Think of beauty immortalized in marble. The first image that comes to mind is probably the Taj Mahal in Agra. Instead, think of a more natural setting where nature has generously used marble to create a captivating setting. It is the creativity of Nature unleashed on a river. The marble rocks of Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh epitomize a natural splendor that leaves you breathless and awed by its grandeur. Even the legendary Raj Kapoor was fascinated by this place and used it to great advantage in one of his acclaimed films.

We had come to Jabalpur, a city surrounded on all sides by low hills, to visit some friends. Upon arrival we were surprised to see the still unmistakable impact that the British had left on the city. The leafy area of ​​the cantonment, the barracks and the imposing residences with high ceilings were very reminiscent of the colonial era. After a day of catching up on all the news and refreshing old memories, our hosts suggested that they take us the next night to visit the famous Marble Rocks of Jabalpur. They revealed that the rocks are not like the Makrana marble used in the Taj, but a much softer version of the limestone deposits that result in metamorphosis marble. This small fact did little to dampen our enthusiasm for the celebrated ‘Marble Rocks’ that rise on either side of the holy Narmada river.

Our fascinating marble tour actually started in the late afternoon. We first reach Bhedaghat, which is about 23 km from Jabalpur. The place apparently gets its name from the entire expanse of rocks, which from a distance resembles a sheep pasture or ‘bhed’. Bhedaghat, the town is actually quite small and quiet, except for the continuous chiseling sounds made by the artisans who carve the local marble and limestone into intricate and beautiful artifacts. As much as we were tempted to buy them, our friends advised us to postpone our purchases until the end of our trip, since these artifacts are quite fragile.

The Narmada river flowing along the rocks is an enchanting sight. Most of the rocks have interesting names based on their appearance. When we were children, we often looked at the clouds in the sky and tried to draw shapes. Here we also find the tour guide pointing out different rocks and dropping names of animals with stories et al. Some of the animal shapes we identified were ones that resembled a deer and a cow. The shadows of the rocks are reflected in the waters of the river. There is a local legend that the monkey god Hanuman stepped on one of these rocks on his way to Lanka. It is said that on a moonlit night the rocks dazzle with celestial illumination. We had a hard time keeping up with the prolific description of shapes that our guide told us with enthusiasm. All our imaginations were put to good use as we tried to conjure up images on the rocks.

We then headed towards the waterfall part of the river. The beautiful Narmada River, after meandering through the Marble Rocks, narrows and rushes down with some force in a waterfall several meters high. Here the river forgets for a while its placid melodies and instead of flowing calmly it advances with unbridled abandon. Nicknamed “Dhuandhar” due to the smoky mist that rises from the plunging waters, these natural waterfalls generate a roar that can be heard from a great distance. The Dhuandhar Falls, displaying the power of the Narmada River cascades, turned out to be a truly unforgettable sight.

Experiencing the beauty of the marble rocks and Dhuandhar Falls left us wanting to see more of this marble wonder. Therefore, the highlight of our trip for us was the time we spent cruising the Narmada. Our friends had told us that on weekends and full moon nights the place was packed with tourists, as the marble looks even more impressive in the moonlight. For us though the scene, even in daylight, had been captivating. However, at the insistence of our friends, we decided that the expedition would be considered incomplete without a moonlit river walk. When our boat began to slide on the river waters, we found out that the Narmada river valley is the only place in the world where the river is damaged on both sides by marble rocks.
The sight of the marble cliffs rising on either side of the river was almost ethereal in beauty, the last rays of the sun flickering on the white cliffs giving them a unique glow. As our boat moved forward, moving almost effortlessly with the rhythm of the flowing river, we were in awe. The rocks rose to a height of nearly a hundred feet on either side of us. We were all lulled to sleep by a very pleasant sensation similar to being on another planet.

Our silence was broken only by our involuntary gasps of awe at the splendor of the creamy white marble. Adding to its beauty, the cliffs seemed to be underlined in places by green and black volcanic rock. Suddenly, to our surprise, the river narrowed. This stretch of the river is popularly known as Bandarkudni, a literal translation of the fact that the river here narrows to the point that even a monkey can easily jump from one bank to the other.

Having seen the Marble Rocks in all its shades, hues and moods, we were left wondering why we hadn’t visited this place sooner. Captain J. Forsyth best summed up the beauty and tranquility of the Jabalpur marble rock experience when he described it in his Highlands of Central India: – “The eye never tires of the… effect produced by the light of the broken and reflected sun now looking from a pinnacle of snow-white marble raised against the deep blue of the sky as from a point of silver, touching here and there with brilliant lights the prominences of the mid-heights and losing itself again in the soft grays bluish of its nooks and crannies…”.

The boat ride on the beautiful Narmada river, the golden sun rays bouncing off the white rocks and the gushing waterfalls – the marble rocks of Jabalpur are indeed a geological wonder.