This massive central Indian state begs to be explored. It boasts some wonderful monuments and a few excellent wildlife parks, a hill station or two, tribal's, rivers, mountains,. In short it's got the lot, reaching some parts of the state requires extensive travel from any of the big metros but in our experience the journey is well worth it. Of course these days you can fly relatively cheaply, so that opens even more doors to this friendly state.
If we start in the north of the state we can make a long loop that encompasses much of what the state has to offer, though not all of course, some detours are required to see all the sights.
Easily reached from Delhi or Mumbai ,Gwalior is as good a place as any to start your odyssey through Madhya Pradesh. This medium size town lies in the shadow of the great Gwalior fort, which is worth a day of anyone's time as it contains some fascinating old buildings,and temples, such as the pair of temples know as Sas Bahu Ka Mandir, these are beautifully decorated with bas relief scenes. The Teli-ka-Mandir, or “Oilman’s Temple.” is a Shiva temple. It has an unusual configuration: shrine-like in that it has a sanctuary only; no pillared pavilions or mandapa; and a Buddhist barrel-vaulted roof on top of a Hindu temple.
There are also Jain Muslim and Sikh temples within the walls. The 15th century Gujari Mahal is also worth a visit The outer structure of Gujari Mahal has survived in an almost total state of preservation; the interior has been converted into Archaeological Museum housing rare antiquities,
Man Mandir Palace was built between 1486 and 1517 by Raja Mansingh.The tiles that once adorned its exterior have not survived , but at the entrance, you can still see evidence of it's former splendor, Nearby is Jauhar Pond, where in the Rajput tradition, the Ranis committed mass sati after their consorts had been defeated in battle.
Situated on the mountainous area on the slopes of Gwalior Fort you find unique statues. The largest idol of Bhagwan Parshwanath seated on a Lotus, is the largest monolithic statue in the world, at 47 feet high and 30 feet in width. There are also 26 other Jain statues here.
The first apparent appearance of a symbol for zero appears in 876 in India on a stone tablet in Gwalior Fort,
In the town itself you can lose yourself in the bazaar at Lashkar or gaze on the opulence of Jai Vilas Palace in the old town.
Moving southwest drop in on Shivpuri.One the summer capital ofScindia rulers of Gwalior. The town hosts some impressive, intricately embellished marble cenotaphs commemorating the various Scindia rulers are a feature here and the nearby Madhav National Park is worth a few hours even if it's just to see the highly unusual George Castle. About 41 Km' away on the Jhansi road you'll find the hill top fort of Narwar. At 500 meters this astonishing little fort is a good stop off, on the way to Jhansi, our next destination.
Jhansi is a major rail hub and a busy town, it' also a jump off point for Orchha, Deogarh and Khajuraho. No need to just pass through though, there are one or two things of interest here too. Such as the the fort of the Maharani of Jhansi . It was built by Raja Bir Singh Ju Deo of Orchha on a rocky hill called Bangra. The Rani Mahal, now a museum is beautifully decorated and also worth taking the time for.
Just 123 km from Jhansi, Deogarh on the banks of the river Betwa. Amongst other things of interest, you'll find the Deogarh fort. During the 8th to 17th centuries, Deogarh was a Jain center and still houses 31 Jain temples. Panels depicting scenes from Jain Mythology are to be found here, On the Opposite banks of the River Betwa you can also visit the magnificent Chanderi Fort. Its main gate is known as the "Khooni Darwaza". Chanderi fort is situated on a hill 71 meter above the town and is surrounded by hills, forests and lakes. The fortification walls were constructed mainly by the Muslim rulers of Chanderi.
Orchha is an oasis of peace, situated on the river Betwa, it's studded with things of interest for tourist, all set within the limits of and ancient and friendly township. On the river Betwa the chatris temples and fort beg to be explored and a day spent walking in the forest alongside the roaring Betwa river is a peaceful way to spend some time. The old stone bridge crossing the river brilliantly completes the scene and you feel you've gone back in time as you cross it, the monuments contrasting with the countryside green, as they peek though the trees. Orccha is a good base for visiting the fort town of Datia and the scerenic hill top temples of the Jain faith at Sonagiri.
