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Home , Asirgarh Fort, Bandhavgarh Fort, Barwaha, Baz Bahadur, Burhanpur, Chanderi Fort

Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. Paryatan Bhawan, Bhadbhada Road, - 462 003 Tel : 0755-2774340/42, 2778383, 4027100, Fax : 0755-2779476, 2774289 Tourist Helpline (Toll Free) : 1800 233 7777 E-mail : [email protected] www.mptourism.com Contents

Page No. Region 01-12 Region 13-40 Region 41-60 Region 61-78 Bhopal Region 79-100 Region 101-110 Sound & Light Show 111-112 Caravan Tourism 113-114 Temptations 115-120 Accommodation Guide 121-130 Wildlife Guide 131-132 Museum Guide 133-134 MPSTDC Offices 135-136 Magical, Mystical Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh - the heart of Incredible is not called so only because of its location in the centre of the country but also because it offers diverse experiences in art, culture, nature, religion and history.

The natural beauty of the State is equally varied. With plateaus and plains that are intersected by meandering rivers and dotted with hills and ravines, one-third of the State is forested, offering an exciting panorama of wildlife. In its National Parks, one can spot the elusive tiger, bison and a wide variety of deer and antelope.

The cultural heritage of Madhya Pradesh is ancient and chequered. Innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, , forts and palaces are reminders of a glorious past. Moments of valour and glory, love and passion have been captured in them by the sensitive chisels of master craftsmen.

This is the magic of a many-splendoured land. Produced by M. P. State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. The magic of Madhya Pradesh is further enhanced by the wide choice of accommodation offered by The list of places in this publication is not exhaustive. M.P. State Tourism Development Corporation. It Madhya Pradesh is such a vast state and there are so many places of tourist interest that inclusion of all of them in one ranges from exotic log huts to luxury hotels and publication seems impossible. However, we have tried to colonial bungalows, cafeterias and wayside make it a useful guide for the visitors by covering all major amenities. centres and other places of tourist interest in the state. Information on accommodation and on other areas of tourist interest has been listed in a separate section at the end. Come to Madhya Pradesh and enjoy hospitality that comes from the heart. Khajuraho Region

Khajuraho Combined with the upward direction of the Eternal Expressions of Love structure, which is further accentuated by vertical The temples of Khajuraho are India's unique gift projections, the total effect is of grace and to the world, representing, as they do, a paean to lightness, reminiscent of the Himalayan peaks. life, to love, to joy; perfect in execution and Each of the chief compartments has its own roof, sublime in expression. Life, in every form and grouped in such a way that the highest is in the mood , has been captured in stone , testifying not center and the lowest over the portico; a triumph only to the craftsman's artistry but also to the of skill and imagination in recreating the rising extraordinary breadth of vision of the Chandela peaks of a range. These group of temples have under whose rule the temples were been designated by UNESCO as a world conceived and constructed. heritage site for their archaeological and The Khajuraho temples were built in the short historical monuments. span of hundred years 950-1050AD, in a truly The temples of Khajuraho are divided into three inspired burst of creativity. Of the 85 original geographical groups- the Western, Eastern and temples, 22 have survived till today to constitute Southern one of the world's greatest artistic wonders. Lost The Western Group - Located on the main among the forests for centuries, after the fall of the Bamitha-Rajnagar Road, the temples of Western Chandelas, these temples were discovered by a Group are the most visited at Khajuraho, the British engineer, TS Burt, in 1838. group to which the largest –Kandariya Mahadev, The architectural style of the Khajuraho temples the oldest-Chaunsath Yogini and the 13 other is very different from the temple prototype of that temples belong. The temples are profiled here in a period. Each stands, on a high masonry platform clock wise direction. instead of within the customary enclosure. 1 2 was built just before the Kandariya. Particularly noteworthy are its two sura sundaris: one plucking a thorn from the sole of her foot with an extremely graceful depiction of feminine curves and another celestial maiden playing the flute. It is a panchayatan temple but now only two subsidiary shrines survive. A Nandi bull faces the shrine.A temple dedicated to Parvati (Gauri) is also situated in the vicinity. The of built another temple nearby about a century ago. Temple - This is a Vaishnav temple and has the five principal elements of the Ardh Mandapa, Mandapa, Maha Mandapa, Vestibule and Sanctum. The Jagati(platform) has a series of Western Group battle scenes, hunting expeditions, processions Kandariya Mahadev- The temple was built and scenes from daily life. The lintel over the between 1025 and 1050 AD. As it rises in entrance of the beautiful Vaishnavite temple successive towers like a range of mountains, it shows the trinity of Brahma, and . soars 31 m high. Dedicated to Shiva , the sanctum The finely carved sanctum has a three-headed idol sanctorum enshrines a . Among all the of Vishnu's incarnations, Narsimha and . Khajuraho temples it has the most elegantly This boar incarnation also appears in a nine feet ornamented basement with intricately carved high statue at the Varaha Temple. processional friezes teeming with elephants, Jagadambi Temple - A temple dedicated to horses,warriors, hunters, dancers, acrobats, Goddess Kali(originally dedicated to Vishnu) is musicians and scenes of erotic groupings, of four part design in plan. The Sanctum has a four unabashedly sensuous and vibrantly alive. There armed Vishnu . The temple is situated on the same are nearly 900 figures.Particularly noteworthy are platform as Kandariya Mahadev. the entrance arch, the ceiling and pillars of the Matangeswara Temple – Still a living place of interior compartments. worship, the temple dedicated to Shiva, has an Chaunsath Yogini - This is the only granite eight feet high lingam. It is probably the plainest temple and the earliest surviving shrine of the among the sandstone temples in Khajuraho. This group (900AD), dedicated to Kali.The temple is temple is the venue of a large fair on the day of planned as an open air quadrangle with cells Mahashivratri when thousands of pilgrims visit around it. The temple once had 64 peripheral the holiest shrine of Khajuraho. shrines one each of the 64 yoginis (Ascetic Eastern Group: Close to the village of Khajuraho, attendants) of the Goddess Kali, out of which only Brahminical and Jain temples existing side by 35 survive today. But no image of Kali has side make up the Eastern Group. This includes survived so far. Another Kali temple, originally three Hindu temples:Brahma, and Javari dedicated to Vishnu is the Devi Jagdambe temple. and three Jain temples Ghantai, Adinath and Chitragupta Temple - Facing eastwards to the Parsvanath. The Hindu temples are situated near rising sun, the temple is dedicated to the Sun God, Ninora Tal or Khajuraho Sagar while the Jain Surya . This is one of the few temples in India shrines are situated further south accessible by a dedicated to Sun God. The image of the diety in metalled road. the inner sanctum is particularly imposing: five Brahma Temple - This temple has been wrongly feet high, and driving a horse drawn chariot. The called a Brahma temple as the four faced linga group scenes depict royal processions, hunting placed in the sanctum was mistaken for the four scenes and group dances, reflecting the lavish faced idol of Brahma . Though the linga would lifestyle of the Chandela courts. indicate that this is Shiva temple, this was not its Vishwanath Temple – This is among the finest original dedication. The prominent figure carved examples of the developed Khajuraho temple on the lintel of the sanctum doorway indicates that style. The temple is dedicated to Shiva. The it was a temple dedicated to Vishnu. architectural style of this temple indicates that it 3 4 Vamana This temple is dedicated to the fifth Khajuraho which does not have a single erotic incarnation of Vishnu, the Dwarf/Vamana.It has a sculpture. This temple has a massive intricately very simple design of shikhara embellished with a carved image of Vishnu in the sanctum. fretwork of Chitya arches. There are only two Sound and Light Show : This fascinating Son-et- bands of sculpture decorating the outer walls and Lumiere spectacle evokes the life and times of the these include graceful figures of sura sundaris but great Chandela Kings and traces the story of the erotic sculptures are not prominent. Walls are rich unique temples from the 10th to 11th Century. in carvings and decoration. Mounted in the complex of the Western Group of Javari- This is a little gem of a temple built temples, the 50-minute show runs in and between 1075 and 1100. It stands on a high plinth English every evening. and has a delicate soaring shikhara or tower. The State Museum of Tribal and Folk Arts A fine three bands of sculpture on its outer walls are rich collection of masterpieces of tribal and folk arts in carvings and decoration. Jain Shrines in and artefacts from all over Madhya Pradesh is on Eastern Group of Temples: , display at the Chandela Cultural Complex. The Parsvanath Temple , Adinath, Santinatha tradition of tribal and folk arts and crafts has Ghantai Temple: Ghantai which means 'bell', is evolved over centuries. It represents the best of the local name for these ruins because of the Indian culture and tradition and its synthesis with carvings of bells on its slim pillars . All that stands foreign cultures that came through trade and now – behind a vandal –excluding fence- is the invasions. The State Museum has more than 500 remains of the entrance porch and its maha representative items of terracotta, metal craft, mandap or assembly hall. The carvings inscribed woodcraft, tribal and folk paintings, tattoos, on the main beam , on the top of the door are the jewelleries and masks. The Museum is open on all sixteen auspicious signs seen in a dream by Lord days except Mondays and Government Holiday 's mother at the time of conception. from 12 noon to 8:00 p.m. Parsvanath Temple : About 400 m southeast of Ghantai temple this stands in a walled enclosure with the other Adinath temple. Made of honey coloured sand stone, it enshrines a black marble image of the first tirthankar. Inspite of being a Jaina temple, it holds many images related to the Vaishnava faith in which lord Vishnu is the principal . Adinath Temple : It is smaller than the Parsvanath temple in many ways resembles the Vamana. Here only sanctum and vestibule have survived of the original. The sculpture on the three Khajuraho, Dance Festival bands include charming sura sundaris where as How to reach the principal three niches of the outer façade has By Air- Regular services link Khajuraho with images of yakshis. The temple may be dated to the and later half of the 11th Century. By Rail- Khajuraho has its own railway station Southern Group Here there are just two linking it to Delhi, (172km), conserved temples : the Duladeo and the (94km) and Mahoba (64km). (117 km) on Chaturbhuj Temple. These are among the last the Allahabad line of the Central temples to be built by the sculptors of Khajuraho Railway, is a convenient rail link for those coming and there are many experts who believe that when from Mumbai, Kolkata and Varanasi. these were being built and carved, the artistic By Road – Khajuraho is connected by regular dynamism of Khajuraho was dying. buses with Satna, Harpalpur, Jhansi and Mahoba : The most impressive features of Best Season- July to March this temple are the flying celestials on the Your Host : Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Hotel uppermost row of the shikhara tower. This temple Jhankar, Hotel Payal and Tourist Village. has Shiva as the presiding deity . Chaturbhuj Temple : It is the only temple in 5 6 Chitrakoot forested hill, it is skirted all along its base by a chain of temples and is venerated today, as the Abode of the Gods holy embodiment of . The Bharat Milap temple is located here, marking the spot where Chitrakoot, 'the hill of many wonders', nestles Bharat is said to have met Rama to persuade him peacefully in the northern spurs of the Vindhyas, a to return to the throne of . Many are the place of tranquil forest glades and quiet rivers and faithful who perform the ritual circuit (parikrama) streams where calm and repose are all-pervading. of the sacred hill, to ask for a boon or a blessing. This loveliest of Nature's gifts is also a hallowed Much of the place is undulating plains made of ground, blessed by the gods and sanctified by the ancient lava fields. But there are also large patches faith of pilgrims. For Chitrakoot's spiritual legacy of beautiful forests, well watered with streams and stretches back to legendary ages: it was in these rivers. Thriving shrines stand on the sites of deep forests that Rama and spent eleven of legendary . their fourteen years of exile; here, that the great Janaki Kund : Upstream from Ramghat is a sage Atri and Sati Anusuya meditated; and here serenely beautiful stretch of the Mandakini, a where the principal trinity of the Hindu pantheon, symphony of nature in tones of earth- brown and Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh took their leaf-green, the intense blue of the river waters incarnations. Sufferers and seekers, poets and finding a paler echo in the canopy of the sky. In visionaries, princes and noblemen have, through this idyllic pastoral setting, it is said, Sita would the ages, sought and found solace in Chitrakoot, bathe in the crystal clear waters, during the years drawn inspiration from its sublime natural beauty, of her exile with Rama. Certainly, this quiet spot gained spiritual strength from its serene temples seems to have been specially blessed, for an aura and, in turn, become part of the hallowed legend of total harmony and quietitude haloes it, setting it called Chitrakoot. apart from the bustle of the everyday world. There are two approaches to Janaki Kund : 2 km up from Kamadgiri : Kamadgiri, the original Chitrakoot, Ramghat by boat, or by road along a foliage-lined is a place of prime religious significance. A drive. 7 8 Atri Muni, his wife Anusuya, and their three sons (who were the three incarnations of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh), are said to have meditated. The Mandakini is believed to have been created by Anusuya through her meditation. Sati Anusuya lies about 16 km. from the town and can be reached by road - an undulating, curving drive through densely wooded areas. Sphatik Shila : A few kilometers beyond Janaki Kund is again a densely forested area on the banks of the Mandakini. One can climb up to the boulder which bears the impression of Rama's footprint and where Sita was pecked at, by Jayant in the form of a crow. There are large fish in the river, easily visible in the pellucid water. Gupt Godavari : 18 km from the town by road is a natural wonder located at some distance on top of a hill. The wonder here is a pair of caves, one high and wide with an entrance through which one can barely pass, and the other, long and narrow with a stream of water running along its base. It is believed that Rama and his brother Lakshman held court in the latter cave, which has two Ramghat: This is the living heart of Chitrakoot. natural, throne-like rocks. Belief blesses it as the favoured bathing place of Dhara: Located on a rock-face several Ram, Laxman and Sita. The ghats that line the hundred feet up a steep hillside is a spring, said to banks of the river Mandakini reveal a constantly have been created by Rama to assuage Hanuman moving and changing kaleidoscope of religious when the latter returned after setting Lanka afire. activity. Here, amidst the chanting of hymns and A couple of temples commemorate this spot the sweet fragrance of incense, holy men in which offers a panoramic view of Chitrakoot. saffron robes sit in silent meditation or offer the There is an open, paved area here in the shade of a solace of their wisdom to the countless pilgrims massive peepal tree, a lovely place to halt after the who converge here. With the very first rays of long climb-up. dawn that gleam upon the river, Ramghat stirs into Bharat Koop : Bharat Koop is where Bharat life as the devout of all ages take the ritual, stored holy water collected from all the places of purifying dip in the waters and invoke the blessings of the gods. The activity builds up in a pilgrimage in India. It is a small, isolated spot, just crescendo of colour and spontaneous expressions a few kilometres from town. of faith through the day, past high noon, gently How to reach – diminishing as the setting sun picks out the bright By Air- The nearest airport is at Khajuraho colours of flower petals floating down the river, (175km) while the evening 'arti' lends its melodious By Rail- The nearest railhead is at Chitrakoot cadences to the deepening dusk. At all times, Dham (Karwi)(11km) on the Jhansi-Manikpur Ramghat witnesses a deep and abiding faith main line. which finds expression in the rituals which By Road- Regular bus services connect honour the sanctity of Chitrakoot. Chitrakoot with Jhansi, Mahoba, The rippling blue - green waters of the Mandakini Chitrakootdham, Harpalpur, Satna and can be traversed by boats, readily available for Chhatarpur hire. Best Season- October to March Sati Anusuya : Sati Anusuya is located further Your Host Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Tourist upstream, set amidst thick forests that resound to Bungalow. the melody of birdsong all day. It was here that 9 10 Panna The other animals inhibiting this Reserve are A Tryst with the Nature nilgai, chital, chinkara, sloth bear, chausingha, wild-boar, jackal, hyena, rhesus and langur Panna tiger reserve is just 25 km from Khajuraho. monkeys and leopards. There are about 200 By the flowing through the reserve, species of birds, the common ones being there is a sanctuary for the long–snouted, fish egrets,paradise fly catcher,adjutant stork, crested eating gharial-crocodiles. From a view point, high serpent eagle, quail, kingfishers, vultures etc. above the river, visitors can see them like grey These wide-winged scavengers nest in the cliffs of logs basking on the white sand-banks of the river a hairpin-shaped gorge, coasting in and out, with Ken. The topography of Panna consists of two silent grace, on the invisible columns of rising air plateaus, scattered hills and valleys including that called thermals. of the Ken river. The flora, here, is southern How to reach - tropical dry teak forests and northern deciduous By Air - Nearest airport is Khajuraho mixed forest. By Rail - Nearest railhead is Khajuraho (46 km) As in many other national parks, it is best to get and Satna (74 km) out as early as possible, ensuring that you are By Road - Panna is well-connected with bus suitably dressed for the cold, damp micro-climate network, Khajuraho to Madla (25km), Satna to of a forest at dawn. Madla (90km) and Panna to Madla (19km) Be on the look out for furry jackals and fat Your Host - Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Jungle mongooses bustling busily looking for snakes and Camp, Madla other forest-floor creatures. You can take a boat ride on the Ken river for a closer encounter with the Gharials . The chances of seeing a tiger here are good because much of the forest is fairly open. 11 12 Indore Region

Indore The city has some interesting monuments Commercial Capital of Madhya Pradesh associated with dynasty. th - The biggest tourist attraction in Indore The city derives its name from the 18 century is the Rajwada, built in 1749 by Malhar Rao Indreshwar temple and lies to the extreme west of Holkar to serve as his palace. The mammoth the state on the banks of rivers Saraswati and th seven-storeyed palace, a combination of , Khan in the heart of plateau. In the 6 Mughal and French architectural styles, reaches century the region of Indore , in the kingdom of out to the sky from the chaotic lanes of Khajuri had twin capitals at and Bazaar, in the heart of the old city. The palace has . This region also became part of recently been renovated. The lower three floors Maurya , Gupta and Harsha kingdoms and came are made of stone and the upper floors are made of under the control of the kings in the wood which made it very vulnerable to medieval times. In 1401 Dilawar Khan destruction by fire. Rajwada was burnt three times established the sultanate of Malwa with Mandu as in its history; the last fire in 1984 took the greatest its capital. It became the province of the Mughal toll. Today only the front façade remains. Empire under in 1562. Malhar Rao who Town Hall - Made in 1904 and originally named was the founder of the Holkar dynasty was a King Edwards Hall, it was renamed Mahatma commander who played a significant role in the Gandhi Hall in 1948. Its architectural style is Indo Maratha conquest of Malwa. As a reward by -Gothic. Made of Seoni stone, its domes and Baji Rao, Indore became the seat of the staples are a landmark of Indore today. It has a Holkar in 1733. He was succeeded by his four-faced clock tower in front, because of which daughter-in-law, Ahilya Bai who planned and it is locally known as Ghanta Ghar. It is frequently built Indore from her seat of power at . the venue of various exhibitions held in the city. Indore's modernization is attributed to the last The building also has a library, a children's park four Holkar rulers who were in control from 1844- and a temple. 1947. 13 14 Annapurna Temple –It is close to the Lal Bagh Gita Bhavan - Adorned with many statues of palace. Its architecture is inspired by the gods of various religions, its construction is Meenakshi temple of Madurai. The gopuram is inspired by the religious motto of 'many names to covered with intricate sculptures of Hindu . a god is after all of one God'. The main temple in the center of the complex has a Khajrana - Built by Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar, is pink dome and colourful reliefs from the Hindu another temple dedicated to Ganesh that is deeply mythology adorn its walls. The complex has revered by the locals and is believed to fulfill all temples of Shiva,Kal Bhairav, Hanuman and a wishes. Nearby is the dargah of Nahar Sayed Veda Mandir. which is an important pilgrim place for Muslims. Bada Ganpati - Better known for its size than Kasturbagram - 8 km from Indore, the Kasturba antiquity, this temple houses perhaps the largest Gandhi National Memorial Trust was founded by Ganesh idol in the world measuring 25 feet from Mahatma Gandhi. Its headquarters were shifted crown to foot. Created as a result of the dream of from Wardha to Indore in 1915. The main an Avantika (Ujjain) resident, Shri Dadhich, it was objective of this trust is to bring improvement in built in 1875. The idol is made up of soil collected the quality of village life and welfare of rural from the seven sacred cities of India mixed with women and children. Some of its many powder of panch ratna (gems), holy water from commendable activities are agricultural pilgrimage sites, bricks, limestone, jaggery and production, research, training, experiments in fenugreek seeds. fruit orchards, gobar gas, better water - This is an management, rural institute for girls, village architectural marvel in glass. The walls, ceilings, sanitation programmes etc. floors, pillars and door knobs are entirely inlaid Bijasen Tekri – A two minute drive from the with glass.Even paintings are done in glass. Atop airport leads to a hillock on which was perched a is a special glass chamber which multiplies the guest house of the now converted into three statues of Lord Mahavira installed there into Border Security Arms Museum as well as a small an indefinite number (said to be visible up to 21 temple of Bijasen Mata built in 1920, which has a times, corresponding to the 21 tirthankars). magnificient view of the sunset. A mela (Fair) is Lal Bagh Palace - Lal Bagh is one of the grandest held during Navratri. It is a good picnic spot, with monuments, the Holkar dynasty has left in a breathtaking view of Indore by night. Indore. A reflection of their taste, grandeur and Gomatgiri-The Jain community has constructed life style, its construction began in 1886 under a 21 feet statue of Lord Gomateshwar, a replica of Tukoji Rao Holkar II and was carried out in three the Bahubali statue of Shravanbelagola . Also phases. The final phase was completed in 1921 built here are 24 marble temples dedicated to each under Tukoji Rao Holkar III. Many royal of the tirthankars. receptions were held here.It has a total area of 28 How to reach hectares, and at one time it had the reputation of By Air – Devi Ahilya Bai International Airport at having the best rose gardens in the country. Indore has daily flights to the major cities in India. Central Museum - The Indore Museum houses By Rail- It is well-connected to all major cities by the finest collection of Parmar Sculpture from train. Hinglajgarh. The Parmar style originated here, By Road – Indore is situated at the confluence of and is characterized by proportioned figures, two national highways , NH-3 connecting to carefully and ornately depicted in stone. The Mumbai, and NH-59 connecting Ahmedabad to museum is also known for its collection of coins, Indore . It is also connected by regular bus arms and armour. services to Bhopal, Gwalior, , Ahmedabad, Royal - These are beautiful monuments Mumbai, Pune, Nasik and Aurangabad with soaring towers and their walls decorated with Your Hosts – Indore offers a number of hotels sculptures. All of them have wide and deep ranging from the budget to the luxury segment. pavilions presumably made to shelter pilgrims. Not to miss the intricate workmanship that has gone into creating these temple-like memorials to former Holkars.

