A-Z of Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation Ltd. Paryatan Bhawan, Bhadbhada Road, Bhopal - 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. Khajuraho Region 01-12 Indore Region 13-40 Gwalior Region 41-60 Jabalpur Region 61-78 Bhopal Region 79-100 Pachmarhi 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 India 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, stupas, 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 Rajputs 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 Maharaja of Chhatarpur built another temple nearby about a century ago. Lakshmana 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, Vishnu and Shiva. soars 31 m high. Dedicated to Shiva , the sanctum The finely carved sanctum has a three-headed idol sanctorum enshrines a lingam. Among all the of Vishnu's incarnations, Narsimha and Varaha. 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, Vamana 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 Hindi 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: Ghantai Temple, display at the Chandela Cultural Complex.

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