Khajuraho is another top attraction in India and though difficult to reach it's well worth making the long trip to see the famous temples partially adorned with erotic scenes. These temples or Shikharas are beautifully decorated with exquisite carvings and are some of the best examples in India. The Kandariya Mahadeva being the largest. The Shikharas are home to both Jain and Hindu deities.
Khajuraho is very touristy, so it has it's fair share of touts and beggars, it also has some fairly decent places to eat. The surrounding area is dotted with lesser temples which are also worth a look. Although there is no train station here, there IS a Indian Railways booking office near the bus stand. Kalinjar Fort would be a great day trip from Khajuraho, also built by the Chandela it is a treasure trove of monuments and sculptures. The history of this fort is turbulent, but the temples and structures within it reflect the artistic prowess of the Chandela dynasty.
From here we make our way east across some of the worst roads in India, to the holy town of Chitrakoot. Seldom visited by foreign tourists, this little village set on the edges of the Vindhyas Mountains is a hidden gem. The main hub of the town is
Ramghat the ghats that line the banks of the river Mandakini, which are
a joy to behold around 6.00am. As it becomes a constantly moving and changing kaleidoscope of religious activity. The whole village comes to bathe in the river at this time it seems. Around the village there are several places to visit, it' a pleasant 20 minute walk to the Hanuman Dhara,
vocated on a rock-face several hundred feet up a steep hillside is a spring, and temples dedicated to the god Hanuman. I offers great views across the mustard feilds to Chitrakoot.
Gupt Godavari is on the Char Dham pilgrimage, an unusual place where a river empties out from a cave and into a tank. The cave itself is said to be where Lord Rama and his brother Lakshman held court during their exile. The area is deeply immersed in the stories of Rama and Sita and at Sphatik Shila
A few kilometers beyond Janaki Kund, one can climb up to the boulder which bears the impression of Rama's footprint. Janaki Kund can be reached by boat from Ramghat and is a pleasant float through some pretty scenery! Of course we shouldn't' forget Kamadgiri, the original Chitrakoot, a place of prime religious significance. A forested hill, it is skirted all along its base by a chain of temples and is venerated, today, as the holy embodiment of Rama. Pilgrims make a circumnavigation of this holiest of hills.
In the surrounding area of Chatrakoot, there are several places of interest. These include Chachai and Keoti Falls
Situated 46 km from Rewa on the banks of the river Bihad, Chachai Falls are a beautiful spectacle of water falling in torrents from a height of 130 mts. Nearby, the Keoti and Bahuti Falls are also worth a visit.
The Mara Caves are also well worth a visit, these carved caves lie in the middle of the forest and have been compared to the Ellora/Ajanta caves.
From Chtrakoot we can train it down to Katni/Umaria staging point for a safari in the National Park of Bandavgarh. This beautiful park is probably one of the best parks in India if you want to see tigers. Though nothing is certain in tiger hunting, this relatively small park has a large population and we were rewarded with seven tigers on our first day in the park. The sleepy village of Tala at the park gates is a great place to unwind for a few days but it has little in the way of facilities. You can have a short elephant ride in the park if you so wish and the scenery is incredible.
Jabalpur is easily reached by train from Umaria and Katni, a bustling army town, it is of limited value to the tourist, however with a little digging around you'll find some places of interest. Like the Madan Mahal Fort or Tilwara Ghat
From where Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the Narmada River,
Jabalpur is a good central point for several other attractions in the area. Bhedaghat - Marble Rocks. This small village of Jabalpur district is situated on the banks of river Narmada, the marble gorges can be visited by boat and the varied marble makes for an interesting backdrop. The famous Dhuandhar. falls are also in the area.