15 16 in the heart of the town, is also Ujjain's Ujjain commercial nerve centre. One of the most The City of Temples important traditions of the temple, the bhasma aarti is performed here every morning (except on Mahashivaratri) from 4 am to 6 am. The original structure of Mahakaleshwar Temple was rebuilt by the Marathas in the 1850s. Legend has it that no one can rule over Ujjain without first surrendering their faith to Mahakaleshwar. The site where Sati's elbow fell is consecrated as Harsiddhi Temple. The Sri Yantra, or symbol of , is also enshrined here. The central deity here is goddess Annapurna. Her vermillion-stained image is seated between Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati. Gopal Mandir - One of the largest temples in Ujjain, was built by the Marathas in the mid-19th century. The temple is enclosed by a high wall, pierced by a lofty and ornate gateway with the distinctive bangaldar roof. The huge silver-plated The ancient city of Ujjain lies on the banks of river doors of the garbhagriha once belonged to the Shipra. The number of temples in Ujjain, as famed in . popularly held, is so large that if one comes here It is said that the poet Kalidas, whose verses were with two cartloads of grain and offers only one once quite ordinary, gained his legendary skills by handful at each temple, one would still run short the blessings of goddess Gadkalika, enshrined in of offerings. a temple, 2 kms north of Mahakaleshwar Temple. Legend has it that Ujjain is one of the saptapuris, Kalidas is widely regarded as the greatest poet and or the seven holy cities of India that grant dramatist of classical literature. His or liberation from the cycle of birth and death. works include Abhijnanasakuntalam, Ujjain hosts the Simhasth, popularly known as the Raghuvamsa and the lyric poem, Meghdoot. Kumbh Mela, every 12 years, the latest of which Kalidas's love of Ujjain finds full expression in was in 2004. Meghdoot, which describes the anguish of an For centuries, people have been thronging the exiled yaksha who, sends a message to his ghats on the Shipra not only for holy baths but also beloved via a rain cloud. The poet describes the to perform life-cycle rituals. The most important imaginary passage of the cloud over the splendid ghat is Ram Ghat where every evening a city of Ujjain. Close to the Gadkalika Temple are spectacular ritual, sandhya aarti, is held. Priests the Bhartrihari Caves on the banks of the Shipra, gather at sundown to worship the sacred river with and the shrine of Pir Matsyendranath, said to be flowers, incense, sandalwood and vermillion. the founder of the Nath sect of Shaivism. The Mahakaleshwar Temple enshrines one of the tomb has a very Islamic look with an arched twelve jyotirlingas and is thus one of the most doorway, a domed roof and four small towers at sacred Shiva shrines in India. The spire of the the corners. This saint belongs to the Nath sect temple, crowned with a gold kalash, dominates who draw their spiritual practices from Shaivism the city. A corridor leads into a partially covered and Vajrayan . The antiquity of Kal yard built around the temple tank. In this covered Bhairav Temple finds mention in the Skanda space there are small shrines. The first one is Purana. The present structure, built in the 18th dedicated to Ram, Sita and Laxman; the second century, is surrounded by high walls with a large holds a shivling named Koteshwar Mahadev and deepstambha facing it. This temple is built a bit the third is dedicated to Goddess Annapurna. The like a fortress with steps leading to a nail-studded Mahakaleshwar Shivling is guarded by a hooded gate, set in a gate house in the wall encircling the snake sculpted in silver and a pot suspended temple. The architecture of the temple reflects a above, drips water to cool the meter-high Maratha influence. Shivling. The market around the temple, located 17 18 The Shivalinga in the garbhagriha of Mahakaleshwar Temple Historically, however, this temple is believed to Kaliadeh Palace- The glorious landscape of the have been built by an obscure king named flowing river Shipra on both sides of Kaliadeh Bhadrasen. palace and the man-made tanks and channels with The nearby Ram Janardan Temple, is one of water gurgling through them provide a Ujjain's architectural gems. The temples spectacular backdrop to this imposing building. dedicated to Ram and Vishnu Janardan were built The central dome of the palace is a beautiful in the 17th century by Raja Jai Singh, the governor example of Persian architecture. Two Persian of Ujjain under emperor . inscriptions found record the visits of emperor Mangalnath Temple is mentioned in the Akbar and Jehangir to this palace. Vikram Kirti Purana as the birthplace of Mars (Mangal). The Mandir- The complex was raised to perpetuate garbhagriha enshrines an image of Shiva in his the memory of Vikramaditya – the legendary king Mahadev manifestation. Incidentally, the site of of the second millennium of the Vikram era. This the temple offers one of the clearest views of Mars cultural centre houses the Oriental and is hence considered suitable for astronomical Research Institute, an archaeological museum, an studies. Even though this is known as the temple art gallery and an auditorium. Some of the other of Mars, the principal idol is that of Shiva. prominent places of interest in Ujjain include the Vedshala- The observatory located about 2 km Chintamani Ganesh Temple, located about 5 kms south-west of Mahakal temple was built by from the Ved Shala on the road to Fatehabad; the Maharaj Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur during the Navagraha temple on the Ujjain- Indore road; period 1725-1730. The Ved Shala consists of four Kalidas Academy, Durgadas ki , Bina- main instruments used for observing the activities Neev-ki Masjid and Mazar –e – Najmi. of the planets and conducting astronomical How to reach - studies. There is a small planetarium and a By Air- Nearest airport is Devi Ahilya Bai telescope to observe the planets . The Tropic of International airport at Indore (55 kms). Cancer is just to the north of the Vedshala. By Rail- Ujjain has its own railway station which Sandipani - It is believed that Lord is well connected to the major cities of India. and Sudama received regular sermons in By Road- Regular bus services connect Ujjain the ashram of Guru Sandipani. The followers of with Indore, , Jalgaon, , the sect regard this place as the 73rd Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, and Bhopal. seat of the 84 seats of Vallabhacharya where he Your Hosts- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Shipra delivered his discourses throughout India. Residency and Avantika. 19 20 Mahal was used as a royal residence. It is Dhar constructed in Tughlaq architecture, which has heavy walls sloping down. It is rectangular in For centuries, conquerors had marched down the shape and has a roof with small cells which have old caravan route that stretches through Dhar, arch type doors. linking Delhi to the Deccan here, they had rested , Kharbuja Mahal – Kharbuja is a melon and the built their monuments, and then moved on. Dhar palace got its name from its domes which looked preserves a number of worth seeing monuments. like large melons. Apart from their aesthetic The - At the gate of this imposing fortress, appeal and conforming to a typical Islamic there is a descriptive board which says that it was architectural mode, they also kept their buildings built by Mohd Bin Tughlaq in 1344 while cool, allowing hot air from the rooms to rise inside returning from south. It has three gates. The outer the dome and away from the living spaces. wall is made of red sandstone. The third gate was Mughal royals stayed here and it was probably built in the reign of Aurangzeb. Some of the th built in the 16 century and was plastered and construction was also done in the Fort in 15th- decorated with murals in the Maratha period. 16th century under the reign of the Mughals and Marathas. During the Mutiny , the rebels How to reach occupied the Fort but were forced to leave as the By Air – The nearest airport is at Indore, which British Army fired at it continuously for six days. is 100 kms away from Indore, connected to Sheesh Mahal-Literally the glass palace, it has Mumbai, Delhi and Bhopal. lost all the mirrors it might once have had. It By Rail- Nearest railway station is at Indore. stands on the north-west part of the Fort and was By Road- Regular bus services are available built in the 14th century during the stay of Mohd. from Indore. Bin Tughlaq who was on his way from Best Season- July to March Daulatabad (Maharastra) to Delhi. The Sheesh Your Host- There are a number of hotels offering budget accommodation.

21 22 defence. The first is the deep irregular ravine of Mandu the Kakra Khoh entwining around the fortress on Legends of Love in the City of Joy the west, north and east with a slim way projecting The elevated plateau is a scene of the most deep into the plateau from the east. On the rim of enchanting variety. Contrasting with undulating this ravine are the walls winding around for about tracts shaded by trees, are dark pools nestling in 45 kms. They have 12 imposing gates. Each of the hollows and larger lakes glistening in the Mandu's structures is an architectural gem; some sunshine, while rocky ravines alternate with are outstanding like the massive Jami Masjid and sloping swards, the entire effect being almost 's Tomb, which provided unreal in its beauty. And to complete the illusion, a inspiration for the masterbuilders of the thousand feet below are spread vast plains of the centuries later. Under Mughal rule Mandu was a Narmada, the delicate opalescent tints of which pleasure resort, its lakes and palaces were the provide an entrancing background to the whole. scenes of splendid and extravagant festivities. On many of the prominent positions within the And the glory of Mandu lives on, in its palaces and broken surface of this magic landscape crowning , in legends and songs, chronicled for the heights, are arcaded pavilions and pillared posterity. kiosks, turrets and cupolas. Jami Masjid - Inspired by the great of Mandu is a celebration in stone of life Damascus, the Jami Masjid, was conceived on a and joy, of the love of the poet-prince Baz grand scale, with a high plinth and a huge domed Bahadur for his beautiful consort, Rani Roopmati. porch projecting in the centre, the background The balladeers of Malwa still sing of the romance dominated by similar imposing domes with the of these royal lovers, and high up on the crest of a intervening space filled up by innumerable hill, Roopmati's pavilion still gazes down at Baz domes. Bahadur's palace, a magnificent expression of There is an austere simplicity about this enormous Afghan architecture. structure. It stands on a 4.6 m high plinth accessed Perched along the Vindhyan ranges at an altitude by an impressive flight of steps. The whole of 2,000 feet, Mandu, with its natural defences, mosque covers an area of 97.4 sqm and its porch, was originally the fort-capital of the Parmar rulers atop the flight of steps, is dominated by a 16.8 m of Malwa. Towards the end of the 13th century, it dome. Beyond the porch is a great open court came under the sway of the of Malwa, the surrounded by arched colonnades. On the far side first of whom renamed it Shadiabad-the City of of this court is the Prayer Hall with its pulpit atop a joy, and indeed, the pervading spirit of Mandu was flight of steps. The blue in the panels , still glitter of gaiety; and its rulers built exquisite palaces like after all these centuries, are inlays of the semi- the Jahaz and Hindola Mahals, ornamental canals, precious stone lapis lazuli. baths and pavilions, as graceful and refined as Hoshang Shah's Tomb - India's first marble those times of peace and plenty. edifice is one of the most refined examples of The impressions begin as the visitors start driving, Afghan architecture. Its unique features are the through the small villages and the sub montane magnificently proportioned dome, marble lattice lands on the rising roads of Mandu. On both side work of remarkable delicacy and porticoed courts of the road can be seen domed structure, and towers to mark the four corners of the interspersed with giant trees giving you the rectangle. Shah Jehan sent four of his great feeling of a backward transit of time- making one architects to study the design to draw inspiration experience the real feel of the Medieval history. from the tomb. Among them was Ustad Hamid Mandu is situated 300 km away from Bhopal and who was also associated with the construction of 100 kms away from Indore. The array of medieval the Taj Mahal. There is a certain eclectic harmony architectural splendor includes Hoshang Shah's about this monument. The corridors encircling the Tomb, Jami Masjid, Ashrafi Mahal, Jahaz Mahal, grounds have red sandstone pillars with brackets Hindola Mahal, Champa Baoli, Roopmati's in Hindu architectural style; the artisans were, Pavalion, 's Palace being to name a clearly, given a free-hand to carve them in the few. Defences of Mandu - The great encircling manner that they were most familiar with. A round walls of the plateau, seems to be a secondary Afghan Dome, distinct from the onion shaped Mughal dome is surmounted by a crescent which 23 24 according to the Archaeological Survey of India , the tiny domes and turrets of the pavilion is a feature which seems to have been imported to gracefully perched on the terrace, present an Mandu direct from Mesopotamia or Persia. unforgettable spectacle. It is clear that this palace Hoshang Shah's tomb lies inside the mausoleum , in spite of its size, was never meant to be lived in. along with other tombs believed to be those of his Its ground floor has three large halls with wife , three sons & daughter. corridors in between, and narrow rooms at the far Darwazas (Gateways) - The 45 km parapet of ends. From the halls pavilions project over the walls that encircle Mandu are punctuated by 12 Munj tank. These halls were lounges and the gateways. Most notable of these is Delhi pavilions were places for people to enjoy the cool Darwaza, the main entrance to the fortress city, for breeze that blew off the lake. which the approach is through a series of Hindola Mahal - An audience hall also gateways well fortified with walled enclosures belonging to Ghiyas-ud-din's reign derives the and strengthened by bastions such as the Alamgir name of' Swinging Palace' from its sloping and Bhangi Darwaza, through which the present sidewalls. Superb and innovative techniques road passes. Rampol Darwaza, Jehangir Gate and are also evident in its ornamental facade, delicate Tarapur Gate are some of the other main trellis work in sandstone and beautifully moulded gateways. columns. To the west of Hindola Mahal there are Ashrafi Mahal - Built by Hoshang Shah's several unidentified buildings which still bear successor, Mahmud Shah Khilji, this 'palace of traces of their past grandeur. Amidst these is an gold coins', facing the Jami Masjid, was elaborately constructed well called Champa Baoli conceived as an academic institution (madarassa) which is connected with underground vaulted for young boys, and sundry cells still remain in a rooms where arrangements for cold and hot water fair state of preservation. In the same complex he were made. built a seven-storeyed tower to celebrate his victory over Rana Khumba of , of which only one storey has survived. Also in ruins is the tomb which was intended to be the largest structure of Mandu, but which collapsed due to hasty and faulty construction. The Jahaz Mahal - This 120 metre long ' ship palace' built between the two artificial lakes, Munj Talao and Kapur Talao, is an elegant two-storeyed palace. Probably it was built by Ghiyas-ud- din Khilji for his large harem. With its open pavilions, balconies overhanging the water and open terrace, Jahaz Mahal is an imaginative recreation in stone of a royal pleasure craft. Viewed on moonlit nights from the adjoining Taveli Mahal, the silhouette of the building, with 25 26 Other places of interest in this enclave are Dilawar originally built as an army observation post. From Khan's Mosque, the Nahar Jharokha (tiger its hilltop perch, this graceful structure with its balcony), Taveli Mahal, the two large wells called two pavilions was a retreat of the lovely queen, the Ujali (bright) and Andheri (dark) Baolis and from where she could see Baz Bahadur's Palace Gada Shah's Shop and House, all worth a visit. and the Narmada flowing through the Jal Mahal - This water palace has two halls with plains far below. vaulted ceilings and seems to have been meant for Caravan Sarai- This is a specific, purpose built the use of its rulers. Its marble walls with structure unique to the age of caravans. Not many medallions of blue and yellow with inscriptions, of them have survived till date. give a certain regal air. But though it has not been dated it is likely that it was constructed after the OTHER MONUMENTS Khilji era. It was probably built to offer a private There are other monuments in Mandu which do escape for royal couples. not fall in any group but which merit special ASI Museum - It has some interesting exhibits attention. found in Mandu. Most of them are Hindu Nilkanth Mahal - Belonging to the Mughal era scriptures of the 11th and 12th century but there is and close to the Nilkanth shrine, this palace was also a large statue of a Jain Tirthankar. About 10% constructed by the Mughal governor, Shah of the exhibits are devoted to Islamic calligraphy. Badgah Khan, for Emperor Akbar's Hindu wife. Darya Khan's group of monuments - These are On the walls here are some inscriptions of the time a little off the road, to the left. All that we know of of Akbar, referring to the futility of earthly pomp Darya Khan is that he was an officer in the court of and glory. Sultan Mahmud-II who ruled from 1519 to 1526. Hathi Mahal, Darya Khan's Tomb, Dai ka Mahal, The monuments have been spaced around a large Dai ki Chhoti Behan ka Mahal, Malik Mughith's tank now called the Somvati kund. Around this place there is a large, squat, sandstone tomb and to Mosque and Jali Mahal are some the left of the tank there is a smaller domed of Mandu's other fascinating monuments. There is structure. also the Echo Point the 'Delphic Oracle' of Mandu. Sagar Talao Group - Here too the monuments are A shout from here reverberates far below and is near a tank, called the Sagar Talao. The principal heard clearly back. The Lohani Caves and Temple monument in this group is Malik Mughith's ruins, not far from the royal enclave area, also Mosque built by the father of the man who became merit a visit due to their association with Mandu's the first Khilji ruler of Mandu, Mahmud Shah history and monuments. Sunset Point in front of Khilji-I. the caves, affords a panoramic view of the Many of the buildings of the pre- Islamic Hindu surrounding countryside. era lay in ruins. How to reach Kund - A reservoir built by Baz Bahadur By Air - The nearest airport is at Indore, which is with an aqueduct to provide Roopmati's palace 100 km away, connected to Mumbai, Delhi and with water. Today the pool is revered as a sacred Bhopal. spot. By Rail – Convenient railheads are Baz Bahadur's Palace - Built by Baz Bahadur in (124kms) on the Mumbai-Delhi main line the early 16th century, the palace's unique features and Indore(99km) . are its spacious courtyard surrounded by halls and By Road- Regular bus services connect Mandu high terraces which afford a superb view of the with Indore, Dhar, ,Ratlam, Ujjain and surrounding countryside. The entrance of this Bhopal. double storeyed palace has tall, slim arches on the Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Malwa left. Atop these once ran an aqueduct, carrying Resort and Malwa Retreat. water lifted by animal powered Persian Wheels Best season- July to March with monsoon months from Rewa Kund to the pool that is virtually a being the best. courtyard of the place. Other courts lined with colonnades serving airy rooms make this monument an elegant and cool place even today. Roopmati's Pavilion - The pavilion was 27 28 Ashapuri Temple- This temple holds the image Omkareshwar of the goddess of hope, the deity of the Bhil tribal Sanctified by Faith people and the former ruling family. A fair is held here in the presence of the former ruling family 78 km east of Indore, Omkareshwar is a sacred and a sacred fire is lit. island shaped like 'Om' at the confluence of the Siddinath Temple- Although in ruins, this temple river Narmada and Kaveri. Piligrims gather in still holds grace with its rich sculpture. Its large numbers at the 2 km long and 1 km wide unroofed pillars rise from a plinth rich sculpted island, formed by the fork of Narmada, where the with a frieze of elephants and equestrian warriors. temple of Shri Omkar Mandhata stands. The The pillars are worth examining for their intricate Narmada parikrama begins at this temple. The carvings and corbels. soft stone which it is constructed of has lent its Arjun Bhim Gateway-This is a massive gateway pliable surface to a rare degree of detailed work, set in thick walls, largely ruined now, with of which the frieze figures on the upper portion are sculptures of two warriors of the epic the most striking. The stone roof of the temple also - the Pandav brothers Arjun and bears some carvings. th Bhim. It is difficult to explain the presence of this Mamleshwar Temple – Built in the 10 Century , gate unless one believes that the whole of the this ancient temple is under the protection of upper part of the island was once fortified. A flight Archaeological Survey of India. It is a small of over 200 steps winds down from this gate to the complex of temples. Nowadays only one large ghats. shrine seems to be open to worshippers. The How to reach carvings in this complex are remarkable. By Air - The nearest airport is at Indore, which is Mamleshwar Temple is on the south bank of the 77 km away, connected by regular flights with Narmada. The sacred island of Omkareshwar lies Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kolkata, across the river. Jabalpur, Gwalior and Bhopal. Mahakaleshwar Temple- Here Lord Shiva is By Rail – Nearest railhead is at Omkareshwar worshipped as the Lord of Time. The idol is in a Road (12km) on the Ratlam-Khandwa section of glass fronted alcove. Above the Mahakaleshwar the Western Railway. temple are three more floors, each dedicated to By Road- Omkareshwar is connected to Indore, different aspects of Shiva. Ujjain, Khandwa and Omkareshwar road by Sangam- This is the confluence of the Narmada regular bus services. and the Kaveri. Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Narmada Gauri Somnath Temple This is at the top of 270 Resort. steps that rises up from the ghats. The temple has Best Season- July to March a curious resemblance to the temples of Khajuraho, with only a curvilinear tower atop a high platform. Inside is an enormous black Shivling. Patali Hanuman – In a pavilion out of which tree grows, is a three meter long idol of Hanuman. Here Hanuman is shown sleeping. Chand Suraj Gate - This gate is set in massive walls of dressed stone with carved corbel projections to support the topping stones. It seems as if it were the remains of an old temple as the sculptures of Chamunda and Ganesh are found here. 29 30 intricately worked doorways. The temples to see Maheshwar - Sanctified by Faith are Kaleshwar, Rajarajeshwara,Vithaleshwara and Ahileshwar. These many tiered temples are distinguished by their carved over hanging balconies and their intricately carved doorways. The Peshwa, Phanase and Ahilya ghats lining the banks of the river Narmada are the places to see the daily rituals of the folks. At these ghats one can see the stone memorials of women who practised sati as a ritual. Narmada festival Its formal name is Narmada Jayanti. Donations are collected from all who want to celebrate this festival and an order is placed with weavers in Surat, in Gujrat, to make a 1000 m long cotton .When sufficient funds are collected, the date is set between 15 Nov and 15 Dec. The sari is stretched across the river as an offering. No one knows when , or how, this unique ritual started in honour of the sacred river. Baneshwar Temple: - This single-celled shrine , rising atop a short flight of steps from the water's edge, was built by Anand Raj Parmar in the 5th Century. Outside , there is a panel depicting a man on elephant's back fighting a curious monster with a long reptilian neck and a lion's mouth. There is a 91 kms from Indore, Maheshwar was a glorious shivling inside the Baneshwar temple. When the city at the dawn of Hindu civilization, then known river is in spate, the temple could be completely as Mahishmati.The temple town on the banks of submerged. the river Narmada finds mention in the epics of Cenotaph of Ahilyabai – Facing Vithoji Rao's and Mahabharta . After many centuries Chhatri lies the cenotaph of Ahilyabai built by her of obscurity it was revived to its ancient position daughtet-in-law. It is a powerful structure of importance by Rani Ahilyabai of Indore in late resembling a temple, a black curvilinear tower 18th century. rising from a white lower floor and clearly visible Maheshwar is a city of forts and temples mirrored from the river. in the quiet waters of river Narmada. The city is Palace complex of Ahilyabai – This is a long well known for its local hand woven sarees called doubled storeyed building, very plain and bare of Maheshwari . any carving or decorations. A part of the palace is Rajgaddi and Rajwada - A life-size statue of still in possession of the Holkars and is not open to Rani Ahilyabai sits on a throne within the fort casual visitors. In deference to the memory of complex. This is the right place to begin a tour of Ahilyabai Devi, this wing of the palace is Maheshwar, for this pious and wise queen was the accorded much of the respect given to a shrine. architect of its revived importance. Other How to reach fascinating relics and heirlooms of the Holkar By Air – Nearest Airport is at Indore (91 km) dynasty can be seen in the other rooms which are By Rail – Nearest railheads are at open to the public. Within the complex is an (39km), Khandwa(110 km), Indore exquisite small shrine which is the starting point (91km) and Mhow on the Western Railway. of the ancient Dussehra ceremony which is By Road- Regular buses are available from carried out even today. Barwaha, Khandwa, Dhar and . Temples With their soaring spires, the many Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Narmada tiered temples of Maheshwar are distinguished by Retreat. their carved overhanging balconies and their Best Season- July to March.

