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 4	Jabalpur	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis
Night 5	Jabalpur	Hotel confirmed at booking	Standard room, sharing basis

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand all

Which Shakti Peeths does this yatra cover?

Two sites named in most lists of the 51 Shakti Peeths: Kalmadhav at Amarkantak, with the nearby Sonakshi or Shondesh shrine at Sonmuda, where Sati’s left hip is said to have fallen, and Maa Sharda at Maihar, associated with her necklace (the name Maihar is often explained as Mai ka haar). Both are also major regional Devi temples in their own right.

Is the Bhedaghat boat ride included, and does it run in the monsoon?

The Marble Rocks boat ride at Bhedaghat is on the Day 5 plan, but the ticket is not in the package price. The same goes for the Dhuandhar cable car and the Maihar ropeway. Boats run only outside the monsoon. They usually stop from late June to September or October, when the Narmada is high. If your dates fall then, you still see Dhuandhar falls and the Chausath Yogini temple, a climb of about 100 steps.

Why does the yatra start at Bilaspur?

Bilaspur is the nearest big railway junction to Amarkantak, about 3 hours away, with trains from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and the south, and a small airport. Pendra Road station, 40 km from Amarkantak, is closer but has fewer trains. If you prefer to start at Jabalpur, which has a better airport, we can run the same route in reverse or start and end at Jabalpur; ask us.

Is the climb at Maihar compulsory?

No. The ropeway carries you up Trikuta hill in a few minutes for a small fare and runs through the day. The 1,063 steps are for those who want the traditional ascent; many pilgrims climb up and ride down. There is a short flight of steps even from the ropeway station to the sanctum.

What is the story of Alha at Maihar?

Local belief holds that Alha, the warrior hero of the Bundelkhand ballads, was blessed with immortality by Maa Sharda and still comes every morning before dawn to offer the first flowers. Priests say the temple is often found already decorated when it is opened. Whatever one makes of it, the pre-dawn darshan is the most atmospheric time to be there.

Can we add Bandhavgarh or Kanha for a safari?

Yes. Bandhavgarh National Park lies close to the Amarkantak to Maihar road, and Kanha is reachable from Jabalpur. Adding one night at either park with a morning safari is a popular extension between October and June; permits must be booked online well in advance, so tell us when you enquire.

When is the best time to go?

October to March. Amarkantak is cool and clear in winter, the Bhedaghat boats are running, and the full-moon boat ride through the marble rocks is at its best. Narmada Jayanti (January or February) fills Amarkantak, and both Navratris fill Maihar. The monsoon makes the plateau green but stops the Bhedaghat boats.

Is the food vegetarian?

Yes. Breakfast and dinner at the hotels are pure vegetarian, and Amarkantak and Maihar are largely vegetarian pilgrim towns with simple thali eateries for lunch. Jabalpur has more variety. Jain or satvik meals can be requested in advance, though choice is limited in the smaller towns.

Yatra package	Duration	Starts from	Price
Maihar & Amarkantak Shakti Peeth Darshan Yatra (this page)	6 days / 5 nights	Bilaspur	From ₹35,000
Ambaji Shakti Peeth Darshan from Ahmedabad	5 days / 4 nights	Ahmedabad	From ₹30,000
Himachal Shakti Peeth & Devi Darshan Yatra	3 days / 2 nights	Chandigarh	From ₹20,000
Jalpaiguri Shakti Peeth Darshan Yatra	3 days / 2 nights	Siliguri (NJP / Bagdogra)	Price on request
Kalighat & Gangasagar Darshan Yatra	4 days / 3 nights	Kolkata	From ₹30,000
Kumaon Mandir & Devi Darshan Yatra	3 days / 2 nights	Pantnagar / Lalkuan	From ₹25,000
Maa Danteshwari Shakti Peeth Darshan, Dantewada	4 days / 3 nights	Raipur	From ₹25,000
Maa Kamakhya Shakti Peeth Darshan, Guwahati	3 days / 2 nights	Guwahati	Price on request

Maihar & Amarkantak Shakti Peeth Darshan Yatra

Get the plan and price for your dates

Highlights & Route

Route

Good to know before you book

Yatra Highlights

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Inclusions & Exclusions

Included

Not included

Hotels

Documents & Fitness

Documents to carry

Fitness and health

Cancellation Policy

Frequently Asked Questions

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