Gondwana Hills

The Gondwana hills east of Mandla form part of the forested highlands around the upper Narmada. Farther east the Maikal plateau rises toward Amarkantak, where the Narmada and Son have their sources. The hills were home to Gond and Baiga communities as well as the domain of the rulers of Garha-Mandla. Forest, steep slopes and river valleys gave the kingdom a landscape quite different from the open plains to the north.