31 32 invariably an individual of elevated rank, often a Mughal prince. , on the outskirts of The Medieval Gateway to the Deccan the town, was known as Dakkhan ka Darwaza or the Gateway to the Deccan. Burhanpur remains a city of great architectural importance, but its fame rests largely as a pilgrimage for Bohra Muslims as well as for . It is 172 kms from Indore and 76 kms from Khandwa. The capital of , which overlapped what are now the states of Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra, Burhanpur holds immense importance in Medieval . What to See Two of the oldest Faruqi monuments in Burhanpur are Kali Masjid, and the nearby Bibi ki Masjid, both in a fair state of preservation. The latter, standing in the winding alleys of Itwara mohalla, was built between 1520 and 1540 by a Faruqi queen. The black stone with which the Kali Masjid is made is said to have been brought from the great fort of Asirgarh. The mosque's northern entrance once had an inscription that recorded its construction in 1399, but that record is now ruined. Also ruined is the mosque's large dome, though a number of small domes still exist. Of its two minarets, one was rebuilt approx. 15 years ago; and both are sparsely decorated with symmetrical patterns . In a nod to medieval syncretism, the minarets are crowned with what appears to be lotus blossoms. The Bibi ki Masjid is built in rectangular shape. Both its minarets have fallen, out of which one has now been repaired. The mosque's peaceful central courtyard is open to the skies. Jama Masjid - Located at the very centre of town in Gandhi Chowk, was initiated by the Faruqi ruler, Adil Shah, and completed by Emperor Akbar. Its symmetrical arches and sparsely Burhanpur is a hidden jewel in the annals of decorated pillars create a sense of severe beauty, medieval Indian architecture. Today a small town while the two 36 m high minars tower over the in Madhya Pradesh, barely 20 kms from the mosque's arched compound. Inscriptions both in border, its history is one of battle, Arabic and Sanskrit record that the mosque was conquest and change, interspersed with bursts of built by the Faruqi ruler, Raja Ali Khan , also peace that allowed for a rich aesthetic to flourish. called Adil Shah, in 1589- for which, according to Burhanpur was founded in c.1400 AD by the locals, stones were brought all the way from Faruqi king, Nasir Khan, on the north western Mandu. There is also an inscription by Akbar on banks of the river Tapti. The Faruqis ruled the southern minar, which details his conquests of Burhanpur for the next two centuries. In 1600, the the region in 1600. Akbar is also said to have Mughal Emperor Akbar captured Burhanpur, and completed work in the mosque. There is little for a century thereafter, until Aurangzeb's death in ornamentation in the mosque; indeed 1707, it remained integral to Mughal ambitions in Cunningham describes it as unusually 'plain'. the Deccan. The governor of the city was 33 34 About 3 kms away are the tombs of several Faruqi Nawaz Khan. Inside the tomb, the walIs and rulers and their queens within a walled enclosure. ceiIings are covered with intricate fresco work. Most noteworthy of these are the tombs of Nadir Covered by a large, elegant dome, the 6.5 sq m Shah and Adil tomb has four short, hexagonal minarets at each S h a h w i t h corner, and it is shaded by chhajas along the four delicately sides. Small, slender minarets rise from the base crafted jaali of the dome. screens. The Tomb of Bilquis Jahan, or Begum Shah The Mughals Shuja, is barely 2 kms from Shah Nawaz's tomb. added Because of its distinctively shaped dome, the enormously to tomb is locally known as Kharboozi ('melon-like') B u r h a n p u r ' s Gumbaz. Every niche in the circular wall within is a r c h i t e c t u r a l beautifully decorated with floral patterns, and the treasures. colours appear as fresh now as they must have The fort, Badshahi was further fortified and been at the time of the tomb's execution. many structures were added to it. Within the fort, Close by, on the banks of the Utaoli river, is the the Diwan-e-Khas and Diwan-e-Aam, dargah of Hazrat maintained by the Archaeological Survey of Shah Bhikari, also India, are set in beautifully manicured gardens known as Hazrat that come alive in the evenings with families and Shah Nizamuddin. young couples. During the annual The most striking structure in the Badshahi Qila is Urs held in the the Zenana . Built in a combination of saint's memory, Mughal and Persian styles, the baths were once millions of people decorated with beautiful frescoes on the ceilings, congregate on the some of which still survive. Visitors can still river's dry bed to clearly see an image of what the local guides claim offer namaz. is an early drawing of the Taj Mahal. A mosque within the fortress, Pir Banna Masjid , is now quite & ruined. Only one minaret remains. M U M T A Z Burhanpur boasts of an elaborate system for M A H A L I N transporting water, begun during Akbar's reign. BURHANPUR The underground channels, 'glorious relics of Across the Tapti Mughal engineering ingenuity and skill', were from Burhanpur is used to supply water to the town well in the 20th century. MP Tourism looks after Kundi one of its most well Bhandara, about 8 kms from Burhanpur. At the known monuments, the Ahukhana, literally 'deer complex, a tiny electric lift carries visitors 25 m park' which was used as a hunting ground during underground to dark tunnels, their walls gleaming Faruqi and Mughal rule. This is also where Shah white with limestone that has gathered over centuries, and now covers the original brickwork. Jahan's most beloved queen, , was It further developed under Shah Jahan and buried.She died in Burhanpur in 1631 while Aurangzeb, made by intercepting a number of giving birth to their 14th child, princess Gauhara. underground springs flowing from the Satpura The queen's body rested here for several months hills to the . Wells, built at regular intervals, would collect the water as it flowed until it was disinterred and travelled with the down these streams. These wells were ' Mughal court to Agra there, later, to find a final interconnected and, once enough water had home in the glorious Taj Mahal. collected, it would flow through underground tunnels to numerous destinations. On the northern outskirts of Burhanpur is a beautiful Mughal monument, the Tomb of Shah 35 36 by a local chieftain, Asa Aheer, the fort was captured by the Faruqis in 1400. It soon became the region's most coveted , mainly for its strategic location. Any ruler with ambitions on the Deccan had to first control Asirgarh. Indeed, Asirgarh was known as the Dakkhan ka Darwaza or Gateway to the Deccan. There are many stories of deceit, valour and chivalry related with this invincible fort of Medieval history. The most prolific builder of the line , Adil Khan II, added a lower reinforcement to the fort,which was named Malaigarh. The highest fortification, Asirgarh is over a kilometre long at some stretches, and almost 550m wide, while the middle fortification is known as Kamargarh. Taken together, these DARGAH-E-HAKIMI three occupy an area which is 1.6 km long and About 3 kms from Gandhi Chowk in Burhanpur is 800m wide. the Dargah-e-Hakimi, a most sacred pilgrimage Temple of Ichhadevi -The famous temple of for Dawoodi Bohra Muslims. It is the mazar of Ichhadevi is located 23 kms from Burhanpur. Syedi Abdulqadir Hakimuddin. Hakimuddin Believed to answer any prayer made to her, the came to Burhanpur in 1729 to spread the word of Goddess is much revered by the locals. Though the Prophet. The entire complex is so well kept the present structure is fairly recent, the original that locals refer to it as chhota Amreeka or 'little site is said to be over 450 years old. America' Ghats of Tapti – Tapti, also Tapi, flows 724 kms IN BURHANPUR across the northern , irrigating The Sikh connection to Burhanpur dates to the much of India's cotton growing heartland in the early 16th century when Guru Nanak visited the Nimar plains of Madhya Pradesh, and the town. His visit is commemorated by the Khandesh and eastern Vidarbha regions in Gurudwara Sangat Rajghat Patshali Pahili. Maharastra and south Gujarat. Along with the The tenth guru, Guru Gobind Singh, halted at Narmada, Tapti is the only other major river in Burhanpur while accompanying the Mughal India that empties in the Arabian Sea, 14 kms emperor, Bahadur Shah I, to the Deccan in 1708. It downstream from Surat in Gujarat. Burhanpur is said that the Guru spent 20 days preaching to the located on the north-western bank of Tapti, has sangat. Gurudwara Bari Sangat is built on the been nurtured by the great river for centuries. site, and enshrines a handwritten copy of the Guru Today, it flows past many of Burhanpur's most Granth Sahib, with an inscription by Guru Gobind memorable sites, the most imposing monument of himself. which is the Badshahi Qila. The seven storeyed BEYOND BURHANPUR city fortress, now looked after by the ASI, was Beautifully located on the banks of the Badi once home to Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, as Utaoli river is Mahal Gulara, a Mughal pleasure well as many other Faruqi and Mughal rulers. retreat, 21 kms from Burhanpur on Amravati How to reach Road. When, as a prince, Shah Jahan arrived to By Air – Nearest Airport is Devi Ahilya Bai govern Burhanpur, he is said to have fallen in love International Airport at Indore (180 km) with a beautiful and talented singer named Gulara. By Rail – Burhanpur has its own railway station Shah Jahan would spend many moonlit nights in 8 kms from Gandhi Chowk. this palace as she sang for him. The prince married By Road- Regular buses connect Burhanpur with the singer and named the nearby village after her. Indore, Khargone, Jalgaon, Khandwa, Perched high on the , just under 25 Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Ujjain, Dhar and kms north of Burhanpur, is Asirgarh, one of the Bhopal. most magnificent forts of India, rivalling even the Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Tapti great Golconda in impregnability. Initially ruled Retreat.

37 38 Neemuch Neemuch is about 176 km from Ujjain. Perched on a barren basaltic ridge, the town of Neemuch is located on the border of two historically active regions – Rajputana and Malwa. From Neemuch, you can visit the feudal, fortified township of Rampura and the intricately carved temple of Khor, The history buffs can wander into lovingly preserved havelis. M.P Tourism has established a Tourist Motel in Neemuch.

Choral Choral Dam, an ideal picnic spot is about 52 km from Indore and 41 km from Industrial area. It is known for beautiful natural looks of hillocks and greenery. Choral is perfect at any time of the year to have a relaxing holiday. The beautiful surroundings of Choral make it an ideal getaway. The Choral Resort built by Madhya Pradesh Tourism, located near the Choral Dam, is a destination to delight in tranquillity. Ratlam Located about 75 kms northwest of Ujjain, the bustling town of Ratlam is more than just a busy Mandsaur is about 169 km from Indore. In railway junction. One can visit the beautiful 11th Mandsaur district, you can explore a gallery of century temple in Bilpank or drive to . The prehistoric art at Chaturbhujnath Nala, be awed by place is also a home to a stunning Cactus Garden. a 4.6-tonne shivalinga at Pashupatinath Temple, One can also devote their time at the Hussain have a gaze upon the limitless expanse of the Tekri shrine. The region is also famous for pure and exotic Wildlife gold. For the curious traveller, Ratlam also Sanctuary.Madhya Pradesh Tourism has built reserves unexpected sojourns into history. Highway Treat in Mandsaur.

39 40 Gwalior Region

Gwalior housed successive lines of rulers that have A Living Heritage of Heroism appeared like comets, blazing briefly across the ancient skies of our land: Huns, Pratiharas, The ancient city of Gwalior is steeped in the Kachapghat, the Mughals, the East India splendour of its past. A multitude of reigning Company & eventually the before it was dynasties, of the great clans of the absorbed into the Republic of India. Today, Pratiharas, Kachwahas & Tomars have left Gwalior is a vibrant city bustling with life. indelible etching of their rule in this city of What to See- palaces, temples & monuments. The magnificent The Fort- Standing on a steep mass of sandstone, mementoes of a glorious past have been preserved dominates the city & is its most with care, giving Gwalior a unique & timeless magnificient monument. It has been the scene of appeal. Gwalior's history is traced back to a momentous events–imprisonments, battles & legend . In 8 Century AD, a chieftain called Suraj . A steep road winds upwards to the fort, Sen was striken by a deadly disease. He was cured flanked by statues of the Jain tirthankars, carved by a hermit saint, Gwalipa, and in gratitude into the rock face. The magnificient outer walls of founded a city which he named after the saint who the Fort still stand, 2 miles in length & 35 feet had given him the gift of a new life. The new city high, bearing witness to its reputation of being one of Gwalior became, over the centuries , the cradle of the invincible forts of India. This imposing of great dynasties and with each, the city gained structure inspired Emperor to describe it as new dimensions from warrior kings, poets, ' the pearl amongst the fortresses of Hind' musicians & saints, contributing to making it a Gujari Mahal – Within the Fort are some marvels capital renowned throughout the country. Myth of Medieval architecture. The 15th Century & history come together in an ancient inscription Gujari Mahal is a monument to the love of Raja which proves that the hill where the Fort is Mansingh Tomar for his intrepid Gujar Queen, situated was occupied in 525 AD. Since then it has Mrignayani. The outer structure of Gujari Mahal 41 42 has survived in an almost total state of built in the 11th Century. preservation. The interior has been converted into - Though major portions of the fort an Archaeological Museum housing rare were built in the 15 Century, references to this antiquities, some of them dating back to the 1st gigantic complex can be traced back to 425 AD. Century AD. Even though many of these have Older than the city is the Suraj Kund within the been defaced by the iconoclastic ruler, their fort walls, the original pond where Suraj Sen was perfection of form has survived the ravages of cured by Gwalipa.People still believe that its time. Particularly worth seeing is the statue of water has curative properties. Shalbhanjika, from Gyaraspur, the tree goddess, Gurudwara Data Bandhi Chhod - Built in the epitome of perfection in miniature. The statue is memory of Saheb, the 6th Sikh kept in the custody of the museum's curator, & can Guru who was imprisoned by Emperor Jehangir be seen on request. Man Mandir Palace- Built for 2 years. between 1486 & 1517 by Raja Mansingh. The Jaivilas Palace & Museum- A splendour of a tiles that once adorned its exterior have not different kind exists in the Jaivilas Palace, current survived, but at the entrance, traces of these still residence of the Scindia family.Some 35 rooms remain. Within the palace, rooms stand bare, have been converted into Jivaji Rao Scindia stripped off their formal glory, testifying to the Museum & in these rooms, evocative of a regal passing of the centuries. Vast chambers with fine lifestyle, the past comes alive. Jaivilas is an stone screens were once the music halls, & behind Italianate structure which combines the Tuscan & these screens, the royal ladies would learn music Corinthian architectural modes. The imposing from the great masters of the day. Below, circular Darbar Hall has two central chandeliers weighing dungeons housed the state prisoners of the three & a half tonnes each & hung only when 10 Mughals. Emperor Aurangzeb had his brother elephants had tested the strength of the roof . Murad imprisoned & later executed here. Close Ceilings picked out in gilt, heavy draperies & by is Pond, where, in the Rajput tradition, tapestries, fine Persian carpets & antique furniture the ranis committed mass Sati after their consorts from France & Italy are features of these rooms. had been defeated in battle. At Man Mandir Eye catching treasures include a silver train with palace, a poignant ambience of those days of cutglass wagons which served guest as it chugged chivalry and heroism still lingers in the silent around the table on miniature rails; a glass cradle chambers. A superbly mounted Son-et-Lumiere from Italy used for the baby Krishna each here brings it all alive every evening. Janmashtami, silver dinner services & swords that & Sas Bahu Ka Mandir- The 9th century Teli Ka Mandir, towering 100 ft high is a Pratihara Vishnu Temple, of a unique blending of architectural styles. The shape of the roof is distinctively Dravidian, while the decorative embellishments have the typical Indo-Aryan characteristics of northern India. Also dedicated to Vishnu is the graceful Sas Bahu ka Mandir

were once worn by Aurangzeb & Shahjahan. There are besides, personal mementoes of past members of the Scindia family-the jewelled slippers that belonged to Chinkoo Rani, four poster beds, gifts from practically every country of the world, hunting trophies & portraits. The Scindia Museum offers an unparalleled glimpse into the rich culture & lifestyle of princely India.

43 44 Tansen's Tomb- A pillar of Hindustani classical site is the temple inside the fortress. This Shiva music, the great Tansen , one of the 'nine jewels' of temple consists of a Mandapa with intricately Akbar's court, lies buried in Gwalior. The carved ceilings & sturdy pillars. The temple is memorial to this great musician has pristine embellished with depiction of scenes of simplicity and is built in the early Mughal Ramayana and is dated to Kachapaghata period. architectural style. It is a very simple pavalion made of white marble on its own platform.More than a monument, this tomb is part of Gwalior's living cultural heritage- it is the venue of a national music festival held annually in November- December. Ghaus Mohammad's Tomb - The great Sufi Saint Ghaus Mohammad Gwaliori's tomb situated at Rusal, was built by Akbar from Jagir of Datiya. Built on sandstone, the tomb is a beautiful piece of Iranian architecture. The unique intricate artistic carvings on its Lattice enchant the tourists. Mitavli - 40 KM via Malanpur The temple stands Musicians sitting on the floor of the gallery just on a circular platform in an open court enclosed by outside the inner chamber sing semi- religious a circular wall with small cells & colonnade inside songs. The tomb of the Saint , in inner chamber, is with a Shiva image in each cell. It is dated to the enclosed in another grille. 14th Century AD. On the basis of an inscription Memorials - The earliest freedom fighters Tatya dated to V.S. (Vikram Samvat)1380(1323 AD) it Tope & the indomitable , are is claimed that the temple was built by the commemorated in memorials in Gwalior. There erstwhile ruler, Maharaja Devapala. This type of are cenotaphs at major public crossings, circular architecture is unique in the whole region. memorials of Scindia kings & queens. Throughout the city, there are these reminders of a proud past, of the great men & women of Gwalior who have their place in the nation's roll of honour. Sarod Ghar- This museum of music has been set up in the ancestral house of Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan. It houses ancient instruments of the great Indian masters of yesteryears. Sun Temple- Located near the Residency at Morar, the Sun Temple takes its inspiration from the famous in Orissa. Excursions- Bateshwar Group of temples- 40 Km via Malanpur. It consists of large numbers of temples in various states of preservation. Most of How to reach these are single Cell shrines with Shikharas , By Air – Gwalior is connected to Delhi and surmounted by Amalakas. The main temple here Jabalpur. is known as Bhuteshwar Mahadev Temple. The By Rail – Gwalior is on the Central Railway's temples belong to 8-12 Century AD- (Pratihara & main Delhi- Mumbai and Delhi-Chennai lines. Kachapaghata period) Among other major trains, the Taj and Shatabdi Sihoniya (Kakanmath Temple) - Located 90 km Expresses connect Gwalior with Delhi and Agra. via Morena, the Shiva Temple locally known as By Road- Gwalior is connected by regular bus Kakanmath is built on a spacious platform. The services with Agra, , Jaipur, Delhi, plan consists of a sanctum, a pillared hall & a Lucknow, Bhopal, , Indore, Jhansi, porch. The temple is dated to 11th Century AD. Khajuraho, Rewa, Ujjain and . Padavli- 38 KM via Malanpur The fortress at Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Tansen Padavli was built by the Jat Ranas of . Residency. Among the most conspicuous architecture at this 45 46 would remain in the place where it was first installed. Today, with its soaring spires and palatial architecture, the temple is surely one of the most unusual in India . It is also one in the country where Rama is worshipped as a king. Laxmi Temple - A flagstone path links this temple with the Ram Raja Temple. The style is an interesting synthesis of fort and temple moulds. The interiors contain the most exquisite of 's wall paintings of the school. Covering the walls and ceiling of three halls, these murals are vibrant compositions and cover a variety of spiritual and secular subjects. They are in an excellent state of preservation, with the colours retaining their vivid quality. Orchha Chaturbhuj Temple - Laid out in the form of a Medieval Legacy in Stone cross, a symbolic representation of the four armed Orchha's grandeur has been captured in stone, God Krishna, Chaturbhuj temple was specially frozen in time; a rich legacy to the ages. For in this constructed to enshrine the image of lord Rama medieval city, the hand of time has rested lightly that remained in the Ram Raja temple. Built upon and the palaces and temples built by its Bundela a massive stone platform and reached by a steep rulers in the 16th and 17th centuries retain much flight of steps, the temple dominates the landscape of their pristine perfection. of Orchha and is the largest temple of the place . Orchha was founded in the 16th century by the There is a triple arched gate with attractive Bundela Rajput chieftain, Rudra Pratap who balconies on the exterior. The sanctum is chastely chose the stretch of land along the as plain with high vaulted walls emphasizing its an ideal site for his capital. Of the succeeding deep sanctity. rulers, the most notable was Raja Bir Singh Ju Diwan Hardaul's Palace - Hardaul was a son of Deo who built the exquisite Jehangir Mahal, a Bir Singh Ju Deo and died to prove his innocence tiered palace crowned by graceful chhatries. From to his elder brother Jhujhar who cast doubts on his here the view of soaring temple spires and relationship with his (Jhujhar's) consort. This cenotaphs is spectacular. Complementing the saintly prince was, after his martyrdom, noble proportions of their exteriors are interiors worshipped as a god, and even today, the villages which represent the finest flowering of the of Bundelkhad contain platform - like shrines Bundela school of painting. In the Laxminarayan where Hardaul is worshipped. Temple, vibrant, murals encompassing a variety Cenotaphs (Chhatris)- 14 Cenotaphs are located of religious and secular themes, bring the walls on the southern ghat of the Betwa river at and ceiling to rich life. Strewn around the area are Kanchana Ghat , belonging to the Bundela kings little shrines and memorials, each with its own and members of their clan. They are made in the poignant history, each contributing to the Nagara style of temple architecture . nostalgic beauty that is Orchha. Jehangir Mahal - Built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo Ram Raja Temple- Standing in the middle of the in the 17th Century to commemorate the visit of village, Ram Raja Palace was once a royal palace. Emperor Jehangir to Orchha. Its strong lines are Legend has it that following the dream-visitation counterbalanced by delicate chhatris and trellis of Lord Rama, Madhukar Shah's wife Ganesh work, the whole conveying an effect of Kunwari brought a statue of the god from extraordinary richness. Ayodhya to Orchha. While the king was a Raja Mahal- Situated to the right of the worshipper of Lord Krishna, the queen was a quadrangle this palace was built by Madhukar devotee of Lord Rama. The image was placed in a Shah, the deeply religious predecessor of Bir palace prior to its installation in a temple. When Singh Ju Deo. The plain exteriors, crowned by the idol proved impossible to move, the queen chhatris, give way to interiors with exquisite recalled, too late, the deity's edict that the image murals, boldly colourful, on a variety of religious 47 48 themes. Of special interest at Raj Mahal is a newly in a walking trail, the path would be: Walk beyond inaugurated Sound and Light Show in the the main monuments to visit monuments like – Raiman Dauji ki Kothi,Purushottam Das ki premises facing the entrance gate.The one hour Haveli, Daroga ki kothi,Siddh baba ki gufa, show in Hindi and English brings alive the four Shyam Daua ki Kothi and top Khana, Taksal hundred year history of Orchha in a stunning Bhavan, Bhagvant Rai ki Haveli, Kriparam Gaur spectacle. ki Haveli, Narayan Das Khare ki kothi, Gundrai Darwaza, Palki Mahal and Phool Bagh, None ju ki Haveli and Wind Tower( Sawan Bhado). Phool Bagh - Laid out as a formal garden, this complex testifies to the refined aesthetic qualities of the . A central row of fountains culminates in an eight-pillared palace-pavilion. A subterranean structure below was the cool summer retreat. Orchha's monuments retain their pristine perfection.

