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Complete Maihar Travel Guide
Everything you need to plan a visit to Maa Sharda Temple and Maihar.
Last updated: 7 October 2026
About Maa Sharda Temple
Maa Sharda Temple — popularly known as Maihar Devi or Maihar Mata Mandir — sits atop Trikuta Hill in Maihar, Madhya Pradesh, and is considered one of the 51 Shakti Peethas associated with Goddess Parvati. Reaching the temple involves either climbing a long flight of stone steps (commonly cited between roughly 1,000–1,100+ depending on the source and counting method) or taking the ropeway, which was built for pilgrims who prefer not to climb.
Navratri is the temple's biggest festival period, drawing large numbers of devotees, especially around Ram Navami and Dussehra. If you're visiting during the festival, see our Navratri in Maihar guide for this year's dates and planning tips.
How to Reach Maihar
By Train
Maihar has its own railway station, though not all superfast trains stop here — some travellers connect via Satna or Katni Junction and continue by road. Jabalpur is a major nearby rail hub with regular connections to Maihar.
By Road
Maihar is on National Highway 7 (also referenced as NH-30 in places), with regular bus connections from nearby major cities in Madhya Pradesh.
By Air
Maihar has no airport of its own. The nearest airports are Jabalpur and Khajuraho, both roughly 130-160 km away depending on the source, from where you'd continue by train, bus, or taxi.
Local Transport
Auto-rickshaws and taxis are available near Maihar railway station and the bus stand to reach the temple base and other parts of town.
Getting to the Temple: Steps or Ropeway
You can reach the temple by climbing the stone steps up Trikuta Hill, or by taking the ropeway if you'd rather skip the climb. The ropeway generally operates through daylight hours, though exact timings can shift slightly with sunlight and weather — it's worth checking locally on the day.
A word of caution shared by past visitors: prasad shops along the route down from the temple are often commission-based and may quote inflated prices — it's worth confirming costs before buying.
Where to Stay
Maihar offers a mix of hotels and homestays. If you're travelling as a family or group, a homestay with multiple bedrooms can be more practical than booking several hotel rooms — see our Hotel vs Homestay comparison for more detail, or go straight to Where to Stay in Maihar for a fuller breakdown.
The Prem Vatika Homestay Maihar, located in Patehra, offers 2BHK units from ₹1799 + taxes (₹599 extra per night during Navratri), with secure parking and food available on request — useful if you're arriving tired after a long journey and don't want to search for a meal.
Suggested One-Day Visit
If you're visiting Maihar for a single day, an early start works best — darshan queues build up as the day goes on. Reach the temple base early morning, take the ropeway or begin the climb, spend time at the temple and nearby sites (the temple complex includes other shrines in the vicinity), and plan your return journey by early evening.
Suggested Two-Day Visit
With two days, you can take the temple visit at a more relaxed pace on day one, rest, and use day two for the return journey or additional local sightseeing without the time pressure of a single-day trip.
What to Carry
Comfortable footwear for the steps (or the walk to the ropeway station), water, and light layers — hill-top weather can differ from the town below. If visiting during Navratri, expect larger crowds and plan extra time accordingly.
Planning Your Maihar Trip?
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