Pandav falls are about 34 Km from Khajuraho. We visited Pandav Falls on our way from Khajuraho to Bandhavgad. The falls are half a kilometer away from the entry-gate. The entry fee for vehicles is Rs. 200. If you decide to go on foot then entry fee is only Rs.15 per person. We decided to go by car. Government has kept the area clean. There was lot of haze in the air though it was 10:00 am and sunny.
As soon as we reached the car park we noticed protective iron railings in the distance against what looked like the edge of a gorge. Beyond the railings was a breath-taking bowl shaped valley and a serene lake of emerald colored water about 100 feet down below. At the center of the cascading rocks on the left, a stream from Ken River has found its way to the lake. This is known as Pandav falls. One also notices some caves on the other side of the lake. The Pandavas are said to have spent a part of their exile here in the caves and meditated. There is a well-built step route to reach to the lake and the caves.
Though our original plan was to take a look at the waterfall from the top and resume our journey towards Bandhavgad, the serenity of the environment and the peace of mind that we experienced pulled us towards the lake and caves. Mesmerized by the devine beauty of the surrounding forest, we started walking down the steps even before we could realize.
One can see the branch of Ken River curving itself into the valley before one reaches the beginning of the steps. The legend says that Arjun cut the rock by his arrows to make way for the flow of fresh water into the lake.
We turned our backs to the Ken river and saw the stream making its way through the rocky descend towards the lake. The Pandav caves are on the left side of the lake hidden behind the protruding rock and not seen in the photo above. The steps start from the right side of this place and take you around the lake before you can reach the caves.
The steps gradually take you near the serene lake through the rocky path. And then a look across……..
………..and you get a clear view of the Pandav caves. There are five caves seen in the opening above, supposedly used by the five Pandava’s. You can see five shrines built by local people in front of those caves. There is one cave below at the water level. It is supposed to be the bedroom of Draupadi, the wife of five Pandava’s. You can enter all the caves and get the feel.
The photo above is the view of the lake and waterfall from cave that was supposedly Draupadi’s bedroom.
A little walk further from where the steps end took us directly opposite the magnificent view of Pandav falls, and……..
….and the beautiful natural surrounding transported even the senior-most members of our group back into days of their bubbling youth and they wanted to pose for model shots in the romantic surroundings!!
I am sure these invigorating surroundings and the fresh sparkling water of river Ken must have given a lot of energy to the Pandava’s, much required to rule the Hastinapur later and fight the epic war of Mahabharata .
From the Periphery 