Jabalpur otherwise known as “the city of the rocks” is a very important city of Madhya Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of Narmada River. The area of Jabalpur is about 315 sq. kames. and its population is about 1,267,565. The name of this city is derived from the name of the Saint Jabalir Pattanam or Jabal. In Arabic Jabal means rocks and mountains. This name is quite significant in itself because it is indicative of the trade relations with Arab countries. Jabalpur is called the city of rocks because it is surrounded by rocky hills. Jabalpur is historically very significant. It has served as the capital of many rulers. Some of these include the Gond rulers, the Kalchuri kings and the Marathas.
Acharya Vinayak Narhari Bhave called Jabalpur the cultural capital of Madhya Pradesh. The reason for calling this place the cultural capital was quite simple. This place has been blessed with some of the greatest cultural cognoscenti. The list of these great culture lovers is long and includes the likes of Seth Govind Das, Harishankar Parsai, Roopkumar Soni, Beohar Rammanohar Sinha and the famous sculptor Kundan.
There are several places that might be of interest to the tourists visiting Jabalpur. The most significant ones are Bhedaghat- marble rocks, Bargi Dam, Lameta Ghat, Tilwara Ghat and the Shaeed Smarak. Bhedaghat is a village situated on the banks of river Narmada. This village is famous for the marble rocks, boat ride and the Dhuandhar falls. Tilwara Ghat is a place of historical and religious significance. This is the place where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed. The Shaeed Smarak or the Martyrs’ memorial is a building located in the former Gole bazaar. A lot of fresco work could be seen here which is dedicated to the freedom movement.
Thus Jabalpur is definitely a place that one should not forget to explore when visiting Madhya Pradesh. This is because of the cultural and historical significance attached with this place.