Madhya Pradesh Tourism

Madhya Pradesh

Khajuraho


  
  Khajuraho is perhaps the most spectacular temple complex in all India.  A World Heritage Site, the village is home to dozens of temples, many famous for their erotic sculptures.  There are tours available on site, in English, Hindi, and many other languages, although walking the temple grounds by foot is the most common choice.  

Bhopal
    While it is perhaps most famous for being the site of the Union Carbide explosion in 1984, where thousands of people died from poisonous methyl isocyanate gas, Bhopal has undergone a lot of change in recent years and is no longer the industrial wasteland it once was. The city itself goes back thousands of years to the reign of the Parmara ruler Bhoj, who lent his name to the city.  The city has a charming old town, and is close to some of the most visited sites in India, like World Heritage sites Sanchi and Bhimbetka Roch Shelters.

Sanchi


    Sanchi is the site of one of the most important Buddhist monuments in India, the Great Stupa built by Ashoka the Great.  Within it are relics of the Buddha himself.  A World Heritage Site, the monuments at Sanchi were a major Buddhist center for hundreds of years, until around the 12th century AD, when Buddhism saw a major decline in India.  They went into disrepair for hundreds of years, until their "rediscovery" by British archeologists in the 1800s.  Nowadays, it is both a major tourist destintion as well as a pilgrimage site for Buddhist and Hindus.

Udaygiri Caves
    The Udaygiri Caves near Bhopal are a cluster of rock-cut buildings, dating from the Gupta period.  They are among the most beautiful and spacious rock-cut caves in India, and are well-known for the unique columns within them.

Bhimbetka Rock Shelters


    The caves of Bhimbetka are a World Heritage Site, as they are among the earliest cave paintings in the world.  Dating from tens of thousands of years ago, the cave painting are from the Stone Age, and are similar in style to other paintings in Spain and France, thousands of miles away.  The caves were also inhabited by aboriginal peoples.  It is remarkable that the paintings have remained unchanged for as long as they have been there, and care must be taken by visitors not to disturb the site.
    
Satpura National Park
    Located high in the Satpura hills, famous for their rocky outcroppings and beautiful forests, Satpura National Park is isolated from major urban areas and is one of the most charming places in central India.   There are many tigers, boars, guar, deer and birds in the forest, and it is a botanist's delight.

Gwalior
    Gwalior was the capital of the Huns, Rajputs, Pritharas and was ruled by countless others including the Mughal and Marathas, and was renowned for the splendor of its courts and the impregnability of its fortress.  Today is a major attraction for its Fort and surrounding old city, as well as the many sites surrounding the town.
    
Gwalior Fort
    Towering over the city of Gwalior, Gwalior Fort is one of the most impressive structures in India and was famous in its time for its strength.  The citadel is reputedly influenced by Chinese forts, and there are even Chinese dragon sculptures on the site. Within the fort are a set of beautiful Hindu temples and a Sikh Gurdwara, along with the ruler's palace. Gwalior Fort is a very popular site for tourists visiting north India.  
    
Orchha


    The medieval town of Orchha was a major Mughal ally, and the city reached its zenith during the reign of Bir Singh Deo, an ally of the Emperor Jahangir.  Most of the many buildings in the abandoned town date from this era, including the Orchha Palace, an imposing strucutre overlooking the valley below.  Exploring the city is an exciting and exhilarating trip into the past.

Chanderi
    Nearby Gwalior is the town of Chanderi, famous for its forts and medieval town.  The town is also noted for its many Jain temples, as the town was the site of a major Jain school.

Indore
    The city of Indore was the capital of the Holkar rulers, and the city nowadays is hodge-podge of dozens of architectural styles spanning hundreds of years.  It is a beautiful city to walk in and explore, and the city is famed for its wonderful cuisine.
    
Rajwada Palace
    The former palace of the Holkars, it is located in a prominent position of the old city.  A fascinating combination of Mughal, Maratha and European palace styles, Rajwada Palace was one of the most beautiful structures in Madhya Pradesh, but unfortunately it has suffered many fires in its long history and is but a shell of its former glory.

Kanch Mandir
    This temple, built by Sri Hukumchand Seth, is famous for the glass and mirros that coat its inside.  It is revered by the Jains, many of whom make pilgrimages to the site.  An interesting fact is that the central idol of Lord Mahavira is positioned so that it is reflected over twenty times in the glass and mirrors!

Maheshwar


    One of the loveliest cities of Madhya Pradesh, Maheshwar is the ancient city of the Holkar Kingdom, and is revered for being an abode of Shiva.  The city is full of many famous ghats, the most beautiful being the Holkar Palace, which is along the river.  

