Ever heard of Grand Canyon? If you love traveling and exploring new places, then for sure you are familiar with this place. But what if I tell you there is a mini Grand Canyon in India? Well, that was surprising for me as well when the guide us that Raneh Falls is also known as the mini grand canyon of India. On the second day of our trip, we decided to visit Raneh Waterfalls which is almost 20KM away from Khajuraho. I have always been interested in archaeology and geology so that place was a treat for me and I pretty much loved visiting this place. I had no idea what this place was all about but it turned out to be a surprising place when I got to witness its beauty with my own eyes.
Geographical background of Raneh Falls
The falls are named after King Rane Pratap who ruled this area. It is a natural waterfall which is located on Ken River. It lies in district Chhatarpur of Madhya Pradesh which is around 20KM away from Khajuraho city. A 5KM long and 30metres deep canyon is formed by Ken River. This canyon is truly a masterpiece of nature’s artistic beauty. You will pure granite in crystal form in several colors including grey, pink, yellow, green, red, etc. During monsoons, the falls become active and the view is just breath-taking. You can witness furious waterfall during the season when the water flow is at its peak.
This magnificent natural waterfall is created by volcanic activities several years back. The scenic beauty of this place makes it a famous tourist attraction. It is located close to Panna National Park. During monsoon, when the falls become active due to heavy water flow, the sound of water in the falls will give goosebumps and if you have been to Grand Canyon in the USA, you will feel the same vibes here too. The rocks being rich in Dolomite and Granite reflect different colors and it feels that nature has painted these rocks in different colors. Pandav Falls too have small streams of water falling off the ground and both these falls are located on the same river.
Geological Information of rocks found in Raneh Falls
As the guide told us that the canyon is made of crater due to volcanic activities millions of years back. Different types of minerals and rocks are found here. Raneh falls is the only place in the Asia continent where all these rocks are found together at a single place. The majority of rocks here are listed below:
- Green rocks are Dolomite
- Red rocks are Jasper
- Pink rocks are Granite
- Black rocks are Basalt
- Brown rocks are Quartz
Back when I was a student at Narnaul College in BSc, I used to study Geology and that’s where I studied all these things. It is really interesting to study nature’s wonders. One such wonder of nature is located next to my place which I had only heard but never visited. Finally one day I visited here and I got to know the true worth of Dhosi Hill.
This place is certainly a must-visit if you are in Khajuraho or if you have an interest in Geology or Archaeology like me. There are many points from where you can take a panoramic view of this place since it is not allowed to get too close to the edges which are very risky. Though I don’t get to travel often whenever I travel, I tend to find places like this.
Ticket Information and Timing of Raneh Falls
Raneh Falls is open on all the days of the week except for Wednesday after 12PM. The entry fee of this waterfall is 50 rupees per person and 150 rupees per foreign tourist. There are different charges for a vehicle which are listed below
- Bicycle – Rs 50
- Two Wheelers – Rs 50
- Three Wheelers – Rs 50
- Four Wheelers – Rs 250
How to reach Raneh Waterfall?
Raneh Waterfalls are located around 20KM away from Khajuraho. So, you can hire an autorickshaw from there. The closest railway station and airport are also Khajuraho. The place is also connected with Panna via the road.
It took us around a couple of hours. I should have visited this place during monsoon season when the water flow is at its peak and the falls become active. Make sure that you don’t wear high hills shoes, good boots are preferred. But I have to visit here again to witness the wonders of nature.
