Marble Rocks
23.133300,79.800000
Description
From Jabalpur city about 22 km along the road west (cheapest transport, IRs 20 in 2003, is by tempo) the Narmada River runs through a famous gorge (about 2 km long, 30 m high cliffs, water depth up to 51.5 m) in »marbal« (sic!) or marble. The picturesque site (note 1) is, especially at moonlight, apt for tourists, honeymooners and dope heads but reminiscent of an abandoned marble quarry for anyone experienced in karst landscapes. By far most of the rock surfaces are unexpectedly angular (controlled by cleaveage) while romantic shapes (originating from solution / corrosion or abrasion corrasion) are few and rare. The only known cave (–>Kali Kho) originates from gravitational mass wasting. ETYMOLOGY - Jabalpur Jabalpoor SMITH, G (1882: 335) Jabalpur IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 13: 371); MALLET, F R (1883: 113) Jubbulpoor HAMILTON, W (1828, 2: 55) Jubbulpore IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 14: 271) Jubbulpur MEDLICOTT, J G (1860: 135 figure 2), ETYMOLOGY - Bedaghat Bera ghât MEDLICOTT, J G (1860: 135 figure 2) Beragarh FRANKLIN, J (1829: 34) Beraghat SMITH, G (1882: 336); IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 14: 217; 17: 205); India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth (2006: 72 C1)ETYMOLOGY - Dhuandhar Dhuan-dhar "misty shoot" (SMITH, G 1882: 336) Marble Rocks MEDLICOTT, J G (1860: 135 fig. 2, 13g fig. 3); IMPERIAL GAZETTEER (1907-1909, 14: 217-218); India Road Atlas, Eicher Goodearth (2006: 72 C1). DESCRIPTION 1829: »… in the bed of the river [Nermada] between Lamaita and Beragarh [note 2], a series of strata are laid bare, exhibiting gneiss at one extremity, and from it, a regular gradation of micaceous and argillaceous schists, to schistose limestone, quartz rock, and the beautiful snow-white dolomite, which is described in the following paragraph [note 3]. I cannot here omit to recommend to any traveller, desirous of observing these strata, to walk along the edge of the river from Lamaita, to the water-fall of Beragarh, from whence he may either proceed in a canoe, through the narrow channel, excvated by the torrent, and enjoy a spectacle, far exceeding any description I can give of it, or he may return by the ruins of Tripurapuri, which are near the village of Teor, and examine the remains of the ancient capital of Garha Mandela« (FRANKLIN, J 1829: 34). DESCRIPTION 1860: »About nine miles [14.5 km] from Jubbulpur on the south-west, a considerable extent of tolerably pure and beautifully saccharine white limestone is seen; the river cuts a deep channel through the mass of this rock, exposing sheer vertical surfaces of the white limestone, in places 120 feet high: it is scarcely possible to exaggerate the picturesque effect of the varied outline and color of the whole. The locality is well known as the "Marble Rocks". The beauty of the scenery attracts many visitors, and the sacred buildings in the neighbourhood many more. As a prominent feature in the geology of the district the argillaceous rocks are totally subordinate to the calcareous sub-division of the schist series. Still they attain a very considerable thickness in the aggregate, and occupy large areas at the surface. The boundaries of this sub-division cannot be laid down with precision, any more than those of the calcareous group, into which it merges on one hand, while on the other it gradually passes into the argillaceous schists« (MEDLICOTT, J G 1860: 136). DESCRIPTION 1882: »Jabalpoor, chief town and cantonment (1458 ft.) [444 m asl], named Javalipattana in old inscriptions, junction of Great Indian Peninsula and East Indian Railway systems, 221 m. [356 km] S.W. of Allahabad, 616 [931 km] from Bombay, and 165 [266 km] N.E. of Nagpoor prettily laid out, surrounded by lakes and gardens, with high school, Thug and Dacoit school of industry famous for tents and carpets, and mission of Church Missionary Society. Nine m. S.W. down the Narbada at Bheraghat is the Dhuan-dhar (misty shoot) or Marble Rocks, where the Narbada, confined to 100 yards [91 m], falls 30 ft. [9.14 m] and flows for nearly 2 m. [3.2 km] through beautiful saccharine white limestone, on each side of which marble bluffs rise for 120 ft [36.6 m]« (SMITH, G 1882: 335-336). DESCRIPTION 1883: »The well-known 'marble rocks,' which are situated about 2 miles from Mirganj station on the Great Indian Peninsular Railway (11 miles [17.7 