Rai Praveen Mahal - Poetess and musician, Rai Praveen was the beautiful paramour of Raja Indramani (1672-76), and was sent to Delhi on the orders of Emperor Akbar, who was captivated by her charm. She so impressed the Great Mughal with the purity of her love for Indramani that he sent her back to Orchha. The palace built for her is a low, two-storeyed brick structure, designed to match the height of the trees in the surrounding, beautifully landscaped gardens of Anand Mahal, with its octagonal flower beds and elaborate water supply system. Skillfully carved niches allow Paintings of Laxmi Narayana Temple light into the Mahal which has a main hall and depicting a scene from the Ramayana smaller chambers. Sunder Mahal - This small palace, almost in How to reach ruins today, is still a place of pilgrimage for By Air – Nearest airport is at Gwalior(119km) and Muslims. Dhurjaban, son of Jhujhar, embraced Khajuraho (170km). when he wed a Muslim girl at Delhi. He By Rail – Nearest railhead is at Jhansi(16km) on spent the latter part of his life in prayer and the Mumbai-Delhi and Delhi –Chennai main meditation and came to be revered as a saint. lines. All major mail and express trains stop at Shahid Smarak - Commemorates the great Jhansi. freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad who lived By Road- Orchha lies off the Jhansi- Khajuraho and worked in hiding in Orchha during 1926 and road. Regular bus services connect Orchha with 1927. Other places worth seeing in Orchha are the Jhansi shrines of Siddh Baba ka Sthan, Jugal Kishore, Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Sheesh Janki Mandir and the Hanuman Mandir at Mahal and Betwa Retreat. Ohharedwara. Heritage Walk – For tourists who are interested

49 50 Chanderi Medieval Forts and Magical Weaves

artisans, than on its rich history. The remarkably clean town houses a large number of weavers, and despite their flurry of activity one can go into their houses and watch them at work without feeling conspicuous. When visiting the town, Sadar Bazaar is the best place to pick up Chanderi and fabric, available in a wide variety of colours and designs. Sitting atop a 200 m high hill, ‘Chanderi has long been famous for the measures 2 kms in length and over a manufacture of delicate muslins.... The cloth is of kilometre across. Originally built by Raja Kirti unusual fineness and delicacy while the coloured Pal, all subsequent rulers who conquered gold and silk borders are of surpassing beauty.’ Chanderi - Alauddin Khilji, Babur and the Imperial Gazetteer of India, Vol 10, 1908 Bundela kings, among others - left their mark on it. Within the crenellated walls are several Chanderi's antiquity dates back to the 11th century buildings, including the three-storeyed palace when the Pratihara king, Kirti Pal, moved his complex, a Khilji period mosque and the samadhi capital here from Budhi Chanderi (18 kms away). to the legendary singer, Baiju Bawra. Close by, is Chanderi, 230 kms southeast of Gwalior, in the much-revered Shri Jageshwari Temple. Ashoknagar district of Madhya Pradesh, was once Babur's Mosque- It is in ruins today, after five coveted by the rulers of the north for its strategic centuries, but one can still discern a few of the old location as a military outpost on the Malwa- features. A shelf of land behind the mosque gives border. As a result several dynasties superb, though vertiginous , views of the whole came to hold sway over the town including the town below. Chanderi's most defining monument Malwa Sultans, Mughals, Bundelas and Scindias - is the Badal Mahal Gate, set in well-manicured making it a prosperous centre of economic and lawns, against the striking backdrop of the fort. cultural activity. From Kirti Pal's Fort , the view Built by Sultan Mahmud Shah Khilji in AD 1450, over the town is expansive. The town spreads it was meant to serve as the 'welcome gate' for across a valley encircled by hills. Minarets and visiting dignitaries. Built entirely of stone, the domes rise out of the fields and trees and there are gateway rises to an impressive height of over 1 5 occasional glimpses of the high wall that once m. It is 7.5 m in width, most of which is occupied encircled the city. It is, of course, the weaving by the massive tapering turrets flanking it. Built tradition that occupies the pride of place in any by Ghiyassuddin Balban of Delhi to account of Chanderi today, with its shimmering commemorate his conquest of Chanderi in 1251, fabrics having survived the trials of time and the exquisite, three-domed Jama Masjid changing rulership. While handloom weaving survives to this day as a reminder of the town's was always a significant activity in Chanderi, for unsurpassed architectural heritage. This 15th the past 400 years it has been the primary century mosque is accessed through an occupation of the town's residents. impressive door opening to a short flight of steps What to See and a large central court. A few minutes walk from Today, the fame of this ancient town rests much Badal Mahal takes one to another monument, more on the fine silken fabric woven by its skilled 51 52 marked by the most beautiful jaali screens. This Gateway, where the hill itself has been cut through houses the tombs of the family/disciples of the to make for this massive gateway.Though not great Sufi saint from Delhi, Khwaja Nizamuddin particularly striking, it is an architectural feat, Auliya. In a walled compound there are a number measuring over 10 m high and 25 m wide. The of graves , most of them set in pavilions with story goes that when Babur came to attack beautifully carved stone lattices. Chanderi, his army's final assault on Chanderi If legend is to be believed, Chanderi probably Fort was obstructed by the hill. Not one to give up, owes its present location to Parmeshwar Tal. Kirti he had it cut overnight to make way for his army's Pal, the founder of the town is said to have been advance. cured of disease after washing himself in the Jains are a prominent community in Chanderi, and waters of this tal. perhaps the most prosperous Shri Chaubisi Lakshman Temple stands majestically on one Jain Temple is a major Jain shrine in the town. end, its brilliant white facade reflecting Situated high on a hillside, a few kilometres away, splendidly in the waters. Battisi Baoli -Abul Fazl is another Jain pilgrimage, Shri Digambar in Ain-i-Akbari records the existence of 1,200 Atishay Khandagiri. Here, carved into the rock baolis in Chanderi. Of those that remain, the most of a vertically rising cliff is a splendid 14 m high spectacular is the 15th century Battisi Baoli. statue of Rishabhnath. Standing within a fenced compound, it is 20 sq. m. Thuvanji, 21 kms from Chanderi, also attracts a and four storeys deep. Thirty-two (battis, in large number of Jain pilgrims. Hindi) steps lead down to the water level, giving Archaeological Survey of India's new Chanderi it its name.Shehzadi ka Rauza, is one of the most Museum houses an impressive collection of impressive tombs in Chanderi. sculptures from in and around Chanderi. The impressive memorial to love, Shehzadi ka Budhi Chanderi Rauza is an architectural delight, as is the near by ( l i t e r a l l y , o l d Shahi Madarsa. Chanderi), 18 kms Noteworthy are their serpentine brackets and from the present city, intricate jaalis. i s b e l i e v e d t o Of the secular buildings in Chanderi, the majestic correspond with C h a i d n a g a r mentioned in the . Historians have documented the existence of 55 Jain and Hindu temples here, built in the Chandela style of 10th-11th century. Today, as one enters the walled enclosure Koshak Mahal : 4 kms from the town centre, it is on the hill, one is the most significant monument. Set in landscaped impressed by the gardens, the stunning edifice rises few floors high. remains of the Jain temples adorned with The palace is said to have been built by Mahmud carvings. Shah for his wife, Koshak, who gave birth to their How to reach child here. He named the palace after her and it By Air - Nearest airport is at Gwalior (230kms). was originally named Koshak Hafta; hafta (Urdu By Rail - Nearest railhead is at Lalitpur(36 km ) for week) denoting its seven floors. 'These halls on the Delhi-Chennai main line. rise up storey upon storey, each opening out on to By Road - Cars can easily be hired from Jhansi the tall arched passages inside, with light admitted (130kms) and Lalitpur. through the balconied windows on the outside' Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Tana (Percy Brown). Bana Ph.: 07547-252222 To the south of Chanderi town is the Kati Ghati 53 54 influenced by the Mughal architectural style. At the same time, the plan resembles the , A Bundela Treasure one of the holiest symbols of . This syncretism made it a favourite of Sir Edwin Lutyens, the English architect and planner, who designed most of British . The palace has a profusion of arches, chhatris, ornamental jaali screens, balconies and oriel windows which open to delightful views. The main entrance is on the eastern side, while the south opens out to the beautiful lake, Kama Sagar. Designed as a royal rest-house, the palace was meant to serve many purposes. The first floor is divided into dark, barrack-like rooms, evidently meant to hold prisoners. The second floor was for soldiers and guards, while the third floor was meant for entertainment. The fourth floor had beautifully painted rooms for royal guests, and on the fifth floor was the Diwan-i-Aam, where the 'Bir Singh Palace is a most impressive monument, king would hold court. its great bulk surmounted by the elegant group of The sixth floor was where secret meetings were domes providing a gratifying spectacle from every conducted between the king and his trusted aspect.' courtiers, while the topmost floor had Percy Brown, Indian Architecture, 1956 watchtowers for tracking enemy movements. The small town of Datia, mentioned in the Today, a climb to the seventh floor of the building Mahabharata as Daityavakra, has one of the most offers the visitor some of the most stunning views beautiful palaces in India -the seven-storied Bir of the surrounding countryside. Singh Palace, also called Govind Mandir Palace. A unique feature of the palace is that it is made Another significant landmark is the famous entirely of stones and bricks with no use of wood shaktipeeth, Pitambara Peeth. and iron. The intricate jaali -work, exquisite The Bundela king, Raja Bir Singh Deo, murals and frescoes on the inside walls of the apparently not satisfied by the majestic Jehangir upper floors, and the stucco figures in the royal Mahal palace he had built at his capital in Orchha, apartments are outstanding examples of Bundela went on, in 1620, to build a palace 'of such a art. However, interestingly, the Bir Singh Palace distinctive character as to stand in a class by itself' is not only deserted, but was apparently never on a rocky mound in Datia, 43 kms away. occupied. Datia is noted for its many beautiful Historians and architects consider it to be one of temples, and thus referred to as Laghu the finest representations of Bundela architecture. Vrindaban or 'small '. The most An imposing structure, Bir Singh Palace sits like popular temple in Datia town is Pitambara a diadem on a hillock, draped in beautiful pink Peeth. A shaktipeeth, it enshrines two of the ten bougainvilleas. Standing 40 m high, its effect as , and Baglamukhi, and is an architectural entity is grand! much revered by the local population. It is The art historian Percy Brown contends that the thronged by devotees from far and wide, palace 'is conceived on a principle not unlike the especially on every Saturday. Apart from the main phenomenon of an iceberg1. The structure consists shrine, the complex has several smaller shrines of a series of large underground halls, descending dedicated to other deities, including Parshuram, for several storeys, some of which are excavated Hanuman and Kal Bhairav. Vankhandeshwar out of the basement rock. These cool, Temple, to Lord Shiva, is believed to date back to subterranean apartments would have been most the time of the Mahabharata.Some of the other appropriate for the hot summer months in this arid temples in Datia are Avadh Bihari Temple, region. Shivgir Temple, Vijay-Raghav Temple, and The symmetrical structure of the palace is Bihariji Temple. 55 56 Another significant structure in Datia is Rajgarh Shivpuri Palace on top of a hill near Pitambara Peeth. It Tranquil Forests Steeped in Sanctity also houses a museum that is certainly worth visiting. Bharatgarh Fort and Sagar Tank with its ghats, ruined temples, and surrounding chhatris, are the other attractions of the town. Around Datia Located 15 kms from Datia, one comes across low hills with rows of sparkling white marble-clad temples on the slopes. This is the famous Jain pilgrimage of Sonagiri (literally the 'golden mountain1). Known as Swarnagiri or Shravangiri in ancient times, it is revered by the Shivpuri is steeped in the royal legacy of its past, sect of Jains. when it was the summer capital of the Scindia of Sonagiri has 77 temples on the hill and 26 in the Gwalior. And earlier, its dense forests were the village below, many of them built recently, and all hunting grounds of the when of them brilliantly white. The total effect, as Takeo great herds of elephants were captured by Kamiya observes, 'is out of this world' Emperor Akbar. Much later, it was the tiger that (Architecture of the Indian Subcontinent, Tokyo, roamed the wooded hills and many a magnificent 1996). The most beautiful among these is possibly beast was 'bagged' by royal shikaris. And with its the temple dedicated to Chandranatha, the eighth luxuriant forests & undulating hills , Shivpuri was of the 24 . a natural choice as the summer resort capital of the Sonagiri is also known for a large annual fair held Scindias. Shivpuri's royal ambience lives on in the here in the month of Chaitra (March-April), when exquisite palaces & hunting lodges & graceful, 'thousands of pilgrims gather at this religious site intricately embellished marbel chhatris. set in a landscape of tranquil beauty', writes Kurt (cenotaphs) erected by the Scindia princes. Titze (: A Pictoral Guide to the Religion of A sanctuary for rare wildlife & avifauna, Shivpuri Non-Violence, Delhi, 1998). has transformed a royal past into a vibrant, hopeful present. What to see- Emperor Akbar , reputedly caught a large herd of elephants in the forests of Shivpuri in the 16th Century. Later in the 1800s, after the Scindias became the ruling dynasty of Gwalior, they declared that a significant part of the present Madhav National Park was their private hunting preserve. Sir Madhav Rao Scindia built a dam across the Manihar River creating the Madhav & the Sakhya Sagar lakes. This brought considerable relief to this otherwise dry area. An How to reach increase in the grasslands and forest cover By Air – Nearest airport is Gwalior(74 kms) appreciated the increase of herbivores & this in By Rail – Nearest railhead is Jhansi(35kms) turn gave a boost to the tiger population. Shivpuri By Road Cars can easily be hired from Jhansi had acquired such a reputation for its tigers that Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Tourist when Britain's George V decided to visit India, in Motel Ph-07522-238125 1911, his itinerary included a day tiger shooting in the forest of Shivpuri. After the assimilation of Indian princely states in the Indian union, in 1958 57 58 his hunting preserve became Madhav National Madhav Vilas Palace Standing upon a natural Park. eminence, the elongated rose-pink summer palace Madhav National Park- 156 sq km in area, the of the Scindias is built in truly royal proportions. A park is open throughout the year. With a varied fine example of colonial architecture, the 'Mahal', terrain of wooded hills, the forests being dry, as it is called, is remarkable for its marble floors mixed & deciduous & flat grasslands around the iron columns, graceful terraces & the Ganapati lake, it offers abundant opportunities for sighting Mandap. From the turrets, the view is a a variety of wildlife. The predominant species spectacular one of Shivpuri town and the park that inhabits the park is the deer, of which the most beyond. easily sighted are the graceful little chinkara, the George Castle- Deep within the forests of the Indian gazelle & the chital. Other species that park, on its highest point , is the turreted George have their habitat in the park are nilgai, sambar, Castle built by Maharaja Jiyaji Rao Scindia. chausingha, or four horned antelope, blackbuck, From here the view of the lake is unparalleled and sloth bear, leopard & langur . The National Park the best time to visit the castle is at sunset when is equally rich in avifauna, the artificial lake, the lakes below mirror the changing hues of the Chandpatta, is winter home of migratory geese, evening sky. pochard, pintail, teal, mallard & gadwall. A good Sakhya Sagar Boat Club- Edging the forest of site for bird watching is where the forest track the Madhav National Park is the Sakhya Sagar crosses the wide rocky stream that flows from the lake, habitat of a variety of reptiles Species that Waste Weir. Species that frequent this spot are red can be seen here are the Marsh Crocodile or wattled lapwing, large pied wagtail, pond heron & mugger,Indian python, & the monitor lizard. On white breasted kingfisher. The avifauna includes the shores of the lake & connected to it by a broad the cormorant, painted stork, white ibis, laggar pier is a Boat Club, an airy, delicate structure with glass panels. Bhadaiya Kund- A scenic picnic spot by a natural spring. The water here is rich in minerals , supposedly of a curative nature. Excursions- Chanderi- 127 kms away , Chanderi has some of the finest examples of Bundela Rajput & Malwa Sultanate architecture. Dominating the skyline of this lovely old town , famed today for its & muslins, is Mughal Fort Narwar 41 kms away , Narwar is the one time- capital of Raja Nal of Naisadha and his consort falcon, purple sunbird, paradise flycatcher & Damyanti. It is remarkable for its medieval golden oriole. fortress atop a hill. Chhatris- Set in a formal Mughal garden, with Surwaya 21 kms away, Surwaya is noteworthy quiet nooks under flowering trees, intersected by for the remains of a fort, three Hindu temples, a pathways with ornamental balustrades & monastery & a step-well. The charming gadi has illuminated by Victorian lamps , is the complex in recentely been painstakingly restored inside. which the cenotaphs of the Scindhias are set. How to reach Facing each other across a water tank are the By Air – Nearest airport is at Gwalior(112 kms) chhatris of Madhav Rao Scindia, synthesizing the By Rail – Nearest railheads are Jhansi(101kms) architectural idioms of Hindu & Islamic styles and Gwalior which are on the Delhi- Mumbai and with their shikhara type spires & Rajput Mughal Delhi Chennai main lines. Shivpuri has a railway pavilions. The glittering white marble surface of station on the Dehradun-Ujjain route. Madhav Rao Scindia's cenotaph is inlaid with By Road –Shivpuri is connected by regular bus lapis lazuli & onyx to create a spectacularly rich services to Gwalior, Indore, Bhopal, Jhansi and effect, heightened by the delicacy of the trellis Ujjain. work on the sides. The dowager queen's cenotaphs Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Tourist has a noble dignity of line & superb structural Village Ph-07492-223760, 221297 harmony. 59 60 Indian Freedom Struggle exhibits letters and Jabalpur Region photographs of nationalist leaders particularly those of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru and Bhagat Singh. Rani Tal This lake, really a reservoir, was created by the visionary Gond queen, Durgavati. Tilwara ghat – This is the place from where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the Narmada and it was also the venue of the open session of the Tripuri Congress in 1939. The Tilwadeshwar Temple here is a revered temple of the area. The 12th century Mala Devi Mandir, Pisan Hari Jain Temples and Roopnath are some of the other places in and around Jabalpur which merit a visit. Chaunsath Yoginis in –Access to the temple is up a flight of 108 steps rising through a wooded hill side. The circular cloister has 81 images of different Brahminical goddesses and a Jabalpur - Bhedaghat few images of gods including Ganesh. The temple An Awesome Spectacle of Nature is popularly known as the temple of the 64 yoginis Pleasure resort and capital of the Gond kings or attendants of the Goddess . The inscribed during the 12th century, Jabalpur was later the seat images belong to Circa 10 century AD when they of the Kalchuri dynasty. The Marathas held sway were worshipped in an open air shrine, while the over Jabalpur until 1817, when the British wrested pillared roof have been added later. There also it from them and left their impression on the exists a living Shiva temple. spacious cantonement with its colonial residences at Bhedaghat- Soaring in and barracks. Today Jabalpur is an important glittering splendour, the Marble rocks at administrative center, bustling with commercial Bhedaghat rise to a hundred feet on either side of activity. The holy river Narmada flows through Narmada. The serene loveliness of the scene is an the district and the city of Jabalpur, which lies at awesome spectacle. the junction of the Vindhya and Satpura ranges. The world famed Marble Rocks at Bhedaghat (23km) on either side of Narmada are a great visual treat . Jabalpur is also the gateway to Kanha National Park (165 km) and Bandhavgarh National Park(164km). Madan Mahal Fort- Constructed in AD 1400 s atop a huge boulder providing a panoramic view of the Jabalpur city and countryside around it, the fort is reached by a long flight of steps. It is a three storied structure with multiple balconies on each floor. The palace was built by Madan Shah who Bargi Lakeside Resort- 50 km from Bhedaghat built it as his pleasure palace. Some historians and 31 kms from Jabalpur, the places has an claim that the palace was built by Rani Durgavati enormous lake created by the dam at Bargi. At the and yet some claim that it was built by the Gond edge of the lake is a pleasant resort set in a well ruler, Hirday Shah. landscaped garden. MP Tourism floats a river Rani Durgavati Memorial and Museum cruise, Narmada Queen, which offers a 5 hour Dedicated to the memory of the great queen ride. But visitors do not have to go out onto the Durgavati is her memorial and a museum which water- though very few will be able to resist it. The houses a fine collection of sculpture, inscriptions quite garden resort may be an ideal spot for many. and pre- historic relics. The gallery dedicated to

61 62 Tripur Sundari Temple Situated about 12 km Bandhavgarh from the city, in the village of Tewar on the road to National Park with a Rich Historical Past Bhedaghat. The deity enshrined here is a three headed goddess representing Durga, Kali and Saraswati. - Here the Naramada pours over a cliff, roaring and fuming in a cloud of white mist. There is a platform built nearby to facilitate the viewers to behold this beautiful scene. The falls and the breaking of the volume of water at the crest present an awesome spectacle of Nature's power unleashed. The Narmada making its way through the marble rocks narrows down and then plunges in a waterfall. So powerful is the plunge that its roar is heard from a far distance.