Omkareshwar
    Near the city of Indore is the island of Mandhata on the Narmada river, Omkareshwar is where hundreds of pilgrims have come for generations to pray because the island is shaped the holy word "om".  The river Narmada is considered sacred by many Hindus and for many, the site is a trip of a lifetime.

Mandu


    The ancient ruins of Mandu are a shot drive from Indore and have a wealth of sites for tourists.  The city is surrounded by a large wall, has an impressive fort, and the amazing Jama Masjid of Mandu, an excellent work of Pashtun artistry.  

Bawangaja
    Bawangaja is famous for being one of India's premier Jain pilgrimage spots, and there is an 84 foot tall stature of the first Tirthankara here.  It is unknown who built it, but it is one of the most impressive monuments in Madhya Pradesh.

Ujjain
    A very ancient city, Ujjain was mentioned in the Mahabharata epic as being the Kingdom of Avanti.  It is considered one of the most sacred cities of India by Hindus, and has a Kumbh Mela festival attended by millions every 12 years.  It is also a good place for expeditions into the Madhya Pradesh countryside.

Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple
    One of the most famous temples in all India, Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple has been praised in verse for generations.  The temple is on a scenic lake, and is full of icons of Parvati, Ganesh, and Mahakalaleshwar.  It is a major pilgrimage site for Hindus.

Ved Shala
    The medieval rulers of Ujjain built this observatory to watch the stars, and it is a landmark in the history of science of India.  Raja Jaisingh built many tools and recorded many important planetary records.  Nowadays, it is a museum dedicated to his discoveries as well as a testament to the mathematical skills of the former rulers of Ujjain.  

Amarkantak


    A pilgrimage center in eastern Madhya Pradesh, Amarkantak has dozens of temples set in a pristine environment.  The beautiful forest surrounding the town is one of the most biodiverse areas in India, providing a gorgeous backdrop to the amazing temples.  It is said the temples here arose from the ashes of the city of Tripura, destroyed by Lord Shiva.

Bandhavgar  National Park
    Bandhavgar NP, in the west of Madhya Pradesh, is well-known for its high density of tigers.  The area used to be the hunting grounds of the Maharaja of Rewa, who believe it was a good sign to kill 109 tigers in their lifetime.  No wonder the species became endangered!  But nowadays, the park protects the species, along with many other wildlife including hundreds of bird species, butterflies, and other mammals.

Pench National Park
    Pench National Park is a wonderful nature reserve replete with elephants, monkeys, tigers, and many bird species.  It was the source of inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's the Jungle Book, and it is one of the largest and most pristine nature reserves in India.

History and Culture

    Madhya Pradesh has the oldest history of India, with the earliest signs of human life in the area dating back some 9,000 years in the famous Bhimbetka rock shelters.  Thousands of years later, the city of Ujjain began to grow, and it became a center of  the ancient kingdom of Malwa.  The Mauryan empire asorbed the area around 300 BC, bringing Buddhism to the area and building the famous Buddhist pilgrimage site Sanchi, where relics of the Buddha himself reside.  After the decline of thethe Mauryan empire, the area was controlled by the Western Satraps and the Guptas later on.
    The area was ravaged by the Huns, leading to the collapse of the Guptas and the rise of a new Malwa state.  The rajputs ruled the area for generations, creating many large and economically prosperous cities such as Khajuraho, the famous temple complex.
    Madhya Pradesh was conquered by Akbar in the 1500's, leading to centuries of Mughal rule.  The Marathas, longtime enemies of the Mughals, took over the area after the decline of Mughal fortunes, although many princely states popped up, including Indore and Gwalior.  After the third Anglo-Maratha War, the British took over Madhya Pradesh along with the rest of India.
    After independence from Britain, the area was consolidated as "Madhya Pradesh", the Middle Province.  In 2000, the state of Chhattisgarh was formed from the eastern districts of the state.
    Madhya Pradesh is called "the Heart of India" because it occupies the geographic center of the country.  It is on top of a large plateau, and is a major watershed for both the Ganges Valley and several southern states.  Madhya Pradesh, especially the eastern half of it, is well known throughout India as having some of the best nature in India, with vast forests and pristine rivers.
    The state has one of the largest populations of tribals in India, with a quarter of the state, especially in the eastern part, belonging to a tribe.  Most people in Madhya Pradesh speak Hindi or Urdu, but there is a wide array of minority languages including Nimadi, Malvu, and Bundeli.  
    The region has had so many different princely states and separate histories that it is hard to come up with a comprehensive tourist agenda, but every region offers its own sites and having a scattershot itinerary will mix up the different eras.  Madyha Pradesh is an under-visited state, and those who pursue an opportunity for new experiences will be rewarded.