Tourist Places

Ratlam Division

RATLAM

Ratlam known historically as Ratnapuri, is a city in the northwestern part of the region in state of central . Ratlam was given to Ratan Singh Rathore as a gift by Shah Jahan. Ratlam was one of the first commercial cities established in Central India. The city quickly became known for trading in opium, tobacco, and salt, as well as for its bargains called "Sattas". Before the opening of the Rajputana State Railway to in 1872, there was no better place to trade than in Ratlam. It is well known for Gold, Ratlami Sev and Ratlami Saari.

Ratlam has several industries which manufacture copper wire, plastic ropes, chemicals and artificial oxygen, among other products. People can be seen pouring from distant places for gold purchase owing to the purity of gold here. Ratlami Sev is a very popular food item, which is even exported to countries in the Gulf and America.

Best Buy: Gold, Silver,Ratlami Saari, Traditional Nearest Rail Head: Ratlam Handicraft and Ratlami Sev

Omkareshwar Temple Omkareshwar, one of the 12 revered shrines of is situated on the islands of on the river Narmada. The structure of island appears in the shape of Hindu symbol. Tourists visiting the temple can find 2 temple shrines situated here. One is the Omkareshwar which portrays the name of "OM-maker-lord" whereas the other is the Amareshwar, which portrays the name describing "immortal lord" or "lord of the immortals".

Omkareshwar lies at the meeting point of the rivers Narmada and the . There are steamboats across the and also two connecting bridges to reach the temple .

Best Buy: Local made Handicrafts & Nearest Rail Head: Omkareshwar Road /Ratlam religious items.

UJJAIN

Ujjain is a historical city of Central India, located in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. Bounded by the holy waters of the Shipra River, it is considered as one of the seven major sites of Hindu pilgrimage. It is a very holy city for the , a site for the triennial . According to Hindu scriptures, it was originally called Avantika. Its origin is ascribed to the mythological legend of Sagar Manbthan (churning of the primordial ocean to discover the pot of nectar). It is also home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga , one of the twelve Jyotirlinga shrines to the god Shiva .It is also the place where Lord got his education alongwith Balarama and Sudama from Maharshi Sandipani.

Best buy: Traditional Handicrafts, Stone crafts, Small statues carved out of stone, Dress material, Nearest Rail Head: Ujjain Leather goods, Modern & Ethnic Jewellery

Shree Mahakaleshwar Temple, Ujjain

Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga is one of the most famous Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and is one of the twelve Jyotirlingams , which are supposed to be the most sacred abodes of Shiva. It is located in the ancient city of Ujjain in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The temple is situated on the side of the Sagar Lake. The idol of Mahakaleshwar is known to be dakshinamurti , which means that it is facing the south. This is a unique feature, upheld by the tantric shivnetra tradition to be found only in Mahakaleshwar among the 12 . The shrine is revered as one of the 18 Maha Peetham . The” Bhasm-Aarti” is the first ritual conducted every day at the temple, which is to wake the God Shiva up, perform “Shringar”. The unique thing about this aarti is, however, the inclusion of “Bhasm” or ash from funeral pyres as one of the offerings. Nearest Rail Head: Ujjain

MANDU

If there is a place in India that captures the magical moments of romance, it is Mandu. The silent ruins here evoke memories of yesteryears of the love of Baz Bahadur for his queen, Rani Rupmati. The palaces of Mandu are built around water tanks, and are designed to derive maximum benefit from the terrain. In the monsoon Mandu is is truly delightful, a tranquil retreat where the silence of the past is a constant companion. Mandu, due to its strategic position and natural defences, was an important place with rich and varied history. It was an important military outpost and its military past can be gauged by the circuit of the battlemented wall, which is nearly 37 km and is punctuated by 12 gateways. Mandu ki Imli is a fruit of the Boabab tree and is used to make an interesting preparation called Imli ki kadhi. The kebabs, bhutte ki kees, mawa-bati, khoprapak and malpua are some of the delicacies worth trying.

Best Buy: Textile, Colourful Fabrics, Home Décor, Nearest Rail Head: / Vadodara Gift Items, Wall Pieces and Showpieces.

MHOW

Mhow is a cantonment in the District in Madhya Pradesh. The town was renamed as Dr Ambedkar Nagar in 2003, by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. Mhow was a Meter Gauge railway district headquarters during the British Raj and even after 1947. The irony is that Mhow still has no Broad Gauge railway line.

The Army has been here since 1818. Up until World War II, Mhow was the headquarters of the 5th (Mhow) Division of the Southern Army. Mhow houses three premier training institutions of the Indian Army -The Infantry School, The Military College of Telecommunication Engineering and The Army War College. Nearest Rail Head: Mhow

NEEMUCH

Neemuch or Nimach is a town in the Malwa region in state of Madhya Pradesh. Neemuch has been declared as a separate district by MP Govt on 30th June 1998. Earlier it was a part of the Mandsaur district. Nimach is an abbreviation of "North India Mounted Artillery & Cavalry Headquarters. It is the birthplace of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in 1939. Neemuch has been known for the production of opium, through the government-owned Opium and Alkaloid Works. Handloom weaving is the major industry here.

Neemuch is famous for Krishi Upaj Mandi (Agriculture Produce Market). The other important attraction for Neemuch is famous Bhadawa Mata temple at the outskirts of Neemuch., As per the beliefs of the people, water of the temple's Nearest Rail Head: Nimach well cures one of paralysis.

MANDSAUR Mandsaur is rich in archaeological and historical heritage. It is famous for , a Hindu temple situated on the banks of the Shivana river. Lord Shiva in the form of Lord Pashupatinath is the principal deity here. The highlight is a unique Shivling with eight faces of Lord Shiva. The shrine has four doors in four directions. The name Mandsaur evolved from Marhsaur, which originated from Marh and Saur, two of the villages which merged in the town. The town was known as Dashapura in ancient times . Nearest Rail Head: Mandsaur

CHITTAURGARH The pride and glory of , Chittaur echoes with tales of romance and valour unique to the Rajput tradition. It is one of the oldest cities in Rajasthan. Chittaurgarh Fort is the largest fort in India and the grandest in the state of Rajasthan. It is surrounded by a circular wall which has seven huge gates before one can enter the main fort area. Nearest Rail Head: Chittaurgarh

PATALPANI

Patalpani, 36 km from Indore is famous for its waterfall. The water falls from a height of 150 feet into a kund, the depth of which is still unknown. It is believed that the bottom of this unfathomable kund reaches Patal (netherworld), hence the name Patal Pani. It is a popular picnic spot .

Nearest Rail Head: Patalpani/Mhow