Madhya Pradesh has seen a growing number of tourist inflow which has been much deserved. The land has it all: Historical Sites, Ancient Sites and Natural Beauty.
In this article, we discuss some of the places special parts of the region, though of course there are many more!
1. Khajuraho
The construction of Khajuraho Temples started from 800AD and it took about 25 years and 14000 workers to complete them.
The carving has layers of symbolism/philosophy and they also depict everyday life. Each block of stone has a meaning.
The temples are unique in the way they were primarily used to teach instead of being mere pilgrimages. They form an important role in the ancient university space. The incredible carving would certainly bewilder you!
2. Orchha
Orchha is a quaint town in Madhya Pradesh which is more about kings and queens compared to Khajuraho, which is more of a pilgrimage place.
The kingdom though does not have any incredible war stories to tell as they were not really confrontational. They made pacts with other Kings, then the Mughals and then with the British as well.
Interesting bit with the Mughals, the king made a special palace for Jahangir just to host him, who spent only one night here. The palace took 22 years to build. After Jahangir left, the palace was used as a royal guest house.
3. Chanderi
For anyone traveling to Chanderi, the small city would be a revelation. Innumerable historical spots can be found spread across the city and the outskirts., In fact, as per a survey, there would be almost 6000 of these structures across here. The city is nestled between old hills and it just enhances it's beauty. The city's history goes back almost a 1000 years.
Do watch the famous bollywood movie 'Stree' when you come here and spot the shooting locations.
4. Sanchi
Emperor Ashoka was out with the objective of preserving and spreading the Buddhism and its philosophy in India. This lead to the construction of Stupas of Sanchi in the 3rd century AD which is a UNESCO world heritage site today. The site was rediscovered by British officer General Taylor in the year 1818.
The stupas bring the world to Sanchi and the town and its people have done an incredible job of conserving these mammoth constructions over centuries showcasing the brilliant art and history of the Mauryan Era.
5. Bhimbetka
Bhimbetka rock shelters are about 1.5 hours away from Bhopal and contain about 760 shelters spread across a huge area. The cave must have looked like a colony in that age.
The caves have paintings as old as 10000 years old depicting various interesting things people saw at that time.
When you look at the shape of the rocks in the area, it is no surprise people found it extremely habitable. Bhimbetka, along with Sanchi, is a UNESCO world heritage sites.
The name is inspired from the character of Bhim from the famous Mahabharata.
6. Mandu
Mandu as a town is unique as it is blessed with incredible Afghan architecture.
The most famous part of the town is the 'Jahaz Mahal' which literally translates to 'Ship Palace' as the monument gives an impression of a ship.
The palace was surrounded by water as the temperature in the region can move up to 45 degree celsius. The architects were well aware of this and made this structure cool down on the inside with intricate water ways and a proper drainage system for monsoons.
Other interesting monuments to see are the 'Roopvati Pavillion', a monument specially constructed for the queen to pray to the Narmada river, Hoshang Shah's tomb, a monument supposedly inspiring the world famous Taj Mahal, Jami Masjid and Mandu Fort.
7. Maheshwar
Maheshwar is a small town situated on the banks of Narmada river with its most notable structure being the 250 year old Ahilya Fort constructed in the 19th century.
The place was fortified by the queen 'Rani Ahilya Bai' who also brought back the weaving industry (the industry has been existing here since 5th century) that empowered the females of the area.
One of her descendants has converted a part of the fort into a highly revered hotel which is a rave among our own guests as well.
The town also has a ghat where there are regular prayers conducted everyday
8. Burhanpur
Burhanpur was established in the year 1400 AD and was the capital of the Mughal kingdom for a certain period. It was also ruled for a considerable time by ruler Shah Jahan who also commissioned the construction of Taj Mahal. Interestingly, Mumtaz Mahal, the queen for who Shah Jahan constructed Taj Mahal, was initially buried here as she took her last breath in this city
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The city showcases some of the best of ancient Mughal architecture and is also an important pilgrimage site for the Bohra community.