km] from Jabalpur and 68 [109 km] from Murwara [N23°51': E080°24']), are dolomitic throughout. The rock has a saccharine texture, and is mainly of a pure white colour, although here and there it has a grey, yellow, or pink tinge. The bedding, as a rule, is not very thick, and in places it is quite thin, the rock verging towards a dolomitic schist. The greater portion of the dolomite contains disseminated crystals of tremolite, and veiy often irregular strangulated layers of quartz parallel to the bedding« (MALLET, F R 1883: 113). DESCRIPTION 1908: »[The Narbada / Narmada river] … winds in a deep narrow stream through rocks of magnesian limestone 30 m high. One place, where the rocks approach very closely is called the Monkey's Leap. Indra is said to have to have made this channel for the waters of the pent-up stream, and the footprints left on the rock by the elephant of the god still receive adoration. The greatest height of the rocks above the water is 32 m, and the depth of the water at the same place is 14.6 m, but the basin near the traveller's bungalow [note 4] is 51.5 m deep« (IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 17: 205-206). DESCRIPTION 1999: »On weekends and full moon nights the place is invariably packed with local tourists … The first 500 m are pretty dull, but as you glide upstream with the massive, naturally sculpted marble crags crowding in around you, it's difficult not to be impressed« (LONELY PLANET, India 1999: 847; 2001: 715, 2003: 731). DESCRIPTION 2005: »The gleaming white … cliffs rise sheer from the clear water. Not marble but magnesium limestone, they are a very impressive sight especially by moonlight; parts are now floodlit at night. … As you glide upstream, massive naturally sculpted marble crags crowd around you. It's difficult not to be impressed. An amusing commentary is given in Hindi and … you'll hear about which star sang from which crag in which Bollywood film« (LONELY PLANET, India 2005: 632).
NOTE 1: One of the few karst features in India of which postcards were available in 1974 shows MARBLE ROCK JABALPUR (circa 1970 s.a.). MEDLICOTT, J G (1860: 135 figure 2) gives two early engravings captioned »View of the "Marble Rocks" near Jubbulpur, looking up the River, showing the deep gorge of the channel near Bera ghât« and MEDLICOTT, J G (1860: 136 figure 3): »Gorge of the Nerbudda at the "Marble Rocks" showing the bedding of the limestone.« NOTE 2: Bedaghat, Bera Ghat, »Beragarh« (FRANKLIN, J 1829: 34), »Bheraghat« (SMITH, G 1882: 336) or Beraghat and Bheda Ghat is the »Bheraghat« near N23°08': E079°48' (Everest 1830, IMPERIAL GAZETTEER 1907-1909, 17: 205) or near N23°08': E079°48' (WGS48, nima.mil/geonames accessed 16.11.2003) in the India Road Atlas (Eicher Goodearth 2006: 72 C1). NOTE 3: »The Dolomite is near the waterfall; it has been called muriacite and alabaster, both of which it resembles; but from its geological connections as well as its composition, it is a dolomite, and its most refractory portions, if pulverized, will effervesce, with diluted nitric, or muriatic acid; a few miles further east, it effervesces freely, and is friable, almost crumbling between the fingers, and contains crystals of Tremolithe; but at Beragarh, being intimately associated with quartz-rock, it contains more or less silex, and the snow-white variety, which resembles alabaster, seems to be an aggregate of dolomite and pure quartz: this variety scarcely effervesces without being pulverized, but it takes a fine polish, and is quarried for various purposes, such as slabs for floors, or tables, and it might well be used for ornamental architecture, or even statuary: it is traversed, in many parts, by veins of chlorite schist« (FRANKLIN, J 1829: 34). NOTE 4: Madhya Pradesh Tourism, in "short" M.P.S.T.D.C. (Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation), runs a comfortable, ex-colonial bungalow with four double rooms. Bookings can be made at the tourist office (phone 322111) at Jabalpur railway station.
Cavités proche
| Distance (km) | Nom | Longueur (m) | Profondeur (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Chausat Yogini Mandir Tunnel | ||
| 5.4 | KALI CAVE, Jabalpur - Bedaghat | ||
| 7.1 | GUWARIGHAT | ||
| 12.2 | GUPTESHWAR CAVE, Jabalpur | ||
| 12.2 | MADAN MAHAL | ||
| 66.9 | RUPNATH GUMPHA, Jabalpur - Bahuriband | ||
| 92.5 | JHINJHARI SHELTERS | ||
| 119.9 | FATEHPUR SHELTERS | ||
| 140.3 | BADI GUFA, Bandhavgarh |