This is a small National park; compact yet teeming with wildlife. The density of the tiger population in Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. This is also the White Tiger country, the original home of all the white tigers alive. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for many years. The last captured by Maharaja Martand Singh in 1951. This white tiger, Mohun, is now stuffed and on display in the palace of the of Rewa. Bandhavgarh is densely populated with other species: sambar and barking Bhedaghat Bazaar- This is the market for the deer are a common sight, and nilgai are to be seen sculpted items of marble rocks. Everyone, from in the more open areas of the park. The terrain is of grey haired senior citizen to junior apprentices great rocky hills rising sharply from the swampy after returning from school, is busy transforming and densely-forested valley bottoms. The finest of stones into works of art. Plaques, statues, jewel these hills is Bandhavgarh, sided with great cliffs boxes, lampshades everything is available . and eroded rocks and on its highest point stands How to reach - Jabalpur , thought to be some 2000 years By Air- Jabalpur has its own airport. old. Scattered throughout the park, and By Rail- Jabalpur is on the Mumbai-Howrah via particularly around the fort, are numerous caves Allahabad main line. All mail, express and containing shrines and ancient Sanskrit passenger trains halt here. inscriptions. Covering 448 Sq km, Bandhavgarh Your Host – Madhya Pradesh Tourism's is situated in Umaria district (previously in Kalchuri Residency Ph-0761-2678491/92 ) among the outlying hills of the How to reach-Bhedaghat Vindhya range. At the center of the park is By Air- Jabalpur (23 km) is the nearest airport Bandhavgarh hill surrounding it are a large for Bhedaghat. number of smaller hills separated by gently By Rail- Jabalpur , on the Mumbai-Howrah via sloping valleys. These valleys end in small, Allahabad main line. All mail, express and swampy meadows, locally known as 'bohera'. The passenger trains halt here. lowest point in the park is Tala (440 metres above By Road- Frequent buses, tempos and taxis are MSL).The vegetation is chiefly of Sal forest in the available from Jabalpur. valleys and on the lower slopes, gradually Your Host – Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Motel changing to mixed deciduous forest on the hills Marble Rocks.Ph- 0761-2830424 and in the hotter, drier areas of the park in the south & west, bamboo is found throughout. 63 64 There are three well- defined seasons-the cool avoiding Tibet & the northern slopes of the (from middle of October to end of February), the Himalayas, reaching Mongolia, Manchuria & hot ( from March to middle of June ) and the Korea, and the south west from the Russo-Afghan wet(from the middle of June to middle of boundary to the north of the Hindu-Kush through October). The mean & annual rainfall is 1173 mm, the Elburz mountains, south of the Caspian coming mostly in the rainy season. The travelling, as far as the Caucasus. From temperature ranges from a maximum of 42 Manchuria tigers spread southwards as far as Bali. Degree Celsius in May & June to around 4 Degree And in the subcontinent, they roamed through celcius in winter. Prior to becoming a National Bhutan & Nepal, as far away to west Gujarat and Park, the forests around Bandhavgarh had long south to . The tigers of the Caspian been maintained as a Shikargah, or game area had coats with a slightly richer colour than preserve, of the Maharajas of Rewa.Hunting was their Indian cousins, and in winter, the fringes on carried out by the Maharajas & their guests the sides of the face and along the belly were very –otherwise the wildlife was relatively well- long. The White Tigers are albinos of the Royal protected.It was considered a good omen for a Bengal Tigers, not a separate sub-species. The Maharaja Of Rewa to shoot 109 tigers. His Royal Bengal Tiger is found in India, Bangladesh, Highness, Maharaja Venkat Raman Singh shot Bhutan & Nepal. Some of them prowl in Madhya 111 tigers by 1914. In 1947, Rewa state was Pradesh. The forests of Bandhavgarh can be merged with Madhya Pradesh, Bandhavgarh classified as moist deciduous, and the National came under the regulations of Madhya Park hold all those animal species which are Pradesh.The Maharaja of Rewa still retained the typical of this habitat in . Certain hunting rights of Bandhavgarh and no special areas of the Park (particularly the south & west) conservation measures were taken until 1968, are drier in character, and hold such species as the when the areas were constituted as a National nilgai and the chinkara. Sal forest occurs Park.Since then, numerous steps have been taken throughout the valleys, giving way to mixed forest to retain Bandhavgarh National Park as an which occurs where the soil is of relatively poor unspoilt natural habitat. quality on the upper hill slopes, on rocky outcrops What to See: and in the south & west. Grassy meadow patches The Fort- No records remain to show when occur in the valley and along the nalahs. Bandhavgarh Fort was constructed.It is thought Wildlife however, to be some 2000 years old, and there are There are more than 22 species of mammals & references to it in the ancient books, The Narad- 250 species of birds. Common langurs and the Panch Ratra & the Siva Purana. Various dynasties rhesus macaque represent the primate group. have ruled the fort, for example, the Maghas from Carnivores include the Asiatic jackal, fox, sloth the Ist century AD, the Vakatakas from the 3rd bear, ratel, grey mongoose, striped hyena, jungle Century, the Sengars from the 5th Century AD, the cat, leopard & tiger. The artiodactyls frequently Baghels took over, the r u l i n g s f r o m sighted are wild pig, spotted deer, sambar, Bandhavgarh until 1 6 1 7 , w h e n chausingha, nilgai & chinkara. Mammals such as M a h a r a j a dhole, the small Indian civet, palm squirrel & Vikramaditya Singh lesser bandicoot rat are seen occasionally. The moved his capital to vegetation along streams and marshes is rich in R e w a . T h e l a s t birdlife. The common ones are little grebe egret, inhabitants deserted lesser adjutant, sarus crane, black kite, crested the fort in 1935. serpent eagle, black vulture, Egyptian Vulture, Flora & Fauna common peafowl, red jungle fowl, dove, Tiger- Probably parakeet, kingfisher and Indian roller. Serpent originating in Eagle does not look like a snake, it eats them and if C e n t r a l & luck supports you, you might see the bird Northern Asia , devouring a snake. Reptilian fauna includes tigers then seem cobra, krait, viper, ratsnake, python, turtle & a to have migrated number of lizard varieties , including varanus. s o u t h w a r d s , 65 66 Wildlife viewing- Kanha There are two main ways of getting about in the Call of the Wild park-in a motor vehicle or on elephant back. Many of the animals are by now accustomed to both, even so, it is best to talk quietly and not make rapid movements. Jeep safaris are best undertaken from dawn until about 10 am and from about 4 pm until dusk, as the animals are most active during these periods. A Forest Department guide must always accompany you. This guide will direct you and point out wildlife. Elephants are used every morning by the Forest Department for tiger tracking. If a tiger is found, then the elephant will take you directly to the tiger either from the Lodge or from a nearby point reached by jeep or car. Tourists are however advised not to be tiger fixated and try to spot other animals listed in Bandhavgarh. Though tigers have a territory of 25 square kilometers, your Kanha's Sal & bamboo forests, rolling grassland guide, should be able to increase your chances of & meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in spotting one.If a tiger has made a kill the night dramatic natural splendor. Kanha National Park before, it will generally rest in a bamboo clump forms the core of the created near the remains of its dinner, dozing but alert to in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only drive away unwelcome scavengers. One should, habitat of the rare hardground barasingha ( Cervus however, always avoid getting too close to the Duvaceli Branderi). tiger. There is an interesting monolithic carving In the 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two of a reclining Vishnu in the Bandhavgarh forest. sanctuaries, Hallon & Banjar, of 250 sq kms & A spring of water touches the feet of the idol and 300 sq kms each. Though one of these was flows on, thus earning the name, Charan Ganga. subsequently disbanded, the area remained a There are rules of jungles which one needs to protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger strictly adhere to – playing music in the vehicles is population in the years that followed led to the not allowed. Do not throw garbage and do not talk area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952. loudly. Following these instructions will make By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park your encounter with the wild more realistic. came into being. Since then, a series of stringent How to reach conservation programmes for the protection of the By Air- The nearest airport is at Jabalpur park's flora & fauna has given Kanha its deserved (190km). From Khajuraho (237km), reputation for being one of the finest & best Bandhavgarh is a five-hour drive via Panna, Satna administered National Parks in Asia, an and Maihar across stretches of the Vindhyachal. irresistible attraction for all wildlife lovers & a By Rail- The nearest railway station near true haven for its animals and avian population. Bandhavgarh are Jabalpur (190km), Katni What to see- (102km) and Satna (120km) on the Central Forest Department guides accompany visitors Railway and Umaria (35km) on the South Eastern around the park on mapped-out circuits which Railway. State/private transport buses ply enables viewers to see a good cross section of between Katni and Umaria and from Satna and Kanha's wildlife. The best areas are the meadows Rewa to Tala (Bandhavgarh). Taxis are available around Kanha, where black-buck, chital & at Satna, jabalpur, Katni, Umaria and Khajuraho barasingha can be seen throughout the day. By Road- Bamni Dadar Known as Sunset Point, this is one Best Season- Mid-October to June. The park is of the most beautiful areas of the park, from where closed from 1 July to 15 October due to rains. a spectacular sunset can be watched.The dense Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's White luxuriance of Kanha's forests can best be seen Tiger Forest Lodge, Ph-07627-265406,265366 from here. 67 68 Animals that can be sighted around this point are are not always available during peak visiting typical of the mixed forest zone including sambar, periods. barking deer, gaur and the four-horned antelope. Commonly seen species include- Cattle egret, Mammalian Species- Kanha has some 22 species pond heron, black ibis, common peafowl, crested of mammals. Those most easily spotted are the serpent, racket-tailed drongo, hawk eagle & red striped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wattled lapwing, various species of fly catcher, wild pig, chital or spotted deer, barasingha or woodpecker, pigeon, dove, parakeet,babbler and swamp deer, and black buck. mynah, Indian roller,white breasted kingfisher & Less commonly seen species are- Tiger, Indian grey hornbill. Best Season: February to June, hare, dhole or Indian wild dog, barking deer and although the cool season is much more Indian bison or gaur. Patient watching should comfortable and still very good for wildlife. (The reward the visitor with a sight of Indian fox, sloth park is closed from July 1 to Sept 30 because of bear, striped hyena , jungle cat,leopard,mouse, the monsoon) For those planning a visit, a stay for deer, chausingha or four horned antelope, nilgai, at least 3 nights is recommended in order to have a ratel & porcupine. good chance of seeing the more elusive animals- Very rarely seen species are-Wolf, which lives in though, a brief visit is also interesting. What to the far east of the park, chinkara to be found wear : Cottons but bring wollens as well, as early outside the park's northern boundary, Indian mornings can be chilly, especially in a moving pangolin, the smooth Indian otter and the small jeep and in the cool season. Food : Kisli has a Indian civet. restaurant and a canteen. The restaurant serves Avian species Kanha has some 200 species of both Indian & western food. The canteen is birds. Watchers should station themselves in the cheaper, serving reasonably priced meals & hills, where the mixed and bamboo forests snacks. Mukki also has a multi cuisine restaurant. harbour many species, in the grassy forest THERE IS NO FACILITY FOR ENCASHING clearings. TRAVELLER'S CHEQUES Water birds can be seen near the park's many How to reach – Khatia(3kms) and Mukki are the rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented two main entry points to the Kanha National Park. by water birds and the area in front of the museum. From Jabalpur, Kisli is 165 km via Chiraidongri, The sal forests do not normally yield a sight of and Mukki is 203 km via Motinala and Garhi. For Kanha's avifauna. Early mornings & late travellers from Bilaspur(182km), Raipur(213km) and Balaghat(83 km), Mukki on State Highway No-26 is more convenient. From Nagpur, Kisli is 259 km via Nainpur and Chiraidongri, and Mukki is 289km via Balaghat. By Air- Nearest airports are at Jabalpur(160km), Raipur(240km) and Nagpur(335km) By Rail- Most convenient railheads are at Jabalpur and Bilaspur. By Road- There is a daily bus service available for Kisli and Mukki to and from Jabalpur. Taxis are available for hire from Jabalpur, Bilaspur and Raipur. It is advisable to reach Kisli before sunset afternoons are best for bird watching, binoculars as vehicle are not permitted within the park after are an invaluable aid to the watcher. dark. For assistance at Jabalpur, contact Jeep & Elephant Hire - MPSTDC jeeps are MPSTDC's Tourist Office at the railway station or available on hire for touring the park. Elephants Kalchuri residency. are used for tiger tracking and should a tiger be Best Season- Mid-October to June. The Park is located, the elephants can take the visitors to the closed from 1 July to 15 Oct due to rains. site. For jeep hire, contact the MPSTDC Manager Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's: Baghira at Baghira Log huts, Kisli & Kanha Safari Lodge Log Huts-Kisli, Tourist Hostel-Kisli, Kanha at Mukki. Booking for a morning run should be Safari Lodge-Mukki - 07636-290715, 07637- made a day before. Please bear in mind that jeeps 296029 69 70 the setting & characters of this tale. The character, Pench Mowgli, was inspired by Sir William Henry Land of 'The Jungle Book' Sleeman's pamphlet, 'An Account of Wolves Nurturing Children in their Dens', which describes jungle boy captured in , near the village of Sant Baori in 1831. Many of the places described in the Jungle book are actual locations in Seoni district like the Waingunga river with its gorge where Sher Khan was killed. The Jungle Book became a perennial best seller and inspired the Disney animated film, Mowgli. Forest & Wildlife - Pench is prime Tiger country. With just a little bit of luck you might see a family of tigers. The area has always been rich in wildlife. The heterogeneous forests, shrubs & grasslands here creates a favourable condition which harbours a dense population of cheetal & sambar , the key prey species of tiger & leopard. Pench Tiger Reserve has the highest density of herbivores in India, 90.3 animals per square kilometre. The area is especially famous for its huge population of gaur (Indian Bison) which might be sighted unusually close to the road, apart from cheetal, sambar, neelgai, wild dog & wild pig. Cheetal, the beautiful spotted deer are very common and their males sport an impressive spread of antlers during the rutting season. The key predators here are the tiger followed by the leopard, wild dog & wolf. Other animals found in Nestled in the southern slopes of the Satpura the park include the sloth bear, chousingha, ranges of Central India, Pench Tiger chinkara, barking deer, jackal, fox, palm civet, Reserve(757.90sq kms) lies in southern Madhya small Indian civet, jungle cat, hyena & porcupine. Pradesh, bordering Maharastra. The Pench Pench Tiger Reserve is also among the best areas National Park which constitutes the core of the for bird watching. Tiger Reserve was notified in 1983. The Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park and the Mowgli Pench Sanctuary, Pench was brought under Project Tiger in 1992. Pench National Park gets its name from the that flows through it, dividing it into western Chhindwara block (141.61 sq kms ) & the Eastern Seoni Block (145.24 sqkms). The undulating topography of the Park supports a mosaic of vegetation ranging from moist valleys to open, dry deciduous forests. Over 1200 species of plants have been recorded in the area including several rare & endangered plants as well as plants of ethno-botanical importance. Pench National Park is the original setting of Rudyard Kipling's famous work, the Jungle Book. A visit to Pench, with its rich flora & fauna, actually brings alive 71 72 Over 285 species of resident & migratory birds river. Large herds of gaur are often spotted in the including Malabar pied hornbill, Indian pitta, bamboo patches. Jackals, wild dogs & rhesus osprey, grey headed fishing eagle, white eyed monkeys can be seen foraging for food in the buzzard are found here. Four species of the densely wooded jungles. endangered vulture, white rumped, long billed, Boating The large Pench reservoir within the white scavenger & king vulture can be seen in Park with its numerous islands provides a good numbers in these forests. In winter magical setting for boating. Motorboats, thousands of migratory water fowls including the paddleboats & row boats are available for tourists. brahmini ducks, pochards, bar headed geese & River Rafting Rafting can be done in the Pench coots come to the Pench reservoir & the tanks river outside the Park between 1 Sept to 15 within the park. October. The forested banks of the river and its The best time to visit Pench is summer as rocky stretches, locally called kassa, enhance the animals come out in search of water. Waterholes adventure in the Park provide good opportunities to view Park timings: The Park remains open from 1 Oct some of its residents. to 30 June. Entry is allowed between 6 AM and 11 There is an enthralling forest museum in Pench, AM and then from 3 PM to 6 PM. Petrol vehicles it gives fascinating and graphically illustrated and 5 year old diesel vehicles are allowed in the information about the National Park. Visitors Park with fixed entry fees & trained guides. should see it before their first round to the Park, Detailed information on Park entry fees, wildlife then again after experiencing the forest to know viewing on elephant-back, photography and more about what they have seen. guides charges, etc is available on Elephant Rides- The Park has elephants that are www.mponline.gov.in used to track & show tigers to the tourists. An How to reach The park has two main gates. The elephant ride into the forests is an enchanting main entrance is from Turia in the east and another experience. lesser used entrance is at Karmajhiri in the north. By Air- The nearest airport is at Nagpur, only 92 kms away, which takes about two hours by road. It is 80 kms along National Highway-7 kms to Khawasa and then 12 kms to Turia gate. The airport in Jabalpur is 200 kms from Pench. By Rail- Nagpur junction is the nearest railway station from Pench.It is well connected to the rest of India. Jabalpur which is another 4-5 hours drive is the other major railhead. It is 165 kms along National Highway 7 to Sukhtara village via Seoni and then 30 kms to Karmajhiri. By Road- Situated on the Nagpur- Jabalpur highway, Pench is easily accessible by local taxis. If you take a bus from Nagpur, get off at Park Attractions- Jungle Safari- Jungle safaris Khawasa which is 12 kms from Turia gate. are a major attraction of the Park. A dawn safari, Chhindwara is 120 kms and Seoni is 60 kms from when animals are out in the open looking for food the Park. & water, is an unforgettable experience. Tigers & Your Hosts- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Kipling leopards can be seen near water bodies and even Court (at Turia Gate, Khawasa) Ph-07695- on the roads in summer. Cheetal, sambar & nilgai 232830 At Rookhad (21 kms from Khawasa): are found grazing in the forest & banks of the Highway Treat Ph.-07560-285296 73 74 temple is also a Shakti peeth. The water from one Amarkantak of the tanks is finally poured out through the Source of the Holy Narmada traditional Gao Mukh ( Cow's Mouth) spout in to the largest tank served by the steps of a ghat. Here the piligrims take a holy dip in the Narmada to cleanse their souls from the worldly sins. From there the Narmada flows for 1300 kms & enters the Arabian Sea Gulf of Cambay through a 27 kms broad estuary below Broach. Gayatri Sarovar : This was built by the state's Tourism Department and when a favourable monsoon fills it, visitors could be offered relaxing boat rides. Karna Math Mandir- Aka Mahameru Shri Yantra Mandir of Tripur Sundari-Its gate is crowned by four enormous faces of the Mother Goddess. Statues of 64 yoginis, varied aspects of the Mother Goddess, embellish the walls. The spire of the temple rises in the form of a stylized Mount Meru. Some distance away from the The town of Amarkantak, is known as Teerthraj, temple there is a tiny shrine under a mango tree. or the 'King of pilgrimages'.Situated at an altitude This is called the Sone Bhadra Maharaj. of 1000 meter in of Madhya Mai ka Bagicha – This Garden of the Mother has Pradesh, Amarkantak lies at the meeting point of two small shrines: one with a small idol of the the three Central Indian hill ranges-Vindhyas, Goddess Narmada; the other with the idols of both Satpuras & Maikal. This small town with its Narmada and Parvati. innumerable temples & holy ponds, bordered There is also a belief that the Narmada actually with lofty hills & dense forests, is a sought after starts in this small marsh, disappears under destination, both by spiritually inclined as well as ground and reappears in the Narmada Udgam. nature lovers. The two great rivers of India, the ASI Protected Temples Narmada & the Sone, arise in Amarkantak. While These monuments are no longer living temples the Narmada flows westwards, the Sone flows to and are under the protection of the Archaeological the east. Legend has it that once Narmada & Son Survey of India. The oldest group of temples , on were to be married, but Son repulsed Narmada & the left of the entrance to the complex, was built in married another. The distraught Narmada the 10th century by the Kalachuri dynasty (6 Cent changed course & turned westwards. Amarkantak AD to 1240 AD ). This complex houses a temple is green with forests, gentled with soft wetlands & as young as 200 years old. streams & serene with temples & shrines. This Kapil Dhara & Dugdh Dhara –Kapil Dhara is place is curiously free from the hustle & bustle associated with the legendary sage, Kapila. generally associated with piligrim towns. Even Mythology has it that the legendary sage spent 12 the mighty Narmada, that roars & fumes in the years here immersed in meditative austerities. great Dhuandhar Falls in the distant Bhedaghat, is Here, the young Narmada pours down the a tiny trickle of water in a white shrine in the most escarpment in a gushing waterfall & the important temple in Amarkantak, the Narmada depressions in the water-worn rocks, before the Udgam. cascade, are said to be the footprints of that Tourist Attractions of Amarkantak- powerful seer. It is a spectacular sight as the small Narmada Udgam-This is, in fact, a walled stream of the Narmada plunges down a 24 m high complex of white shrines sparkling in the vertical cliff to a gorge, transforming into a large sunlight, grouped around two tanks. The . is born in the basement of a single celled temple. The life giving river has been personified as a beautiful female deity, the Narmada Devi. This

75 76 The sacred Kapileshwar Temple is situated nearby. A little downstream from Kapildhara, the Maihar Narmada creates another waterfall, Dugdhdhara, literally meaning , 'the milky stream'. Bhrigu Ka Mandal- One of the greatest sages, chose Amarkantak as his place of meditation. Bhrigu ka Mandal, as the spot is now known, can be reached after a difficult, three-hour long trek that passes through dense forests. Chabutra A small tank near which the saint Kabir (1440-1518 AD) is said to have meditated, known as Kabir Chabutra, is now a sacred site for the Kabirpanthis. Jwaleshwar Temple This temple houses an ancient shivlinga. Mythology has it that, when Lord Shiva destroyed Tripura (the three mythical cities) by fire, some of the ashes accidentally split over Amarkantak, which led to the birth of crores of shivlingas. Jwaleshwar Temple, which is situated 8 kms from Amarkantak, enshrines one of those shivlingas. The long streams of pilgrims who pour into Maihar every day, their eyes fixed fervently on the white shrine atop a wooded hill, are driven by a single desire. They want to have a darshan, a merit enhancing sight, of the sacred idol of Sharda Mata. Cars are parked in a lot outside the main shopping area at the foot of the hill. An exception is made for those who have reservations in the Surbahar hotel by MPSTDC. It has parking space in its walled grounds beyond the traffic barrier. From here, there are two ways of getting up to the temple. One can either walk up 1152 steps: or one can hire one of the shuttle – service taxis run by the temple authorities. The tarred motor road starts from one side of the How to reach pedestrian complex fronting the gateway, and By Air- The nearest airports are at Jabalpur winds up the hill. At the upper end of this soaring (228kms) and Raipur, in Chhatisgarh(230kms). road, a flight of 194 canopied steps with There is a permanent helipad at Amarkantak. protective railings zig-zags up to the temple. Helicopters can be charted from Jabalpur, Bhopal The sanctum glitters with embossed silver. The or Raipur. idol is in the centre of the silver sanctum and is By Rail -The nearest railway station is at Pendra covered in garlands so that only her face and Road (42kms), in Chhatisgarh. silver crown are visible. There are also idols of By Road- It is 71 kms from Anuppur, the district Hanuman, Kali Ma and Narsingh in the shrine. headquaters. Direct buses are available for How to reach Amarkantak from Rewa, Allahabad, , Maihar has its own railway station. It is well Seoni,Raipur, Bilaspur, Shahdol, Katni and connected with Satna, Rewa, Jabalpur and Panna Jabalpur. with regular bus services. Your host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Holiday Your host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Hotel Homes Ph. 07629-269416 Surbahar Tel : 07674-233362

77 78 Bhopal Region Taj-ul-Masajid : Said to be the largest mosque in the country, the construction of this towering edifice was started by Shahjehan Begum but could not be completed during her lifetime. The great queen, who was the eighth ruler of Bhopal, left many monuments in the city and to her goes the credit for Bhopal's postal system, railways and waterworks. After her death, lack of funds prevented the completion of the m a s a j i d a n d construction was resumed only in 1971. The most striking features of the mosque Bhopal are the impressive A Many-Splendoured City main hall with its inter- Bhopal most probably derived its name from arched roof, broad facade, spacious courtyard and 'Bhoj Tala' or the lake of Bhopal. was a smooth marble floors. great ruler, from the Parmar dynasty, who had a Jama Masjid : Gold spikes crown the minarets of dynamic personality. He has been credited with this beautiful mosque, built in 1837 by Qudsia creating two major water bodies in the area-one of Begum. which is outside Bhopal. Moti Masjid : Architecturally akin to Delhi's After the , the rulers of the land changed Jama Masjid, this imposing mosque was built by frequently and by the 18th century, the martial Sikander Jehan, daughter of Qudsia Begum, in Gond tribes controlled Bhopal from the hill fort of 1860.It is accessed by a flight of external steps Ginnorgarh. Beautiful queen Kamlawati was a from the roads. which lead to a courtyard that has Gond ruler. When her husband was murdered by an obligatory pool an ambitious relative, the queen asked the Afghan in the centre, an adventurer and warrior Dost Mohd Khan , to help a r c h e d a n d her. He did so but, when the Rani died, he seized pillared corridor her fortress and, later took possession of Bhopal. on three sides and Dost Mohd Khan is credited with laying the the beautiful white foundations of present day Bhopal, erecting its mosque in front. protective wall and setting up the dynasty of On a still day, the Nawabs. For over two centuries , the descendants reflections of the mosque in the pool are exquisite. of Dost Mohd Khan (including the 107 year reign Moti Mahal : It was built by Sikander Jehan of 5 Begums) ruled Bhopal and they left their Begum. The projected, windows are a common lasting imprint on the town. Today when the old architectural feature and one of their functions city is seen from across the lake, it conjures up an was to capture even the slightest breeze. To the impression of Turkey's Istanbul where pinnacles right of the Moti Mahal, Shauqat Mahal is soar and domes rise. The city is divided into old situated. It was built by Qudsia Begum in 1830, it and new. is a mixture of styles in Islamic and French style of The Chowk - The life of the 200 year old city architecture. Nearby is the elegant and once swirls around the central heart. Buildings with –opulent Sadar Manzil, Hall of public audience of Islamic arches, turrets and balconies surround it . the former rulers of Bhopal. The markets also give a feel of the bygone era. The Gohar Mahal : It is interesting from an shops in its narrow alleys are treasure troves of architectural point of view. Situated behind traditional Bhopali crafts like silver jewellery, Shaukat Mahal on the banks of the Upper Lake is exquisitely fashioned beadwork, embroidered Gohar Mahal, which is an architectural gem and sequined velvet fashioned purses and dating to the times of Qudsia Begum, also known cushions. as Gohar Begum, who built this sprawling palace 79 80 in 1820. The Mahal is a magnificent expression of Shamla Hills in a beautiful new building, the State the fusion of Hindu and . This Museum houses the best of art and culture of spacious palace is now used as a handicraft Madhya Pradesh. It has 16 different theme market. Though the Gohar mahal was the first galleries, showcasing the State's sculptural palace to be built by the Nawabs in Bhopal, it does masterpieces, pre-historic articles and fossils, not dominate the old town. excavated objects, epigraphs, manuscripts, Taj Mahal : It is not like its famous namesake in paintings and royal collection, documents, postal Agra, but it is beautiful in its own way. Dome stamps, autographs, miniature paintings, coins, balconies thrust out on both sides of the scalloped arms and weapons, and articles associated with arch of its high gate. Beyond them are spread slim India's freedom struggle. pillared arches. A row of corbels stretch below the Laxminarayan Temple and Museum : This arched windows in the next floor. It was built by beautiful temple on the Arera Hills is a modern Shah Jehan Begum. The work was started in 1871 temple built in traditional style. It is also known as and completed in 1884. The building is under the Birla temple after the well known family of restoration after years of being shuttered and industrialists who built it. It has a museum neglected . attached to it which houses a collection of Bharat Bhawan : One of the most unique sculptures from , , Mandsaur and national institutes in India, Bharat Bhawan is a Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh. The Museum centre for the performing and visual arts. is open from 9 am to 5 on all days except Designed by the renowned architect, Charles Mondays. Correa, the contours of Bharat Bhawan merge in Van Vihar : The safari-park is located on a hill exquisite harmony with the landscape creating a adjacent to the Upper Lake, with an area of 445 visual impact of spacious and natural elegance. hectares. In these natural surroundings, wildlife The centre houses an art museum , an art gallery, a watchers can view a variety of herbivorous and workshop for fine arts, a repertory theatre, indoor carnivorous species. It is actually a large zoo with and outdoor auditorium, rehearsal room, and open and landscaped enclosures. A motor road libraries of Indian poetry, classical and folk winds through it along the bank of the Upper music. It is open from 2 pm to 8 pm every day Lake. These is also a stretch of wetland in Van except Mondays. Vihar which is populated by quacking water birds. I n d i r a G a n d h i R a s h t r i y a M a n a v Open everyday, except on Friday, from 7 to 11 am Sangrahalaya : Situated in 200 acres of and 3to5.30pm. picturesque site at Shamla Hills and overlooking The Boat Club : The Upper Lake also holds the the Upper Lake, the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Boat Club. From the club, visitors can go out in Manav Sangrahalaya is the largest open-air the water in the Cruise Boat which is an imitation anthropological museum in India. Established in of a Mexican pirate ship. Madhya Pradesh 1977, this Museum depicts the story of Tourism's Boat Club on the Upper lake provides humankind in time and space through its Open Air facilities for exciting trips by cruise, sail, paddle and Indoor Exhibitions, consisting of Tribal and motor boats. Habitat, Coastal Village, Desert Villa, Himalayan Village, Mythological Trail and Traditional Technology, constructed by the concerned ethnic groups using raw materials brought from their respective localities. The Veethi Sankul, the Indoor museum depicts topics related to the human biological and cultural evolution. Periodical exhibitions, performing art presentations, artist workshops and education programs are also a regular part of this Museum. The museum is open every day except on Monday and national holidays.] [March to August 11:00 to 18:30 and September to February 10:00 to 17:30) State Museum : Situated on the picturesque 81 82 It is a place to freak out with family & friends The food zone will definitely satisfy the foodies. through out the day with the fast food outlet Lehar The boating at the venue, is a treat for the families. Fast providing fresh snacks. You can take a boat A unique sight for the visitors, the bar, is ride, walk along the lake or simply sit back & relax exclusively made of glass. The floor top is made in the Wind & Waves restaurant which is aptly up of glass, below which one can experience situated to catch the beauty of the lake. The Cruise water flowing through! Boat in the Upper Lake is another place of recreation for the family. The round in the Lake would give you a true picture of Bhopal as you can awe at the green surroundings & the old buildings. The round of the lake around the sunset time could be a memorable experience. Regional Science Centre : Basically a science museum, located on the picturesque Shamla Hills, Regional Science Centre houses about 300 participatory exhibits distributed equally in 'Invention' & 'Fun Science' galleries, and a 'Taramandal' (Planetarium). The museum remains open from 10.30 am to 6.30 pm on all days except on Monday. , Bhopal : Madhya Pradesh tourism has created a fun zone, Sair Sapata at Sevania Gond, near Bhadbhada Bridge, at Vanvihar Road, The star attraction is the toy train, running across comprising of an adventure zone, food zone, toy the park for children. The ten- minute ride is quite train, musical fountain, a bar, jungle trail, a long entertaining as it goes around the entire fun zone. pedestrian bridge and few view points. It received Another innovative feature of Sair tremendous response from all the fun lovers. Sapata is the musical fountain- dancing to the tunes of music and illuminated with colourful lights. This is a point of special attraction for everyone as the plethora of colours rising out of the fountain presents a brilliant sight. How to reach By Air- Regular flights connect Bhopal with Delhi, Indore, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Raipur. By Rail – Bhopal is on the main Delhi-Chennai main line. Major trains going from Mumbai to Delhi via and Jhansi also go through Bhopal. By Road- Regular bus services connect Bhopal with Indore(186km), Mandu(285km), Ujjain(188km), Khajuraho(383km), Pachmarhi(195km), Gwalior (423km), (46km), Jabalpur (295km) and Shivpuri It was a challenging project when the foot (311km). suspension cable stay bridge was taking shape. Best season –July to March First of its kind in Asia, this bridge is almost 10 Your host –Madhya Pradesh Tourism's Palash feet broad and 500 feet long. The children play Residency, Hotel Lake View Ashok (ITDC/MPT) zone gives ample scope for children to play around, while the adventure zone is apt for the daring teenagers. The nature trail is full of serenity. One gets the feel of getting lost in jungle.

