Amarkantak
Summer: | 25° C – 45° C |
Winter: | 06° C – 22° C |
The town of Amarkantak is popularly known as teerathraj, or the 'king of pilgrimages' is situated at an altitude of 1065 m at the meeting point of the Vindhya and the Satpura mountain ranges amongst sylvan surroundings. There are several stories about the origin of Amarkantak’s name. The famous Sanskrit poet Kalidas named the place Amrakoot, as the place contained lots of mango (amra) trees. Later Amrakoot became Amarkoot. Amarkantak is a great pilgrim center for the Hindus, and is the source of two great rivers of India, the Narmada and the Sone. While the Narmada flows Westwards from Amarkantak, the Sone flows towards the East. Among all the sacred rivers of India, the Narmada occupies a unique place. Legend has it that Lord Shiva blessed Narmada with unique purifying powers. This small town with its innumerable temples and holy ponds and bordered with lofty hills and dense forests, is a sought-after destination both with spiritually inclined as well as nature-lovers.