Jabalpur is also a good place from which to visit Kanha Kisli N.P, again tigers are a theme, as well as,sloth bear, leopard, striped hyena, spotted dear, wild boar, jungle cat, jackal and a variety of monkeys. Over 200 spices of birds have been spotted in the park.
By trans from Jabalpur, why not visit the Hill Station of Pachmarhi, take the train to Piparia and then the bus upto this quite hill station. Pachmarhi became a hill station and sanatorium for British troops in the Central Provinces of India and is nowadays a tourist retreat and Biosphere. Nature, caves waterfalls and plenty of wildlife are the things to see here, The Pandava caves are set in a small well tended garden and Harper's Cave. So named because of one of its paintings - a man seated and playing a harp is close to the Jata Shankar Shrine.
Nearby Hoshangabad on the banks of the Narmada is also worth paying some attention to. The Sethani Ghat is a nineteenth century construction along the banks of the river Narmada at Hoshangabad and is is one of the largest ghats in India.
Bandhrabhan is a holy town as it is a meeting point of two main rivers Narmada and Tawa and is close to Hoshangabad.
Moving west is the large and infamous town of Bhopal, infamous since that dark night, when the Union Carbide Factory released 40 tonnes of methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas, killing between 2500 and 5000 people.
There is more to this old city though, bustling markets, where you can buy the local bead work, Towering Mosques calling on the faithfull such as the Taj-ul-Masajid (largest mosque in the country), Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid and Idgah. Lakes and an interesting wildlife park you can visit in the middle of the city. Great food and a truly Hindu-Muslim city. The "Museum of Man" was created by the government of Madhya Pradesh to showcase how the tribals of the state live in their natural form, what they cultivate, what kind of tools they make and utilize in their daily lives etc. It has been built on a small hill that gives breath taking views of the city.
Near to Bhopal is Sanchi where you can visit the Great Stupa built by Asoka The Great in the 3rd century BC. There are several other Buddhist sites in the area. It´ an easy day trip from Bhopal as are the caves of Bhimbetka an agglomeration of more than 600 caves that are famed for housing the marvelous collection of India's prehistoric paintings. A discovery of the eminent archaeologist, Dr. V.S Wakankar, the Bhimbetka Caves were excavated in entirety nearly 16 years after it was initially unearthed in 1958. Only 12 of the group are open to the general public.
From Bhopal we turn South for Indore and the amazing towns of Mandu, Maheshwar and Omkareshwar.
Mandu sits atop a lonely unforested set of undulating hills. The ruins are in part Afghani influenced and are a delight to wander around, temples, underground tanks which fed the ancient AC system to keep building cool in the searing heat of summer. The ship Palace, Jahaz Mahal Roopmati's
Pavilion and Baz Bahadur's palace, all quietly enthrall the senses, and if you listen carefully you can still hear the poet-prince Baz Bahadur extolling his love for his consort, Rani Roopmati.
The Baobab trees imported from Africa are to be found all over this huge fortified town, encircled by an impressive 37 Kilometer skirting wall. Have dinner on the lawn at the Roopmati Hotel and watch the fruit bats swooping over head. A truly wonderful spot made all the better by the relative lack of tourists. Only an hour away and once more on the banks of the mighty Narmada river, visit the small town of Maheshwar. The Fort Ahilya right on the riverside is an awe inspiring sight, as you exit the gate to the bathing Ghat, turn around and gaze on surely one of the prettiest forts in India. An attractive quiet little town it's another good place to unwind with long walks along the river bank.
The Holy town of Omkareshwar further down river, warrant a day or two some stay, much longer. The town and Island in the Narmada rivers host many old temples and shrines and the air is filled with Mantras and bells as the faithful make their offering to the gods. Further to the North West we can finish the grand tour in Ujjain a holy city for Hindus and has many places to visit for the religiously inclined.
It is also one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus, and the Kumbh Mela religious festival is held there every twelve years.