83 84 representations of the Buddha, was added in the Sanchi nd late 2 Century BC under the Shungas, while the Masterpieces of Buddhist Art four gateways of 1 were built in the 1st 46 kms north of Bhopal, a hill about 90 m in height Century BC under the Satavahanas. is crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars, which has been named Sanchi. Sanchi's Stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century BC to the 12th Century AD have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The most famous of these monuments, Stupa 1, known as the great Stupa, was originally built by the Mauryan Emperor , the then governor of Ujjayini, whose wife Devi was the daughter of a merchant from the adjacent town of . Emperor Ashoka, though he won the battle of Kalinga, was very upset having slain over 150000 people and the misery which the war inflicted. Filled with remorse and with a sudden change of heart, the Great Stupa No.1- Scholars believe that this was great Emperor renounced the path of violence and the first monument to be erected in Sanchi in the embraced Buddhism. He spearheaded the counsel third century BC. The original stupa constructed of Buddhism through rock edicts and sent his by emperor Ashoka was enlarged in the Shunga emissaries to other parts of the world. Originally period. In the first century BC , the Satvahanas Stupas were erected over the relics of the Buddha contributed the elaborately carved torans. The or at sites related to his life. Emperor Ashoka is Stupa stands 36.5 m in diameter and 16.5 m in said to have erected 84000 such stupas and height with a massive hemispherical dome. The renovated many more during his reign. Of the dome is toped by triple chhatraveli (umbrella) that m o n u m e n t s h e stands for the 3 jewels of Buddhism, namely the commissioned, Sanchi is the Buddha, the and the Sangha. most well preserved. The medhi (circular terrace) meant for The Sanchi hill goes the circumambulation is approached by a stairway up in the shelves on the south. A paved path encircles the stupa and with Stupa 2 there are four entrances through finely carved s i t u a t e d o n torans (gateways). The gateways contain carved lower shelf, depiction of the legends and myths about the life while Stupa-1, of Buddha . They show, in detail, scenes from the Stupa 3 , the 5th second century BC. century Gupta The North Gateway crowned by a wheel temple No-17 of law depicts the miracles associated with the a n d t h e 7 t h Buddha as told in the Jatakas. The Jataka tales century temple center around the previous births of Gautam No-18 are on the Buddha , as Bodhisatva. The East Gate depicts the intermediate shelf young prince Gautam, leaving his fathers's palace w h i l e a l a t e r on his journey towards enlightenment and the monastery is on dream of Maya, the mother of Gautama. The the crowning South Gate, oldest of the four gateways reveals s h e l f . T h e the birth of Gautama in a series of dramatically b a l u s t r a d e rich carvings and also events from Ashoka's life surrounding as a Buddhist. Just to the right of the South gate is S t u p a 2 , the stump of the pillar erected by Emperor Ashok carved with in the 3rd Century BC. The Western Gateway a n i c o n i c portrays the seven incarnations of the Buddha. 85 86 Stupa No. 2- stands on the Western Slope, at the eastern extremity of the Sanchi complex, gazing very edge of the hill. A stone balustrade is seen over the carved and fallen blocks of its monastery. around it which has 4 L shaped entrances at the This temple was built in two phases. The earlier ground level. Facing the Western gate of Stupa 1 is one was raised in the 7th-8th century; the second the imposing Monastery 51. one was built in 9th-10th century AD. Behind the Stupa No. 3- Standing north-east of the Great mesh screen of the locked gate is a seated statue Stupa, it has only one gateway and is believed to of the Buddha. be constructed soon after the completion of the Some carved slabs showing the Great Stupa in the 2nd Century BC. It is also similar Brahminical deities Vishnu, Ganesh and the in design to the Stupa No-1 though smaller in size. Goddess Mahishasurmardini, from the 13th The relics of Sariputra and Maudgalayana , two of century were excavated from Sanchi. These have the Buddha's earliest disciples, are found in its been exhibited in the Site Museum. innermost chamber. Site Museum- It stands at the bottom of The Vihara – The remains of an ancient Vihara the Sanchi campus, fenced in and protected by the can be seen in Sanchi. Here, the individual cells Archaeological Survey of India . In its lobby is for the monks open onto a central unroofed the capital of an Ashokan pillar considering of courtyard. It had been built using timber frames four lions facing the four cardinal directions. The and brick walls, simple as befits a monastic museum is a home to many other interesting establishment. excavated images and artifacts from 2nd Century The Chaityas -Since the Stupa was, in those BC to 10th Century AD. days, the only symbol that Buddhists were How to reach permitted to venerate, and the monks could not By Air- Nearest airport is at Bhopal (46km via hold all of their religious ceremonies at the Great Diwanganj and 78 km via Raisen) Stupa, they built smaller stupas and enclosed them By Rail – Sanchi lies on the Jhansi- Itarsi section at the end of rectangular halls. These halls had the of the Central Railways. However, the most typical barrel vaulted roof of timber, timber pillars convenient railheads are at Vidisha (10km) and and brick walls which have collapsed over the Bhopal (46km) centuries. All that is left of the oldest chaitya, are By Road- Good, motorable roads connect Sanchi ruins identified as Temple No-40.The second with Bhopal, Indore, Sagar, Gwalior, Vidisha and Chaitya hall is Temple No-18 which has a 7th or 8th Raisen besides other places. century terracotta figure of Lord Buddha. Temple Best season –July to March No 17, near Temple No-9 is unique. Temple and Monastery 45- It stands on the

87 88 Bhimbetka giving a clear picture of the weapons they used : barbed spears, pointed sticks, bows and arrows. A World Heritage Site The depiction of communal dances, birds, musical instruments, mother and child, pregnant women, men carrying dead animals, drinking and burials appear in rhythmic movement. Period III - (Chalcolithic): Similar to the paintings of Chalcolithic pottery, these drawings reveal that during the period the cave dwellers of this area had come in contact with the agricultural communities. The colours of the paintings have remained intact for many centuries Bhimbetka, a natural amphitheatre, has been recognised as a World Heritage Site.

Surrounded by the northern fringe of the Vindhyan ranges, Bhimbetka lies 46 km south of Bhopal. In this rocky terrain of dense forest and craggy cliffs, over 600 rock shelters belonging to the Neolithic age were recently discovered. Here, in vivid panoramic details paintings in over 500 caves depict the life of the prehistoric cave- dwellers, making the Bhimbetka group an archaeological treasure and an invaluable chronicle in the history of man. Executed mainly in red and white with the occasional use of green and yellow, with themes taken from the every day events of aeons ago, the Period IV & V (Early Historic): The figures of scenes usually depict hunting, dancing, music, this group have a schematic and decorative style, horse and elephant riders, animals fighting, honey and are painted mainly in red, white and yellow. collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, The association is of riders, depiction of religious masking and household scenes. Animals such as symbols, tunic-like dresses and the existence of bisons, tigers, lions, wild boars, elephants, scripts of different periods. The religious beliefs antelopes, dogs, lizards, crocodiles etc. have been are represented by figures of yakshas, tree gods abundantly depicted in some caves. Popular and magical sky chariots. religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently. Period VI & VII (Medieval): These paintings are The superimposition of paintings shows that the geometric, linear and more schematic, but they same canvas was used by different people at show degeneration and crudeness in their artistic different times. The drawings and paintings can style. be classified under seven different periods: The colours used by the cave dwellers were Period I - (Upper Paleolithic): These are linear prepared combining manganese, haematite, soft representations, in green and dark red, of huge red stone and wooden coal. Sometimes the fat of figures of animals such as bisons, tigers, and animals and extracts of leaves were also used in rhinoceroses. the mixture. The colours have remained intact for Period II (Mesolithic): Comparatively small in many centuries due to the chemical reaction size, the stylised figures in this group show linear resulting from the oxide present on the surface of decoration on the body. In addition to animals, the rocks. there are human figures and hunting scenes,

89 90 Lakhajwar & S-Belt Paintings belonging to upper paleolithic period to Medieval period are also seen in the surrounding areas of Bhimbetka. Looking straight ahead, down the line of the path that arrows through the trees, one sees huge masses of rocks towering above the forest.They look rather like a natural fortress which is probably why our ancestors chose this site. 980 Centuries ago, Bhimbetka stood in dense, wet forest with lakes and green swamps glistening through the tropical trees.It was then the home of herds of elephants, Indian bisons and rhinoceros, possibly tigers and leopards. Early man needed a place from where he could spot the movements of wildlife and watch out for other, possibly hostile Bhojpur tribes. This great outcrop of rocks provide an A Heritage of Great Civilisations excellent vantage point for him. Founded by the legendary Parmar king of Dhar, These caves were discovered in 1957-58.Out of Raja Bhoj (1010-'53), and named after him, the 750 Rock Shelters, 500 are adorned with Bhojpur, 28 km from Bhopal, is renowned for the paintings. This was the centre of human activity remains of its magnificent Shiva Temple and right from Lower Paleolithic times upto the Cyclopean dam. The temple, which has earned the Medieval period comprising linear depiction of nomenclature of the 'Somnath of the East', is human figures , hunting, riding and other day to known as the Bhojeshwar Temple. In plan, a day activities of ancient man. Mineral colours simple square with an exterior dimension of 66 used are green, red, ochre and white. The cup feet, devoid of the re-entrant angles are usual in marks made on the rocks date to 100000 BCE. such buildings. The richly carved dome, though This pushes back the date of the cognitive incomplete, has a magnificent, soaring strength of development of man at Bhimbetka to many line and is supported by four pillars. These, like thousand years earlier than similar sites in various the dome, have been conceived on a massive parts of the world making it the earliest cognitive scale, yet retain a remarkable elegance because of human evolution. (As described by the their tapering form. Divided into three sections, Archaeologicl Survey of India). Indian the lowest is an octagon with facets of 2.12 feet, Archaeologists generally accept that the Lower from which springs a 24-faced section. Richly Palaeolithic age in our land extended from carved above, the doorway is plain below, 500000 BCE to 100000 BCE when humans throwing into sharp relief the two exquisitely preferred to live near water and used pebbles sculpted figures that stand on either side. On the found on the shores as weapons and implements. other three sides of the structure are balconies, How to reach each supported by massive brackets and four By Air- Bhopal (28 km from Bhojpur, and 46 intricately carved pillars. The lingam in the km from Bhimbetka) is the nearest airport. sanctum rises to an awe-inspiring height of 7.5 By Rail –Bhopal, on the Delhi- Chennai and feet with a circumference of 17.8 feet. Set upon a Delhi-Mumbai mainline is the most convenient massive platform 21.5 feet square, and composed rail-head. of three superimposed limestone blocks, the By Road- Both Bhojpur and Bhimbetka are architectural harmony of the lingam and the connected by bus with Bhopal. platform creates a superb synthesis of solidity and Best season –July to March lightness. The temple was never completed, and Your host – Madhya Pradesh Tourism's the earthern ramp used to raise it to dome-level Highway Treat. still stands. Had it been completed, it would have had very few rivals. As it is, even with the ravages of time, it remains one of the best examples of temple architecture of the 12th and 13th centuries.

91 92 Vidisha, Udaygiri Caves, Gyaraspur, Udaypur A Rich Historical Legacy Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh, is the ideal centre for discovering the rich historical and cultural legacy of the state. Close to the city and easily accessible by road and rail are ancient sites of great dynasties, forts, monuments and cave sculptures, some of the finest examples of Indian art and architecture, chronicled in stone, of the state's unique heritage of fine antiques. What to See Vidisha : Vidisha Or Besnagar as it is called in the Pali sculptures, once the prosperous capital of the western dominions of the Sungas, contains some remarkable antiquities that throw light on the considerable architectural development of the period. Situated in the fork of the Betwa and Bes rivers, Vidisha, 10km from Sanchi, occupies an important place amongst the ancient cities in India. In the 6th and 5th centuries BC, it rose to Also incomplete, and with a similar stone-raising become an important trade centre and a bustling ramp, is a Jain shrine that stands close to the city under the Sungas, Nagas, Satvahanas and Bhojeshwar temple. Three figures of the Guptas. The Emperor Ashoka was the governor of tirthankaras are contained within, one being a Vidisha and it finds mention in Kalidasa's colossal statue of Mahavira 20 feet high, and the immortal Meghdoot. Deserted after the 6th other two of Parsvanath. Rectangular in plan, this century AD, it came into prominence again as temple probably belongs to the same period as the Bhilsa during the medieval period (9th to 12th Bhojeshwar. centuries AD). It later passed on to the Malwa Excursion Sultans, the Mughals, and the Scindias. Vidisha Ashapuri: It is near Bhojpur, at a distance of museum has a superb collection of Besnagar's 40Kms. The ruins here indicate that a large group earliest antiquities, dating from the Sunga period; of temples existed here on the bank of a large 9th century sculptures, and terracotta objects, pond, the remains of which are still visible. representing the art that flourished under Parmara Presently, the remnants of temples (the Ashadevi patronage, are also well represented here. temple, the Bhootnath temple, the Bilauta temple Highlights of the collection from Besnagar are the and Satmasia temple) can be seen. Surya and Chamundi figures, the Yakshi and the How to reach Ramagupta inscriptions. The Lohangi Rock, By Air- Bhopal (28 km from Bhojpur,) is the Gumbaz-ka-Maqbara and Bijamandal nearest airport Mosque, standing on the foundations of a temple, By Rail –Bhopal, on the Delhi- Chennai and are also worth a visit. Delhi-Mumbai mainline is the most convenient Close to the ruins are the remains of votive pillars rail-head. with palm-leaf capitals; the only one that still By Road- Bhojpur is connected by bus with stands is the Pillar, also known as Bhopal. Khambha Baba. A monolithic, free-standing Best season –July to March column, the Pillar bears an inscription which states that it was a Pillar, raised in honour of by Heliodorus, a resident of , who had been sent to the court of as

93 94 an envoy of the Indo-Bactrian monarch, Antialcidas of Taxila. The king sent Heliodorus as Antialcidas. This inscription is a particularly his personal ambassador to the Sunga court at valuable historical record, revealing both the Vidisha .Here Heliodorus became a devotee of the relations that existed between the region and the Brahminical God, Vishnu, whose vahan, or Greek kingdoms of Punjab, and the remarkable vehicle, is the eagle Garuda. Heliodorus erected a fact that a Greek had become a follower of the pillar crowned by a Garuda in honour of his Hindu god Vishnu. The inclusion of the name of devotion. This is now a protected monument in its Antialcidas dates the approximated erection of the own walled grounds. It has inscriptions in Brahmi pillar to 140 BC. Architecturally, the Pillar, with and Prakrit characters. There is one more place of its bell capital carrying a figured super-structure, considerable interest in the old Vidisha, which is resembles the Ashoka Pillar, but is much smaller Udaygiri. in size with more slender proportions. The lower Udaygiri Caves : 13 km from Sanchi and 4 km portion of the shaft is octagonal, the upper, from Vidisha, are group of rock-cut cave sixteen-sided, with a panel above of thirty-two sanctuaries, carved into a sandstone hill that facets. The carvings have Buddhist motifs such as stands, sentinel like, on the horizon. An a border with geese in pairs as well as Hellenic inscription on one of these states, that it was ones such as the honeysuckle and the bead- produced during the reign of Chandragupta II moulding. (382-402 AD), thus dating these caves to 4-5 AD. Museum – It is a small museum The cave possess all the distinctive features that with striking exhibits, some displayed in the gave its unique vitality, vigour and garden. They testify to the continual cultural wealth of the area. From 9th -10th century is Bhairavnath the Hunter with his dog.From the same century comes a panel of Jain Tirthankars. A century later, the artists of this affluent place created a superb reclining Vishnu, the Brahminical God of Preservation. At the entrance of the Museum is a towering Yaksha, one of the protectors of the God of Wealth, Kubera. This is from the second century BC. The museum exhibits artefacts from 2nd Century BC to 11th Century AD. B i j a M a n d a l - Today it is a very i m p r e s s i v e platform, richly c a r v e d . T h i s , apparently, was the base of a soaring B r a h m i n i c a l temple dedicated to richness of expression, the beautifully moulded t h e G o d d e s s capitals, the treatment of the intercolomination, Charchika also the design of the entranceway and the system of known as Vijaya. It continuing the architrave as a string course round has been attributed the structure. The first cave that the visitor to Parmara king encounters , driving into Udaygiri is Cave-19. Naravarman. This is known as Amrit Cave after the carving H e l i o d o r u s ' around the entrance . It shows the churning of the Pillar- Heliodorus ocean by gods and demons , out of which emerged was most likely a a number of precious things like the Nectar of nobleman in the Immortality, or Amrit . court of Greek king 95 96 This cave has a pillared portico built in front of its of Athakhambe with their extreme delicacy of mouth. Inside there is a Shivling, emblem of Lord carving testify to the high degree of craftsmanship Shiva, and Shiva's vehicle, the bull Nandi. The during the period. Other monuments of note at caves have been numbered probably according to Gyaraspur are of the early 10th century which the sequence in which they were excavated, comprises Bajra Math and the Mala Devi Temple, beginning with Cave 1, which has a frontage the latter distinguished by its carved pillars with adapted out of a natural ledge of rock, thus foliated motifs, representatives of the richest post- forming both the roof of the cellar and its portico. Gupta style. Bajramath Temple - It is certainly The row of four pillars bear the Vase and foliage very accessible, standing, as it does, adjacent to pattern of which the eminent art historian, Percy the town's playing field. It is clearly a Brahminical Brown, so eloquently says, "the Gupta capital temple standing on a high plinth with three typifies a renewal of faith, the water nourishing shrines, or cells, placed abreast: which is rather the plant trailing from its brim, an allegory which unusual. The carvings on the doorways, and above has produced the vase and flower motif, one of the them, are particularly attractive. Hindola Torana most graceful forms in Indian architecture". - This is, literally, the Swing Entrance because the Characterised by richly carved facades and most elaborately carved pillars resemble the doorways, the shrines are progressively more trestles on which swings hang. This was, once the spacious and more ornate. Architecturally, Cave entrance to a large temple dedicated either to No-1 is of considerable interest as it represents Vishnu or to the Trimurti- the Brahminical trinity the earliest phase in the development of temple of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Maladevi Temple- architecture in India planned as it is with a small In front of the temple, a descriptive board reads- shrine and a simple porch in front. Cave No. 9 is This is a Jain temple,a richly carved magnificient remarkable for its large cellar and massive 8 feet edifice comprising an entrance porch, a hall and a high pillars, a long portico and a pillared hall. sanctum which is partly rock-cut and is Throughout there is evidence that the master surrounded by an ambulatory and crowned by a craftsmen of Besnagar practised their art with lofty shikhara. It is assignable to about 9th Century skill and artistry under the Guptas, four centuries AD. Although the name Maladevi sounds later. Cave No. 5 is awe-inspiring in the sheer Brahminical, it contains Jain images. magnificence of the vision of its builders:here, a UDAYPUR is 90 km from Bhopal via Vidisha and massive carving depicts Vishnu, in his Varaha . The colossal Neelkantheshwara (Boar) incarnation, holding the earth goddess temple here is an outstanding example of Parmara Prithvi aloft upon one tusk. Yet another art and architecture of the llth century AD. The stupendous sculpture is of the reclining Vishnu. crowning beauty of this temple lies in its well Taken as a whole, this stupendous group is a rich proportioned and gracefully designed spire of representation of the vitality and strength of shikhar, and delicately carved medallions Gupta art and architecture. Cave No 7 has a lotus adorning its sides. The fascinating spire is perhaps carved on the ceiling and was made on the orders unrivalled in beauty in the whole array of Indian of a minister of Chandragupta. The majority of temples. Built of find red sandstone and standing these caves have been dated to the Gupta dynasty. on a lofty platform, the temple consists of a Cave No. 3 has a standing figure of lord Kartik, garbha-griha (shrine room), a sabha mandap the warrior son of Shiva. Back on the rock –cut (hall) and three pravesha mandaps (entrance steps, and after a short ascent , lies the rock-shelter porches). Pisanhari-ka-Mandir It is a single Cave No. 13 with a large carving of the Preserver celled temple with a tower and a flat roofed porch. Vishnu reclining on the coils of the serpent, Inside is a black shivling, a small idol of Parvati Sheshshayi. and Nandi in the portico. Shahi Mosque- GYARASPUR: 41 km north-east of Sanchi, Reputedly commenced in the reign of Jehangir Gyaraspur was a place of considerable and completed in that of Shah Jehan in 1632, it is importance in the medieval period. Here, in the a simple, long, pillared structure, simple in ruins called Athakhambe (Eight Pillars) and architecture, like the early Mughal architecture. Chaukhambe (Four Pillars) are what remains of Barakhambi- It is a pillared hall standing alone in the columned halls of two temples belonging to a scrub covered wilderness: the 9th and 10th centuries AD. The faceted shafts 97 98 all that remains of a large temple built in the 11th Delawadi & Ginnorgarh fort - 62 km from Century. Bijamandal, Shahi Masjid and Mahal, Bhopal, Delawadi (in ) is a Sher Khan-ki-Masjid are some of the other picturesque picnic spot rich in scenic splendor monuments in Udaypur. and natural beauty. It is also a gateway to Ratapani Sanctuary. 3 kms (on foot) from Delawadi stands the historical hill fort of Ginnorgarh . The fort was once a stronghold of Gond , but fell to Dost Mohd Khan of Bhopal. Lying in a state of ruin , the Ginnorgarh Fort is about 1127m long and 266 m broad. MPT runs a tented accommodation unit here. - 75 km from Bhopal, Hoshangabad was founded by Sultan Hoshang Shah of Malwa in the early 15th Century. The beautiful Sethani Ghat on the banks of river Narmada is considered holy and thousands gather here to take a holy dip especially on the occasions of Mahashivratri, Makarsankranti and new moon nights. Tawa Dam – This is situated in between the western boundary of Satpura National Park and . Tawa lies midway on the Pipariya- Bhopal route(75km from each). Madhya Pradesh Tourism has a property, called Tawa Resort, which overlooks the dam. Madhya Pradesh Tourism also provides cruising facility in the Tawa Dam. Biaora It is in , about 120 kms from Bhopal, located on the junction of NH3 and NH 12 junction. Biaora is a popular stopover on NH-3 (Ujjain- Shivpuri route). Biaora is famous for 700 years old Chaturbhujnath Temple and 400 years old Raghunath Temple. MPT runs a Tourist Motel here which provides rooms and restaurant. Raisen- About 45 km from Bhopal , Raisen has a 6th century fort perched on a hill. It was once surrounded by 84 lakes and ponds, out of which only 15 survive today. The fort once the stronghold of Raja Rai Puran Mal also remained under the Afghan rulers and Mughal. It was then How to reach taken over by the Maratha and finally was gifted By Air- The nearest airport is at Bhopal (60 km) to the of Bhopal by the British after from Vidisha. 1857. By Rail -Bhopal, on the Delhi- Chennai main line Halali dam -47 kilometres from Bhopal on road is the nearest major railhead, but Sanchi, on the to Sanchi, Halali dam is located both in Vidisha Jhansi-Itarsi section of the Central Railway, and and . It is an ideal place to view Vidisha , 10km from Sanchi are more convenient. avifauna and see the beauty of nature. Madhya By Road- Regular bus services connect Vidisha, Pradesh Tourism has a property here, Halali Udaypur, Gyaraspur, Sanchi with Bhopal. Retreat which has a restaurant and six rooms. Best season –July to March.

