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| Home > Heritage |
| Heritage |
| Bhopal |
| The capital city of Madhya Pradesh is situated on the site of a 11th century city, Bhojapal, founded by Raja Bhoja. The founder of the existing city was however an Afghan soldier of fortune, Dost Mohammed. The two lakes of Bhopal dominate the city. The old city with its teeming market places and fine old mosques and palaces still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former rulers, among them the succession of powerful Begums who ruled Bhopal from 1819 to 1926. Equally impressive is the new city with its well laid out parks and gardens, broad avenues and streamlined modern edifices. Visit: Bhopal is home to the Taj-ul-Masjid, the largest mosque in India, a prestigious university and a famed academy of music. |
| Gwalior |
| Once the capital of the Scindia dynasty, Gwalior is Madhya Pradesh's northernmost city and a convenient entry point to the state. The city is famous for the magnificient hilltop Gwalior Fort, which contains a fine museum and an ancient temple. The sandstone fortress, which goes back more than 1000 years, dominates the city. The Jai Vilas Palace and Museum, Man Mandir Palace , Gujari Mahal , Tansen's Tomb, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Birla Museum, and Moti Masjid are some of the must-see's in Gwalior. |
| Bhojpur |
| Bhojpur was founded by the legendary Raja Bhoj. It has the ruins of the magnificient Bhojeshwar Temple (dedicated to Lord Shiva), which has earned the nomenclature of Somnath of the East. The symbol of Shiva the Lingam, is a huge monolith. |
| Ujjain |
| The ancient holy city of Ujjain is situated on the banks of the river Shipra. The earliest references to the city, as Ujjaini, are from the time of the Buddha, when it was the capital of the kingdom of Aavanti. Famous for its Jyotirlinga shrine at Onkareshwar , it is one of the seven sacred cities of India. Once in 12 years, the mammoth “Kumbh Mela” festival is held here. The ancient shrine of Mahakala is one of its attractions. |
| Khajuraho |
This obscure village, a long way from anywhere, is on the world's culture map for its' 22 world-famous stone temples which were built by the Chandela kings between 950 AD and 1050 AD (originally there were 85 temples, but only these have survived). The most important are the Chaunset Yogini Temple dedicated to Goddess Kali, The Mahadev Temple, Chitragupta  or Bharatji Temple with a lovely image of 11 headed Vishnu, Vishvanath and Nandi Temples, Lakshmana Temple, Visha Temple of Shiva (the largest and most typical of the temples). The Eastern group of temples consist of the Parasvanath Temple (the only Jain Temple surviving at Khajuraho), the Javeri Temple (dedicated to Vishnu), and other temples dedicated to Brahma, Yamuna and Adinath. Each temple, built of stone, is distinguished by carved spires and walls, where the subjects range from aesthetic depictions of major and minor deities and celestial beings to a variety of erotic sculptures. |
| Bhimbetka |
| This UNESCO World Heritage site, 46 km south of Bhopal, has about 700 rock shelters belonging to the neolithic age. Over 500 caves have paintings depicting the life of pre-historic man, making the Bhimbetka caves an archaeological treasure. |
| Mandu |
| The city of joy is famed for stories of the love of King Baz Bahadur, for his consort, Rani Rupmati. Originally the capital of the Hindu Parmar Kings in the 13th century it was later captured by the Sultans of Malwa. The ancient monuments include Hoshang Shah's Tomb, India's first marble edifice and one of the supreme examples of Afghan architecture, which served as a model for the masterbuilders of the Taj Mahal, centuries later. Also worth a visit is the Jami Masjid, inspired by the mosque of Damascus. |
| Sanchi |
| 68 kms from Bhopal, Sanchi has the distinction of having the finest specimens of almost all Buddhist architectural forms-Stupas, Chaityas, Temples and Monasteries, dating from 3rd century BC. The Great Stupa, the oldest stone structure in India, has magnificently carved gateways or toranas. The Ashoka Pillar that lies near the southern gateway is one of the finest examples of Ashokan pillars. The 5th century AD Gupta Temple is one of the earliest known examples of temple architecture in India. |
| Orchha |
The capital of the Bundela Rajputs, between 1531 and 1783, Orchha seems to have frozen in time. The palaces and temples retain much of their pristine perfection. Some of the palaces are decorated with painted murals which represent the finest flowering of the Bundela school of painting. Orchha's fort complex has three impressive palaces placed in an open quadrangle: the Jehangir Mahal (built to mark Emperor Jehangir's visit to the city); the Raj Mahal; and the Rai Praveen Mahal, built for the famous musician-poetess paramour of King Indramani. The Ram Raja, Chaturbhuj, and Laxminarayan temples are worth a visit. Orchha also prides itself on its lovely garden, Phool Bagh. There are 14 cenotaphs or chhatries (memorials) to the rulers of Orchha, by the banks of the Betwa river. The Shahid Smarak commemorates the great freedom fighter, Chandrashekhar Azad who lived and worked in hiding in Orchha. |
| Dantewada |
| Lord Rama, the hero of the epic Ramayana, is reputed to have taken shelter here during his 14 years of exile. At various times, the region has been ruled by the Nags, Satwahanas, Nalas and Chalukyas. Traces of Buddhism and Jainism dating back to the 3 rd century AD can be seen here. Extremely rich in mineral it has one of the largest deposits of Iron Ore in the world. Dantewada shares borders with three states - Maharashtra to the west, Orissa to the East and Andhra Pradesh to the south - each with a very different culture. As such, Dantewada's culture is a rare and unique blend of all of these, with its own tribal traditions. |
