Things to do in Jabalpur, ranked by people who live here

A 76-foot open-air Shiva statue rising out of Vijay Nagar itself. Go at sunrise before the crowds; you can walk the cave shrine beneath the statue.

A 1,100-year-old Gond watchtower on a granite hill, with the famous Balancing Rock on the way up. The best free sunset view of the whole city.

Stone sculptures, tribal artefacts and the story of the queen who fought Akbar. An easy half-day with kids, closed on Mondays.

Every evening, lamps float down the Narmada while the aarti is sung from the ghats. Arrive by 6:30 PM, stay for the boat ride after.

A 1,058-hectare forest at the city’s edge: spotted deer, jackals, a toy train and the quiet Khandari lake dam. Mornings are best for sightings.

The one thing you cannot skip. A boat glides between 100-foot marble cliffs that glow white in daylight and silver on full-moon nights.

Right beside Bhedaghat, the Narmada crashes down in a permanent cloud of mist, the “smoke cascade”. The cable car across gives the best angle.

Cruise boats, jet skis and a resort strip on a huge reservoir. Go for the late-afternoon light and stay for sunset on the water.