Narmada Parikrama

In short: Narmada Parikrama: from Omkareshwar or Amarkantak to Circuit around the Narmada river. Length: at least 2,600 km, duration: traditionally over 3 years. Best time: October to March.

Overview

Here pilgrims circle an entire river. The Narmada is sacred in Hinduism, and the parikrama follows one bank from the source at Amarkantak to the Arabian Sea and returns along the other.

The river is around 1,300 kilometres long, so the circuit measures at least 2,600 kilometres, and often much more with detours around dams. Traditionally it takes three years, three months and 13 days. Today many people walk it in a few months or cover part of it by vehicle.

Pilgrims do not cross the river and live on what people on the banks give them. For most travellers a section is more realistic, such as the short circuit around the island of Omkareshwar.

Planning your stages

How long you need depends on your daily distance. The table works this out for 2600 kilometres, with one rest day a week.

Who is this route for?

This route is a poor choice for a first attempt. You should be sure-footed and have stamina, and several weeks of training will pay off here.

You can find more routes under Pilgrimage routes in Asia, Pilgrimage in India, sorted by religion under Hindu pilgrimage routes.