99 100 Pachmarhi Region the period 500-800 AD. The year was 1857 when Captain James Forsyth of the Bengal Lancers was galloping hard up the Satpura ranges, he chanced upon this saucer -shaped valley. Churches and cemeteries bring back memories of the colonial past of Pachmarhi which has managed to escape reckless plunder suffered by other hill stations.

What to see- Priyadarshini- (Forsyth Point)- This vintage viewing point marks the place from where Pachmarhi was discovered by Captain Forsyth in 1857. It offers wide screen views of the surrounding hills and wooded valleys. Jamuna Prapat- (Bee Fall) A spectacular fall in the stream which provides drinking water to Pachmarhi . The bathing pools are very popular with tourists. An interesting trail through forests and scrubland, across a cascading stream is a Pachmarhi delightful spot to have picnic. These are among Verdant Jewel of the Satpuras the most photographed sights of Pachmarhi. Water foams & roars, frothing & frisking. Visitors The valley, ravines and maze of gorges, sculpted bathing in the falls often compare its cold , in red sandstone by the wind & weather - tingling, spray to the stings of bees. Pachmarhi is Madhya Pradesh's most verdant Handi Khoh - Pachmarhi's most impressive jewel, a place where nature has found exquisite ravine has a 30 feet high precipice and expression in myriad enchanting ways. Green dramatically steep sides. This is a deep, forested shades embrace the mountains, and everywhere is gorge almost a hundred metres to the bottom. It heard the gentle murmur of flowing water. Bridle derived its name from its shape, called handi, paths lead into tranquil forest glades, groves of which is a cooking vessel. wild bamboo and jamun, dense sal forests and delicate bamboo thickets. Apsara Vihar( Fairy pool)- This pool is an ideal picnic spot for families with small children, since Complementing the magnificence of nature are the pool is shallow, deepening only towards the the works of man; Pachmarhi is also an base of the fall. This apparently was the favourite archaeological treasure-house. In cave shelters, in picnic spot of the British and still attracts a lot of the Mahadeo Hills, is an astonishing richness in rock paintings. Most of these have been placed in 101 102 up a wooded hill and running alongside a ravine with a gushing stream. Pilgrims walk along a parapet stretching into the cave shrine. Legend has it that it was the place where demon Bhasmasura was burnt to ashes in his attempt to slain Shiva. Chhota Mahadeo-Revered as a sacred spot, this is a narrow point in the valley with rocks over hanging a stream and a small spring from which water cascades down. Chauragarh- 4 kms from Mahadeo, the sacred summit crowned with emblems of Mahadeo worship, is one of Satpura's prominent landmarks. Jata Shankar- It is a sacred cave under a mass of loose boulders, in which the Jambu Dweep stream has its source. A rocky formation of this place resembles the matted locks of Shiva. (Big Fall) Those seeking adventure Visitors take off their shoes and walk bare footed will find it in a ten minute walk over rocks & to the cave. Natural geological forces and the boulders from Apsara Vihar to the top of Rajat action of water dripping over rocks have created a Prapat . number of intriguing shapes. Irene Pool- This pool was discovered by Irene Dhoopgarh- The highest point in Satpura range, Bose-wife of Justice Vivian Bose & named after 1350m above sea level, with a magnificent view her. The route upstream leads to a cave, through of the surrounding ranges. A very popular spot for which the stream goes underground & then over a viewing the sunset. Here every evening, visitors khud in a series of falls. The cliffs, rising all assemble to sit on grassy slopes of this west facing around, are towering, parts of them forested. They point. The range of hills beyond is the backdrop of open far above to admit a shaft of sunlight to a vast amphitheatre. And it is on this mega screen illuminate the pool. From a small cave, spot-lit by that the sun plays out its pre-dusk drama, the the beam of the sun, a stream of water gurgles out spectacle of sunset over the hills of Pachmarhi. and spills over a miniature waterfall, into the pool. It is so crystal clear that the pebbles at the Pandav Caves- Five ancient dwellings excavated bottom are visible. in the sandstone rock in a low hill. Pachmarhi derives its name from these caves which, as the Duchess Fall-Jalawataran- The descent is steep & legend goes, once provided shelter to the Pandav the trek strenuous for almost all of the 4 km to the brothers, the heroes of the Mahabharat, the base of the falls first cascade. world's longest epic. Sunder Kund ( Saunder's Pool)- Crossing the Tridhara–Piccadily Circus - A popular picnic stream below Duchess Falls and following a spot where two streams meet in a junction. foothpath about 2.5 km in a south westerly direction brings one to a huge rocky pool in the Vanshree- Vihar(Pansy Pool) - A beautiful spot Jambu Dweep stream, an excellent place for in the Denwa Stream, cool & shady among trees swimming. & semi tropical vegetation. Mahadeo- Regarded as holy for countless Reechgarh - A wonderful natural amphitheatre in generations, Mahadeo Hills has a shrine with an the rock , approached through a cave-like entrance idol of Lord Shiva & an impressive Shivlinga. On on the south –side. The other end opens into a the east side of the hill is an excellent cave shelter narrow canyon, scarred & striated by the action of with paintings. This cave-shrine, at the other end ancient streams that must have gushed through of Pachmarhi is at the top of a flight of steps rising Reechgarh at great speed.

103 104 They sculpted & scoured, rounded, polished and of the church does not contain even a single pillar etched the rocks leaving openings that vary from for support. Time moves slowly in Pachmarhi. huge, irregular or more amazing shapes. Just before leaving the church, do look up. There is a superb rose window high above the entrance Sangam ( Fuller's Khud-Waters meet) -This is the emblazoned with regimental crests. lowest of the picnic spots on the Denwa and offers fairly good bathing pools both below & Satpura National Park- Set up in 1981, Satpura above the meeting of the waters. National Park is 524 sq. km in area. Its spread through a dense forest of evergreen sal, teak & bamboo. The high peaks of Dhoopgarh & Mahadeo, Bori's legendary teak & bamboo forests, Pachmarhi's fascinating natural beauty of deep valleys, high mountains, rivulets, water falls & Tawa's vast reservoir combine to give this park unique beauty and breath taking variety of attractions . The Park is home to the gaur, tiger, leopard, beer, four horned deer, blue bull & a variety of birds. Bison Lodge-Constructed in 1862, the Bison Lodge is the oldest house in Pachmarhi. It now houses a small but interesting museum. As sightings of bison, leopards or tigers in the wild are unlikely during a short visit to this area, the dioramas of these animals in the museum should Catholic Church—Built in 1892 by the British, give visitors a fair idea what they have missed. A The Catholic church is a blend of French & the single entry in the museum brings alive all the Irish architecture. Some may find this Church attractions of the forest of Pachmarhi. replicating the architecture of the early English Other Tourist Attractions : Lanji Hill, Irene period (1200-1300AD), by its slim lancet Pool, Astachal, Harper's Cave, Chieftain's Cave windows, the flying buttresses & pointed arches. and Tamia. Its Belgian stained-glass windows add rare attraction & beauty to the building. Formally How to reach known as the Church of Our Lady, the Mother of By Air- The nearest airport is Bhopal (195km) Christ, and she is shown wearing an unusual, high By Rail –Pipariya (47km), on the Mumbai- silver crown, it is a beautiful, well maintained Howrah mainline via Allahabad, is the most stone church. One of the most striking features of convenient railhead. this church is the Baptismal Font-backed by a By Road- Pachmarhi is connected by regular bus marble sculpture depicting Jesus being baptized services with Bhopal, Hoshangabad, Nagpur, in the Jordan by John, the Baptist. Pipariya and Chhindwara. Taxis are available at Pipariya. The church has a cemetery attached to it & graves Best season –Throughout the year. date from 1859 to World War I & II. Your Host- Madhya Pradesh Tourism Christ Church- Built in 1875 by the British, the Development Corporation operates 9 church is generally regarded as the most beautiful accommodation units in Pachmarhi which cater to small Gothic church in Madhya Pradesh The the requirements of all income groups. While Church's architecture is fascinating –it has a Rock End Manor, Glen View, Satpura Retreat, hemispherical dome on the top with its ribs ending Champak Bungalow and Hilltop Bungalow offer with faces of angels. The stained glass panes luxury, Amaltas and Panchvati offer good adorning the walls and rear of the altar were comfort. Hotel Highlands and Woodland imported from Europe. They present a gorgeous Bungalow are for those on budget. view as the sun rays pass through them. The nave

105 106 Tawa - Madhai the areas. There are abundant Sal, Teak, Tendu, A wildlife river safari in the spectacular Aonla, Mahua, Bel and Bamboo trees that add to Satpura National Park the wealth of flora in the park. Grasses and plants with therapeutic and medicinal properties are also Tucked away in the serenity of Satpura mountain found in abundance. ranges, Satpura National Park rests in the Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh. Set up in 1981, the park borrows its name from the Satpura hill ranges (Mahadeo Hills). An important wildlife sanctuary of India, the park shelters a rich biodiversity amidst its terrains. The panorama of the place, coupled with its herbaceous surroundings, makes it an ideal abode of many wildlife species of the country. The park has a jutted landscape, embedded with plain lands, and the altitude of the place ranges from 352 m to 1352 m. Landscape and Flora

The landscape of Satpura Park is a veritable haven Fauna & Avifauna reflecting aspects of natural splendor, with rocky sandstone peaks complemented by deep and The Satpura National Park is a rare and exciting dramatic ravines. The dense forest undulate with jungle treat. Its fauna comprises of animals like all its verdure and remains interspersed with some Tiger, Leopard, Sambar, Chital, Bhedki, Nilgai, rare bryophytes and pteridophytes. Central Indian Four-horned Antelope, Rhesus Monkey, mixed deciduous vegetation is common in most of Chinkara, Bison, Wild Boar, Wild Dog, Bear,

107 108 Black Buck, Fox, Porcupine, Flying Squirrel, exotic migratory birds. Mouse Deer and Indian Joint Squirrel, to name a few. There is also a huge collection of bird of about 254 species. Birds like Malabar Pied Hornbills, Crested Serpent Eagles, Crested Hawk Eagles, Honey Buzzards, Paradise Flycatchers, Thrushes, Peafowl and Pheasants contribute to the varied avifauna of the park. Tawa Reservoir is a large reservoir on the in Central India. Located in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh state, the reservoir was formed by the construction of the Tawa Dam, The time taken to travel across the passage is which began in 1958 and was completed in 1978. approximately 3 to 4 hours on "Jalpari" (A mini The dam provides water for irrigation to several cruise boat) which can hold upto10 persons. thousand hectares of farming land in Hoshangabad and districts. Hoshangabad Complimentary one time snack and mineral water lies mid-way on the Pipariya - Bhopal route (75 are served onboard during the travel. Lunch can kms from each). Tawa Reservoir is also a big be provided on prior request. tourist attraction during the monsoon months. How to reach : Your Host : Tawa Resort ( MPT) Accommodation: 2 House Boats, 6 AC rooms. By Air : The nearest airport is at Bhopal (195 km) Facilities: Restaurant, Open garden area. A cruise By Rail : Itarsi (20 km), on the Mumbai-Howrah boat service has been started by the M.P. Tourism mainline via Allahabad, is the most convenient for the visitors. railhead. Tawa Reservoir is visited as ex-Bhopal getaway By Road : Tawa is connected by regular bus and part of an itinerary covering Pachmarhi, services with Bhopal, Hoshangabad, Itarsi, Bhopal and Satpura ranges. Nagpur, Pipariya and Chindwara, Taxis are available at Itarsi. Tawa - Madhai (Mini cruise) Madhai is gateway to and can be reached by road from Itarsi, which is at a distance of 79 km. M.P. Tourism, in collaboration with M.P. Ecotourism Development Board is offering for the first time in India, a river wildlife safari for tourists travelling from Tawa to Madhai, through a river passage. Enroute, one can view the wildlife and nature's most beautiful panoramic landscape. The Satpura Tiger Reserve is rich with flora and fauna in addition to the

109 110 Khajuraho Son-et-Lumière EternalExpressionsofLove In the temple , the Khajuraho complex Gwalior remains unique. One thousand years ago, under the generous ALivingHeritageofHeroism and artistic patronage of the Chandela Rajput kings of Central India, 85 temples, magnificent in form and richly carved, came For many decades now, the Fort of Gwalior has slumbered in up on one site, near the village of Khajuraho. The amazingly silence, broken now and then by the patter of curious feet and short span of 100 years, from 950 AD - 1050 AD, saw the awed tones. Come sundown, the deserted Fort is once again completion of all the temples, in an inspired burst of creativity. left with only memories for company. But now it comes alive Today, of the original 85, only 22 have survived the ravages every night. Well remembered incidents, and well loved voices of time; these remain as a collective paean to life, to joy once more echo through its lonely corridors and its dark and and to creativity; to the ultimate fusion of man with his sad facade now glows with the colours of life. Red-gold, blue- creator. This fascinating Son-et-Lumière spectacle green lights illuminate every nook and cranny of the superbly evokes the life and times of the great Chandela Kings tiled 'Man Mandir'. The Gwalior Son-et-Lumière has begun! and traces the story of the unique temples during The Sound and Light show at the Man Mandir Palace of 10th and 11th centuries. Mounted in the Gwalior Fort gives you a glimpse into its glorious past. A complex of the Western Group of citadel which guided the destiny of , it was described temples, the 50-minute show runs in by Babur as a “pearl amongst the fortresses of Hind.” Hindi and in English every The story of this 'pearl' begins with the sonorous and eloquent evening. Amitabh Bachchan, the narration by Amitabh Bachchan as Gopachal, the sutradhar Indian film icon, narrates the (narrator). story of Khajuraho in his For a brief period in history, Gwalior stood witness to Turkish mesmerizing invasions and tragic Rajput defeats. Sieges by Mehmood voice. Ghaznavi and others have been realistically created by the Son-et-Lumière and 'Jauhar' scenes where Rajput women immolate themselves. They are lighting marvels, so life-like Orchha they seem to cast a spell on the kings who rode out for their last MedievalLegacyinStone battle. The Sound & Light Show at Orchha is a thrilling experience The exquisite 'Man Mandir', Palace of Dreams, was built during the reign of Man Singh, the Tomar king, and then began through pages of history. It narrates the discovery of Orchha by the most romantic epoch of the Gwalior Fort. Man Singh, a a king on hunt and the rise & fall of the mighty kings, great popular and just ruler married to a courageous Gujari village battles, saucy romances & feats of valour. The narration will belle, Mrignayani, and the tale of their meeting has been take you through the exciting tales of defiance, loyalty & beautifully played out in the Son-et-Lumière. ambition and stories of saintly queens. The show also gives Pt. Jasraj, Bhimsen Joshi and Kumar Gandharva recreate the you an interesting insight into the architecture, wall paintings spiritual grandeur of the Dhrupad tradition as sung by Baiju, an & culture of Bundelkhand. Many episodes are well depicted in illustrious son of Gwalior and Tansen, one of Akbar's nine the Sound & Light show. The journey of Queen Ganesh jewels. The Son-et Lumière vividly reconstructs Mughal rule, Kunwari from Ayodhya to Orchha establishing her faith in depicting the time when the fort had become a royal prison. The release of Guru Har Gobind Singh has also been Lord Rama and the legend of Rai Praveen, returning with grace graphically described as has been the incredible story attached from the court of Emperor Akbar, are worth to be watched. to it. Further, the poignant death of Lala Hardaul, the legendary character of Bundelkhand folk lore, moves a many.

111 112 Caravan Tourism

'Holiday on Wheels', is an innovative venture of M.P. Tourism which will tempt you into buying our packages.

Caravan is not just a vehicle - it is an experience. It offers AC Luxury drive in total privacy . It is the first of its kind in the country to take the adventurous tourist to any desired spot. MPT becomes the first State in the country to introduce Caravan Tourism. It was an instant hit among the adventure seekers as no one could think of such a facility available at such an affordable price. The vehicle has a microwave, a fridge a LCD and is fully air conditioned. The Caravan is meant for 2 adults & 2 children below 12 years. You can park the vehicle For bookings contact : at the parking bays of MP Tourism units. Tel : 0755-2775572, 2778383 Packages do not include meals, sightseeing/ E- mail : [email protected] entry/ guide charges. Taxes would be extra.

113 114 Temptations At A Glance M.P. Tourism's immensely popular package tours Temptations - 15 dream vacations in the very heart Temptations, offers a totally carefree holiday with of India. every detail taken care of.

Tour name Originating Duration Major Places Visited Sylvan Retreat Ahmedabad & Rajkot 7N / 8D Bhopal, Bhojpur, Bhimbetka, Pachmarhi, Jabalpur, Kanha Call of the Wild Ahmedabad & Rajkot 6N / 7D Jabalpur, Bhedaghat, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Katni Magical Mandu Ahmedabad & Rajkot 4N / 5D Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandu, Indore Kipling Country Ahmedabad & Rajkot 7N / 8D Bhopal, Pipariya, Pachmarhi, Kanha, Marble Rocks-Bhedaghat (Jabalpur) Satpura Queen Ahmedabad & Rajkot 3N / 4D Bhopal, Bhojpur, Bhimbetka, Pachmarhi World Heritage Ahmedabad & Rajkot 2N / 3D Bhopal, Bhimbetka, Bhojpur, Sanchi Pachmarhi Adventure Bhopal 3N / 4D Bhopal, Bhimbetka, Tawa Safari Madhai, Pachmarhi Medieval Splendour Delhi 2N / 3D Jhansi, Khajuraho, Orchha Down Memory Lane Delhi 3N / 4D Gwalior, Shivpuri, Khajuraho, Orchha, Jhansi Khajuraho Dance Delhi 4N / 5D Jhansi, Khajuraho, Panna Festival Orchha Khajuraho Calling Delhi 2N / 3D Jhansi, Khajuraho, Panna Satpura Queen Delhi 3N / 4D Bhopal, Bhojpur, Bhimbetka, Pachmarhi Satpura Queen Delhi 3N / 4D Pachmarhi, Pipariya Magical Mandu Delhi 4N / 5D Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandu, Indore Tiger Tracks Delhi 2N / 3D Jabalpur, Kanha (kisli), Kanha (mukki), Bandhavgarh Chambal Safari Gwalior Day Tour Gwalior, , Deori World Heritage Hyderabad 3N / 4D Bhopal, Sanchi, Bhojpur Bhimbetka, Jhansi, Orchha Khajuraho Tiger Tracks Hyderabad 2N / 3D Nagpur, Kanha

115 116 Tour name Originating Duration Major Places Visited Tiger Tracks Hyderabad 2N / 3D Katni, Bandhavgarh Satpura Queen Hyderabad 3N / 4D Itarsi, Pachmarhi Jyotirlinga Darshan Hyderabad 3N / 4D Ujjain, Omkareshwar Maheshwar, Indore Khajuraho Dance Hyderabad 4N / 5D Jhansi, Khajuraho, Orchha Festival Mowgli's Trail Hyderabad 4N / 5D Nagpur, Pench, Pachmarhi Highland Glory Kolkata 8N / 9D Pipariya, Pachmarhi, Bhedaghat, Kanha (Mukki) Heritage Unlimited Kolkata 8N / 9D Gwalior, Shivpuri, Orchha Khajuraho, Madla, Satna Call of the Wild Kolkata 6N / 7D Satna, Bandhavgarh, Kanha Bhedaghat, Jabalpur Temples & Tigers Kolkata 6N / 7D Chitrakoot, Satna, Bandhavgarh, Amarkantak, Jabalpur, Bhedaghat Temples & Tigers Kolkata 7N / 8D Katni, Bandhavgarh, Amarkantak, Bhedaghat, Jabalpur

Journey to Jyotirlingas Kolkata 7N / 8D Bhopal, Sanchi, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandu Ujjain Khajuraho Dance Kolkata 4N / 5D Satna, Panna, Khajuraho Festival Nature's Treasure Kolkata 6N / 7D Pipariya, Pachmarhi, Pench Bhedaghat, Jabalpur Call of the Wild Lucknow 2N / 3D Jabalpur, Bhedaghat, Bargi Bandhavgarh, Katni Call of the Wild Lucknow 2N / 3D Bargi, Bhedaghat, Kanha (Kisli), Kanha(Mukki), Jabalpur, Temples & Tigers Lucknow 3N / 4D Katni, Bandhavgarh, Amarkantak, Bhedaghat, Jabalpur Magical Mandu Lucknow 4N / 5D Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandu, Indore Khajuraho Dance Lucknow 3N / 4D Satna, Madla, Khajuraho, Festival Orchha, Jhansi Call of the Wild Mumbai 5N / 6D Katni, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Jabalpur, Bargi, Bhedaghat 117 118 Tour name Originating Duration Major Places Visited Kipling Country Mumbai 6N / 7D Pipariya, Pachmarhi, Kanha, Jabalpur, Marble Rocks, Bargi Magical Mandu Mumbai 4N / 5D Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandu, Indore Mowgli's Trail Mumbai 2N / 3D Nagpur, Pench Satpura Queen Mumbai 3N / 4D Pipariya, Pachmarhi Tiger Tracks Nagpur 2N / 3D Bargi, Nagpur, Pench, Bhedaghat Satpura Queen Nagpur 3N / 4D Nagpur, Pachmarhi, Pench Mowgli Calling Nagpur 2N / 3D Nagpur, Pench, Kanha Kipling Country Pune 5N / 6D Pipariya, Pachmarhi, Kanha, Bhedaghat, Jabalpur Jyotirling Tour Pune 2N / 3D Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Indore Romantic Mandu Pune 2N / 3D Indore, Mandu Magical Mandu Pune 4N / 5D Ujjain, Maheshwar, Mandu, Indore Jungle Book Pune 2N/3D Nagpur, Pench, Tiger Trail Kanha (Mukki) Temples & Tigers Pune 7N / 8D Jabalpur, Bhedaghat, Bandhavgarh, Khajuraho, Orchha, Shivpuri, Gwalior Temples & Tigers Raipur 4N / 5D Amarkantak, Kanha (Mukki) Bargi, Bhedaghat Nature's Glory Raipur 6N / 7D Raipur, Kanha, Pench, Pachmarhi, Bhedaghat Weekend Delight Raipur 2N / 3D Raipur, Amarkantak Weekend Delight Raipur 2N / 3D Raipur, Kanha, (Mukki) Sylvan Retreat Surat 7N / 8D Bhopal, Pachmarhi, Jabalpur, Kanha Call of the Wild Surat 6N / 7D Katni, Bandhavgarh, Kanha, Bhedaghat Magical Mandu Surat 4N / 5D Ujjain, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar, Mandu, Indore Kipling Country Surat 7N / 8D Bhopal, Pachmarhi, Kanha, Jabalpur Call of the Wild Varanasi 2N / 3D Jabalpur, Bhedaghat, Bargi, Bandhavgarh Temples & Tigers Varanasi 3N / 4D Bandhavgarh, Amarkantak, Bhedaghat, Bargi 119 120 Accommodation Guide

