The Narmada River originates in the Amarkantak Plateau of the Maikal Hills in Madhya Pradesh, beginning its journey from a small water body called the Narmada Kund. It is the 5th longest river in India and the longest west-flowing river in the country.
Origin Story: According to the Puranas, Devi Tapati was reborn as Devi Narmada, blessed by her father Surya to flow west from the Vindhya mountains. Another legend says Shiva's sweat, from his penance on Mount Riksha, formed the Narmada, making her Shiva's daughter. She is mentioned many times in the Mahabharata, described by Narada Muni as being as holy as the Ganga and Saraswati.
Course: The Narmada flows westward through Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, carving through the Vindhya and Satpura ranges before entering the Gulf of Khambhat near Bharuch. Along its course it forms the dramatic Marble Rocks gorge and Dhuandhar Falls near Jabalpur.
Key Places: Mandhata, a river island in the Narmada, is home to the Omkareshwar Jyotirlinga Temple. The Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world at 600 feet, honouring Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, stands on the river's bank in Gujarat. The Narmada Parikrama, a pilgrimage circuit from Bharuch to Amarkantak and back along both banks, is one of India's most auspicious pilgrimages. Major cities on its banks include Amarkantak, Jabalpur, and Maheshwar.