The Mahakal Temple, one of the twelve Jyotirlings, is the most famous and venerated Shiva temple. The Shivling in this temple is supposed to be the only Jyotirling which faces south and hence it is known as Dakshinmukhi or the south-facing ling. There are numerous other temples for interested parties such as the beautiful ISKON temple. Spend some time along the banks of the river Kshipra at the various ghats, like Ramghat, Narsinghghat, Gangaghat, Gaughat, Retighat, Triveni, Sidhhanath.
Ujjain is also home to an observatory or Yantra Mandir, built by the famous Jai Sing II, it is a series of archtectural instruments to plot the stars, he built five of these, the most famous is in Jaipur.
Ujjain is certainly worth a couple of days.
So there you have it, Madhya Pradesh has much to offer and the often hard traveling gives just reward. Think about this state next time around!
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States of India
Union Territories
Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Chandigarh
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
Daman and Diu
Lakshadweep
National Capital Territory of Delhi
Pondicherry
MADHYA PRADESH
Places of Interest
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Hoshangabad Gwalior Indore Jabalpur Jhansi Kanha National Park Khajuraho Kalinjar Orchha Panna Parwar Pachmarhi Pench National Park Sanchi Shivpuri Mandu Maheshwar Omkareshwar Sonagir Deogarh Ujjain Vidisha
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District(s) 50
50Established 1956-11-01
1956-11-01Capital Bhopal
BhopalLargest city Indore
IndorePopulation 60,385,118
Density 196 /km2
196 /km2 Language(s) Hindi
HindiThis site is best viewed at a resolution of 800 x 600
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The India
Travel Site
Khajuraho is a village in Madhya Pradesh, located in Chhatarpur District, about 620 kilometers southeast of Delhi. The Khajuraho temples adhere to a northern Indian shikhara temple style and often to a Panchayatana plan or layout.
Gwalior Fort
Is located in Madhya Pradesh. Its width ranges from nearly 1 km, to less than 200 m. The walls, which encircle the fort, are solid and nearly 10 m high.
Kanha National Park
Is located in
the Mandla and Balaghat districts of Madhya Pradesh. The Kanha National Park came into being in 1955 and forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under 'Project Tiger'. Kanha shelters one of the largest populations of tigers in the country and is well placed in a horse-shoe shaped valley.
Sanchi Stupa
The Great Stupa is located 46 km north east of Bhopal, and 10 km from Besnagar and Vidisha in the central part of the state of Madhya Pradesh. The Sanchi Stupa is surrounded by a railing with four carved gateways facing all the four directions.
Orchha (or Urchha)
is a town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya
Pradesh state, India. It lies on the Betwa River, 15 km from Jhansiin Uttar Pradesh, and was founded in the 16th century A.D. by the Bundela
chieftain, Rudra Pratap
Music and Videos
Some videos and music from India.
Bheda Ghat ( Marble Rocks)
is a tiny village hidden away in the Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh. Speckled with white and black volcanic beams, the soaring marble rocks fringe the either side of river Narmada resembling a sheep. Soaring in glittering splendour, the Marble Rocks at Bheda Ghat rise to a hundred feet on either side of the Narmada.
Ujjain,
situated on the right bank of River Shipra, is among many other Indian sacred and holy cities. According to ancient Hindu scriptures, it was originally called Avantika. Later King Shiva of Avanti commemorating his triumph over the demon king of Tripuri, changed it to Ujjaiyini (one who conquers with pride).
Bimbetka Caves
Located near Bhopal, the caves include the scenes from the everyday life, depicting household scenes, hunting, dancing, animal fighting, elephant riders, honey collections, body tattooing, music. The 838 caves are spread on a total area of 1,850 hectares.
Mandu
Located 40 km from Dhar and 98 km from Indore, Mandu is situated at an altitude of 634 m. It extends for 13 km (8 miles) along the crest of the Vindhya Range. Mandu gained eminence only near the end of the 10th century when the Paramaras formed an independent kingdom here. Mandu is also famous for its special kind of tamarind known as Mandu ki Imli. The fruit looks like a papaya; it is a fruit of boabab tree.