S. UNIT CATEGORY NO.OF FACILITIES No. ROOMS Rest. Bar Tpt. Conf. Swimming Gym Pool

AMARKANTAK 01. Holiday Homes Tel : (07629) 269416, 9301262310 Aircooled 04 E-mail: 4 Bed Family Room 02 [email protected] (Aircooled) White Tiger Forest Lodge BANDHAVGARH 02. White Tiger Forest Lodge AC 26 Telefax : (07627) 265406, 265366 Aircooled 12 9300297841, E-mail : [email protected] BARGI 03. Maikal Resort (CP) AC 06 Tel : (0761) 2903184, 9425324211 E-mail : [email protected] Motel Marble Rocks BHEDAGHAT 04. Motel Marble Rocks***(CP) AC 11 Tel : (0761) 2830424, 2903854 AC Dlx Tent 5 E-mail : [email protected] . BHIMBETKA 05. Highway Treat AC 03 Tel : (07480) 281558 E-mail : [email protected]

BURHANPUR Tapti Retreat 06. Tapti Retreat AC 07 Tel : (07325) 242244 Aircooled 04 E-mail : [email protected]

BHOPAL 07. Palash Residency***(CP) AC Suite 06 Tel : (0755) 2553006 AC 54 2553066, 2553076, 4297373 Telefax : (0755) 2577441 E-mail : [email protected] Palash Residency

Hotel Lake View Ashoke***(CP) Standard AC 39 Tel : (0755)2660090-93 Suite AC 04 E-mail : [email protected]

BIAORA 08. Tourist Motel (CP) AC 12 Tel : (07374) 234333, 9425422282 E-mail : [email protected]

CHANDERI Tana Bana 09. Tana Bana (CP) AC Dlx 01 Tel : (07547) 252222, 07725896140 AC 04 E-mail : [email protected] Aircooled 05

CHITRAKOOT 10. Tourist Bungalow AC Dlx 05 Tel : (07670) 265326,9713548525 AC 08 E-mail: [email protected] Aircooled 08 Dormitory Beds 26 4 Bed Family Room (AC) 01

CHORAL Choral Resort 11. Choral Resort (CP) AC Dlx 12 Tel : 8349994778-79 E-mail : [email protected]

121 122 S. UNIT CATEGORY NO.OF FACILITIES No. ROOMS Rest. Bar Tpt. Conf. Swimming Pool Gym

12. Tourist Motel (CP) AC Dlx 04 Tel : (07522) 238125, 07724902555 AC 04 E-mail : [email protected]

AC Room/Swiss Cott. 07 Tansen Residency Mob. 09424796859 4 Bed Cott. (AC) 01 E-mail : [email protected]

DUMNA 14. Kalchuri Huts (CP) AC 02 Tel : (0761) 2678491/92 E-mail : [email protected]

15. Tansen Residency***(CP) AC Dlx Suite 12 Telefax : (0751) 2340370 AC 24 Kalchuri Residency 3249000, 4010666 E-mail : [email protected]

HALALI 16. Halali Retreat (CP) AC 04 Tel : 09302192848 Aircooled 02 E-mail : [email protected]

17. Kalchuri Residency***(CP) AC Dlx 20 Baghira Log Huts, Kisli Tel : (0761) 2678491/92 AC 10 E-mail : [email protected]

18. Tourist Motel AC Dlx 04 Tel : (07392) 244668 AC 08 E-mail : @mptourism.com

19. Baghira Log Huts, Kisli AC Dlx 04 Telefax : (07649) 277227, 277211 AC 12 9329362099, E-mail : [email protected] Tourist Motel 20. Tourist Hostel, Kisli Dormitory Beds 24 Tel : (07649) 277310 E-mail:[email protected] 21. Kanha Safari Lodge, Mukki AC 12 Tel : (07636) 290715 (07637) 296029, 9329908054 E-mail : [email protected]

KATNI Hotel Jhankar 22. Tourist Motel (CP) AC Suite 03 Tel : (07622) 262281-82, 207794 AC Dlx 03 E-mail : [email protected] AC 14

23. Hotel Jhankar (CP) AC 19 Tel : (07686) 274063, 274194 9685477567, E-mail : [email protected] 24. Hotel Payal (CP) AC 14 Tel : (07686) 274064, 274076 Aircooled 11 Jungle Camp (CP) 8889849703, E-mail : [email protected] 25. Tourist Village (CP) AC 11 Te.: (07686) 274062, E-mail : [email protected]

123 124 S. UNIT CATEGORY NO.OF FACILITIES No. ROOMS Rest. Bar Tpt. Conf. Swimming Pool Gym

KHALGHAT 26. Tourist Motel AC 04 Tel : (07291) 263564, 9301310999 AC Dlx 08 E-mail : [email protected] Non AC 02

27. Jungle Camp (CP) AC Swiss Cottages 09 Tel : (07732) 275275, 9827749975 9589139797, E-mail :[email protected] Narmada Retreat MAHESHWAR 28 Narmada Retreat (CP) Dlx AC Room 04 Tel : (07283) 273455 Dlx Swiss Cott. (Tent) 07 8349994784, E-mail: AC Cott. Room 06 [email protected] AC Swiss Cott. (Tent) 07 AC Room 06 Aircooled (4 Bedded Family Room) 03 MAIHAR 29. Hotel Surbahar Tel : (07674) 233362, 9424319381 AC 07 Malwa Resort E-mail : [email protected] Aircooled 03 Dormitory Beds 41

30. Tourist Motel (CP) AC 05 Tel : (07642) 260599 Aircooled 07 E-mail : [email protected]

31. AC 15 Highway Treat (CP) Tel :8349994780-81 Yashodharman E-mail : [email protected] Highway Treat MANDU 32. Malwa Resort (CP) Dlx Swiss Cottages 04 Tel : (07292) 263235, 8349994782 AC 10 E-mail : [email protected] Aircooled 10 33. Malwa Retreat (CP) AC 02 Tel : (07292) 263221, 8349994783 Aircooled 06 E-mail : [email protected] AC Swiss Cottages 03 Dormitory Beds 30 Narmada Resort 34. Tourist Motel (CP) AC 06 Telefax : (07423) 280080, 230980 8349994791, E-mail : [email protected]

NOWGAON 35. Highway Treat (CP) Aircooled 02 Tel : (07685) 256425, 7509631110 Email: [email protected]

OMKARESHWAR Betwa Retreat 36. Narmada Resort (CP) AC Dlx 03 Tel : (07280) 271455, 8349994785 AC 08 E-mail:[email protected] Aircooled (Budget) 08

37. Betwa Retreat*** (CP) Heritage Suite (AC) 01 Tel : (07680) 252618, 252402 AC Room 14 8349102398, Swiss Cottages 15 E-mail : [email protected] 38. Sheesh Mahal "Heritage Hotel" (CP) Telefax: (07680) 252624, 9179487076 Maharaja Suite(AC) 01 Sheesh Mahal E-mail: Maharani Suite (AC) 01 [email protected] AC 05 AC Single 01

125 126 S. UNIT CATEGORY NO.OF FACILITIES No. ROOMS Rest. Bar Tpt. Conf. Swimming Pool Gym

39. Amaltas (CP) Tel : (07578) 252098 AC 05 E-mail : [email protected] 40. Champak Bungalow (CP) AC Dlx 07 Tel : (07578) 285315, 285316 AC Room 07 252034, 252587 Swiss Cott. 05 E-mail : [email protected] 41. Glen View*** AC Dlx 06 Tel: (07578) 252533, 252445 AC Room 15 E-mail : [email protected] Swiss Cott. (Tent) 04 Champak Bungalow 42. Hilltop Bungalow (CP) Tel: (07578) 252846 AC 05 E-mail:[email protected] 43. Hotel Highlands (CP) AC 20 Tel/Fax: (07578) 252099, 252399 Aircooled 20 E-mail:[email protected] 44. Panchvati (CP) Aircooled (Cott.) 05 Tel:(07578) 252096 AC (Huts) 05 E-mail: [email protected] 45. Rock-End Manor "Heritage Hotel" Tel: (07578) 252079 Glen View E-mail:[email protected] 46. Satpura Retreat "Heritage Hotel" (CP) AC Dlx 02 Tel: (07578) 252097 AC Standard 04 E-mail:[email protected] 47. Woodland Bungalow (DIB) (CP) Aircooled 06 Tel : (07578) 252272 E-mail: [email protected]

48. Kipling's Court AC 11 Rock-End Manor Tel : (07695) 232830,232850 AC Dlx 04 9300327575 Aircooled 05 E-mail: [email protected] Dormitory Beds 12

PIPARIYA 49. Tourist Motel (CP) AC 04 Tel: (07576) 222299 E-mail: [email protected]

50. ROOKHAD Aircooled 04 Kipling's Court Highway Treat Tel: (07695) 290130, 290631 E-mail: [email protected]

51. SANCHI AC Dlx 12 Gateway Retreat*** (CP) AC 06 Tel: (07482) 266723 Aircooled 02 E-mail: [email protected]

52. SATNA Gateway Retreat Hotel (CP) AC 23 Tel: (07672) 226071, 223223 E-mail: [email protected] SHIVPURI

53. Tourist Village (CP) AC Dlx Suite 02 Tel: (07492) 223760, 221297 AC Suite 02 9977073318 AC 17 E-mail: [email protected]

Tourist Village 54. Tourist Motel (CP) AC 04 Tel : (07149) 272300 E-mail : [email protected] 127 128 S. UNIT CATEGORY NO.OF FACILITIES No. ROOMS Rest. Bar Tpt. Conf. Swimming Pool Gym

TAWA 55. Tawa Resort AC Dlx 06 Tel.:(07572)273017 AC 04 E-mail:[email protected] Tawa Resort UJJAIN 56. Shipra Residency***(CP) AC Suite 04 Tel: (0734) 2551495-96 AC Dlx 03 3269000, 2552402 AC 21 E-mail: [email protected] 57. Hotel Avantika (Yatri Niwas) AC 04 Tel: (0734) 2511398, 8349994790 Aircooled 02 E-mail: 4-Bed (Aircooled) 06 [email protected] Dorm Beds 32

Shipra Residency RESTAURANTS, CAMPS, CAFETERIAS & WAY-SIDE AMENITIES Bhopal : Shan-E- Bhopal Tel: 0755 - 2660802 Wind & Waves Tel: 0755 - 2661523 Lahar Fast Tel: 0755 - 3294481 Shan-E-Bhopal, Bhopal Boat Club Tel: 0755 - 3295043 piknik@bhopal (Kerwa) Tel: 0755- 2806355 Rainbow Treat Tel: 0755- 2429829 Sair Sapata Tel: 0755-2900881 Wind & Waves, Bhopal 2779605

Dodi : Highway Treat Tel: 07560 - 285296

Pachmarhi : Woodlands Adventure Camp Tel: 07578 - 252272 piknik@Bhopal (Kerwa) Tigra : Wind & Waves (Gwalior) Tel: 0751 - 2577300

The Tariff are likely to be hiked by 20% in peak season.

Opening Shortly Highway Treat, Dodi

129 130 Wildlife Guide

National Parks

Sanctuaries Area Fauna National Parks Area Fauna (Sq.km.) (Sq.km.) Ratapani (Raisen-Sehore) 823.84 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Kanha (Mandla) 939.94 Tiger, Panther, Gaur, Chital ,Nilgai, Chinkara. Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Barking Deer, Barasingha, Singhori (Raisen) 287.91 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Wild Boar. Chital, Nilgai, Black Buck. Bandhavgarh (Umaria) 442.48 Tiger, Panther, Gaur, Chital, Sam- Noradehi (Sagar) 1194.67 Tiger, Panther, Chital, bar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Barking Sambar, Nilgai, Wild Dog, Deer, Wild Boar. Black Buck, Chinkara. Madhav (Shivpuri) 375.22 Panther, Chital, Sambar, Nilgai, National Chambal 435.00 Gharial, Crocodile, Turtle, Chinkara, Black Buck, (Morena) Dolphin, Otter, Migratory Chausingha, Wild Boar. Birds. Sanjay (Sidhi) 466.88 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Chital, Ken Gharial 45.20 Gharial, Crocodile. Nilgai. (Panna-Chhatarpur) Van Vihar (Bhopal) 4.45 Zoological Park. Sone Gharial 83.68 Gharial, Crocodile, Turtle, (Sidhi-Shahdol) Migratory Birds. Panna (Panna) 542.67 Panther, Wild Boar, Chital, Tiger, Deer, Sambar. Kuno-Palpur (Sheopur) 344.68 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Chital, Nilgai, Chinkara, Satpura (Hoshangabad) 528.72 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Chital, Black Buck. Nilgai, Gaur, Bear. Karera (Shivpuri) 202.21 Black Buck, Sambar, Fossil (Dindori) 0.27 Plant-Fossils. Chital, Chinkara, Great Indian Bustard. Pench (Sivni) 292.85 Tiger, Panther, Chital, Gaur, Sambar, Wild Boar, Muntjac, Ghatigaon (Gwalior) 510.00 Chinkara, Nilgai, Sambar, Nilgai, wildlife Sanctuaries Great Indian Bustard.

Bagdara (Sidhi) 478.00 Tiger, Panther, Chital, Sambar, Wild Buffalo.

Sanctuaries Fen-Fensatallite (Mandla) 110.74 Tiger, Panther, Chital, Sambar, Muntjac. Kheoni () 134.77 Panther, Bear, Chital, Sambar, Nilgai. Panpatha (Umaria) 245.84 Tiger, Panther, Chital, Sambar, Muntjac, Nilgai, Narsinghgarh (Rajgarh) 57.19 Panther, Chital, Sambar, Wild Chousingha, Bear. Boar, Peacock, Grey Horn Bill. (Dhar) 348.12 Kharmor. Gandhisagar (Mandsaur) 368.62 Panther, Chital, Chinkara, Bark- ing Deer, Nilgai, Water Birds. Sailana (Ratlam) 12.96 Kharmaor

Bori (Hoshangabad) 485.72 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Chital, Gangau (Panna) 78.53 Nilgai, Sambar Gaur, Bear, Wild Boar. Orchha () 44.91 Nilgai Pachmarhi (Hoshangabad) 491.63 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Chital , Gaur, Chinkara, Bear, Nilgai. Ralamandal (Indore) 2.34 Chital, Sambar

Sanjay-Dubri (Sidhi) 364.59 Tiger, Panther, Sambar, Chital , Veerangana Durgavati 23.97 Nilgai, Chital Gaur, Chinkara, Nilgai, Muntjac (Damoh)

131 132 Museum Guide

Archaeological Treasures Chaunsath Yogini Temple Bhedaghat The Museums of Madhya Pradesh Contain many of the choicest and earliest Site museum of A.S.I specimens of Indian art and civilisation. State Archaeological Museum Shivpuri Jaina Tirthankar Sculptures Museum Place Treasures (11th-12th century A.D.) from Narwar and Adjacent Tulsi Museum , Ramvan Satna Earliest and finest sculptures from sites. Bharhut (2nd century B.C.) Khoh (5th centrury B.C.) and State Archaelogical Panna Nachnakuthara (5th century B.C.) Museum A.S.I. Khajuraho Chandela, Gupta, Kalchuri Art Museum ( both main Archaeological Survey Sanchi Portions of the Lion or Bull and Jardin Site Museums) of India (Raisen) capitals from the Maurya period State Museum of Khajuraho A fine collection of master (3rd centrury B.C.), Yaksha and Tribal and Folk Arts Chandela pieces of tribal and folk arts Yakshi images from shunga Cultural period (2nd to 1st century B.C.), Complex Sculpted panels from sanchi stupa gateway.

State Museum Vidisha (2nd to 1 st century B.C.) and inscribed Jaina sculptures from the Gupta period (5th century A.D.)

Gujari Mahal Gwalior Most of the Shunga period sculptures from Vidisha region, Indian art in general, and Pratihara art in particular. The world renowned Gyaraspur Shalabhanjika (c.10th century A.D.) is housed here. Central Museum Indore Paramar period art (9th-11th centrury A.D.) or early Site Museum, Mandsaur sculptures from Maurya, Gupta, and Mandsaur Museums Aulikara Pratihara or Pratihara Jaisimhapura & Vikram days. Kirti Mandir Museums Ujjain Rajgarh Museum Rajgarh

State Archaeological Bhopal Parampara art, unique Museum, Tribal Arts sculptures, coins from Museum & Birla different parts of Madhya Museum Pradesh, Dhar Parmara bronzes, textiles and decorative art pieces from the erstwhile Edward Museum collection of the Bhopal Nawabs.

University Museums Jabalpur Further developments of State Archaeological Sagar Kalachuri art (7th-13th century Museums Damoh A.D.) Dhubela Rewa The State Department of Archaeology and Museums also maintains Shahdol site museums at Ashapuri, Bhanpura, Damoh, Kundeshwar and Jabalpur Chanderi, Also worth seeing are the museums at Rajgarh, Shahdol, Panna, Mandla and Bilaspur, The Archaeological Survey of India also maintains collections of sculptures at Chanderi, Badoh-, Gyaraspur, Thruvanji, Mandhata, Nachna, Bijamandal (Vidisha), Barsur, etc.

133 134 MPSTDC Offices

MADHYA PRADESH STATE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION LTD. REGIONAL/TOURIST OFFICES HEAD OFFICE-BHOPAL Bhopal - Palash Residency, Near 45 Bungalows, T.T. Nagar, Marketing Division - Paryatan Bhawan, Bhadbhada Road, Bhopal Tel:0755-2553006/66/76, 2766750, Fax: 0755- Bhopal - 462 003 Tel: 0755-2774340/42/44, 2778383, 2577441, E-mail: [email protected], 4027100, Fax: 0755-2779476, 2774289, City Booking Office: Palash Residency Tel: 0755-2550588 Tourist Helpline (Toll Free) : 1800 233 7777, E-mail: [email protected], E-mail: [email protected] Airport Counter Bhopal Tel: 0755-2646667, E-mail: MARKETING OFFICES [email protected], Tourist Office: Railway AHMEDABAD - 219, 'Supermall' 2nd Floor, Near Lal Station, Bhopal, Tel: 0755-2746827,E-mail: Bungalow, C.G. Road, Ahmedabad - 380 006,Tel: 079 - [email protected], Tourist Office: Rainbow Treat, 26462977, 32939000, Telefax: 079-26462978, E-mail: Near Shahpura Lake, Bhopal, [email protected] Tel: 0755-2429829, E-mail: [email protected], HYDERABAD - Ground Floor, Balyogi Paryatak Bhavan, Opp. Tourist Office: Gate No. 1, Mantralaya (Vallabh Bhawan), ITC Kakatiya Hotel, Begumpet Main Road, Bhopal, Tel: 0755-2559860 Hyderabad - 500 016 Tel: 040-40034319, Telefax: 040- Gwalior - Tansen Residency, 6, Gandhi Road, Gwalior 23407785, E-mail: [email protected] Tel: 0751-2234557, 4056726, Fax: 0751-2340371, E-mail: KOLKATA - 'Chitrakoot', Room No. 67, 6th Floor, 230-A, [email protected], A.J.C. Bose Road, Kolkata - 700 020, Tel: 033-22833526, Tourist Office: Railway Station, Gwalior. Tel: 0751-4040777, 32979000, Telefax: 033 - 22875855, E-mail: E-mail:[email protected], [email protected] Tourist Office, Deori, Mob. : 09329170105 LUCKNOW - Rajarishi Purshottam Das Tandon Paryatan Indore - 42, Residency Area, Opp. Saint Paul H. S. School, Bhawan, 1st Floor, C-13, Vipin Khand, Gomti Nagar, Indore, Tel: 0731-2499566, 2499466, Telefax: 0731-2491345, Lucknow - 226 010, Tel: 0522-2391003 E-mail: E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Airport Counter, Indore, Tel: 0731-2620404, E-mail: MUMBAI - 45, World Trade Centre, Cuffe Parade, Colaba, [email protected] Mumbai - 400 005, Tel: 022-22187603, 32539000, Telefax: Jabalpur - Rani Durgavati "Paryatan Bhawan" Paryatan 022-22160614, E-mail: [email protected] Tiraha, Near Collectorate North Civil Lines,Jabalpur, Tel: NAGPUR - 407-A, 4th Floor, Lokmat Bhawan, Wardha Road, 0761-2677290, Telefax: 0761-2677590, E-mail: Nagpur - 440 012, Tel: 0712 - 2442378, 3259000, Telefax: [email protected] 0712-2423374, E-mail: [email protected] Tourist Information Counter: Railway Station Building, NEW DELHI - Room No.12, Hotel Janpath, Janpath Road, Jabalpur, Tel: 0761-2677690, New Delhi - 110 001 Tel: 011-23366528, 32599000, Tourist Information Counter: Khatia (Kanha National Park) 23341185/86/87, Telefax: 011-23347264, E-mail: Tel: 07649-277242, E-mail: [email protected] [email protected] Jhansi - Railway Station, Jhansi. Tel: 0510-2442622, E-mail: PUNE - Shop No. 6, 1st Floor, Bhosle Shinde Arcade, J.M. [email protected] Road, Deccan Gymkhana, Pune - 411004, Telefax: 020- Khajuraho - Tourist Interpretation & Facilitation Centre, Near 25536616,E-mail: [email protected] Circuit House, Khajuraho Tel: 07686- 274051, Fax: 07686- RAIPUR - MIG 2nd/44, Housing Board, Avanti Vihar Main 272330, E-mail: [email protected] Road, Near Anmol Flats, Raipur-492007, Tel: 0771-4048810, Airport Counter, Khajuraho, Tel: 07686-274648, Telefax : 0771-4049115, E-mail: [email protected] Tourist Information Counter, Railway Station, Khajuraho RAJKOT - 122, First Floor, Cosmo Complex, Near Mahila Pachmarhi - Amaltas Complex, Near Tehsil, Pachmarhi, Tel: College Chowk, Kalawad Road, Rajkot-360001. Tel: 0281- 07578-252100, Fax: 07578-252102, E-mail: 2927966, Mob. : 09429197990, [email protected], E-mail: [email protected] Tourist Office : Bus Stand, Pachmarhi, Tel : 07578-252029, SURAT - C/O Gujarat Tourism, Jilla Seva Sadan-2, Block-A, Tourist Office: Railway Station, Pipariya, Tel: 07576-223499, Ground Floor, Athhava Road, Surat, Tel: 0261-2918688, E-mail: [email protected] Mob.: 09978794098, E-mail: [email protected] Satna - Tourist Office : Railway Station, Satna, Tel : 07672- VARANASI - 52, Patel Nagar, Mint House, Nadesar, Varanasi 225471, E-mail: [email protected] (UP) - 221 002, Mobile No. 09235402180, Email : [email protected]

135 136 GUJARAT

CHHATTISGARH

MPSTDC Midway/Restaurant Facility