Jatashankar

Jatashankar is a natural cave and Hindu shrine in Narmadapuram district of Madhya Pradesh, to the north of Pachmarhi. It lies in a deep ravine beneath enormous perched boulders, and the stalagmites inside are worshipped as naturally formed lingas of Shiva, which makes it a popular stop for pilgrims. The name combines jata, matted hair, with Shankar, a name of Shiva, and the shape of the cave is said to recall Shesha, the hundred-headed serpent on which Vishnu rests.

Regional tradition holds that this is the place where Shiva hid from the fury of the demon Bhasmasura. Two spring-fed ponds nearby hold water of different temperatures, one cold and the other hot.