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Vidisha

Vidisha is one of the famous historical places of Madhya Pradesh, situated at the confluence of the Bes and Betwa rivers. Previously it was called Bhilsa, but after 1956 it was called as Besnagar and after that it was changed to Vidisha.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nagarjun/6536635423/

History

There is a reference of Vidisha in Ramayana. It is started that Shatrughna’s son , Shatrughati was placed in the charge of Vidisha. But in Bramhincal literature’s religious observance, the place is called Bhadravati, the residence of Yuvanashva who supplied the famous horse to Yudhishthir during his Ashwamedha sacrifice.

The historic town of Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh is known to have been an important trade center in the 6th and 5th century BC and was an important city during the rule of Emperor Asoka. The city has been mentioned innumerable times in the memoirs of Kalidasa and Meghadoot. During that time, the town was referred as Besnagar and was abandoned in the 6th century. This city was the capital of the Sungas and enjoyed a privilege position during that time.

The town gained momentum as an important trade centre during the rule of Sungas, Nagas, Satvahanas and Guptas. The town has passed from the hands of the Malwa Sultan and the Mughals before falling under the supremacy of the Scindia rulers.

Accessibility

By Air: Bhopal Airport, also known as Raja Bhoj Airport, is the nearest airport to Vidisha, which is nearly 56 km away from the heart of the city.

By Rail: Vidisha is an important railway Station on the Chennai - Delhi broad gauge line of the Central Railway. The station is connected to all railway stations in India. Regular train services are available from Vidisha to Bhopal.

By Road: Regular public bus services connect Vidisha with neighboring cities. Regular frequent bus services are avaialble from Vidisha to Bhopal.

Shopping

There are no malls here but the local shops near the bus stand sell bamboo and canopy Items, metal artifacts, and Paintings can be bought from the local weekly markets.

Accommodation

Hotel Pandav, The Golf View, Glen View are amongst the new hotels. Satpura Retreat and Hilltop Bungalow Pachmarhi are suited for the mid budget. Budget accommodation is plentiful, but advance bookings are recommended. MPSTDC has mid-budget log huts and low budget motels. Hotel Pandav, The Golf View, Glen View are amongst the new hotels. Satpura Retreat and Hilltop Bungalow Panchmarhi are suited for the mid budget.

District
Vidisha
STD Code
07592
Topic
Termperature
Summer 33-44°C, Winter 10-27°C
Best time to visit
October to March

Ujjain

Also known as “Greenwich of India”.

Ujjain is an ancient city of Malwa in Central India on the eastern bank of Kshipra River in State of Madhya Pradesh. It is also known as Ujjayini, Avantikapuri, Avanti. In ancient time it was capital of Avanti Kingdom. It is one of the sacred cities of Hindus and Kumbh mela (religious festival of Hindus) held here in every 12 years. Out of 12 jyotirlingas, one is present in “Mahakaal Temple” of Ujjain. Here “Harsidhhi Temple” is one of the famous Shaktipeethas all over India.

History

Ujjain is the modern name for Ujjayini. Historical importance of Ujjain is very old and ancient. This city which was earlier known as Ujjayni and Avantika. was the ruling kingdom of the father of the great emperor Asoka. The Mauryan influence on the city has marked a great mark on the actual culture of the people. Historically this is the place where the famous poet Kalidas, one of the Hinduism's most revered poets, wrote the Meghdoot with its famous lyrical description of the city and its people. With time Ujjain has seen the rise and fall of myriad religions and dynasties and has tried to adopt the goodness of each of them. Come to the land of countless beliefs and traditions.

Accessibility

By Air: Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport in Indore is the nearest airport to Ujjain, which is situated 55 km away.

By Rail
: Ujjain Junction Railway Station is an important railway station in Western railway zone. It is well connected to all major railway stations in India. Direct train services are available to Bhopal, Indore, Pune, Malwa, Delhi and many other cities.

By Road
: Ujjain is well connected by state road transport public bus services. Regular bus services are available from Indore (55 km), Gwalior (450 km), Ahmedabad (400 km) and Bhopal (183 km) to Ujjain.

Shopping

Indulging in shopping in Ujjain will be perhaps the most beautiful experience of your trip. The colourful shops selling clothes along the mouth watering cuisine that line up at the sides of the road makes it a pleasurable and gratifying undergo.

The main items for the buy includes the tribal paintings that will surprise you with the intricacies that are involved in their production. If you have a craze for tribal metal wares, bamboo articles, pottery, then this is the apt place for your sojourn. Besides the traditional and ethnic products Ujjain also serves its tourist with the contemporary and modern products like electronic goods, flowers and books and many other small gifts for you dear ones. When shopping in Ujjain, do not miss buying the stone images that are the most famous buy of the city.

Perhaps the best deal can be negotiated at the local markets that specialise in all those items or the government emporiums that are located inside the city. The bazaars of Ujjain are fragrant with the traditional essence of the ancient India and there is not a better place for you.

Attractions

Kumbh Mela
Kumbh ka Mela is a very important festival as Ujjain is one of the four host of this festival. Held last in the year 2004, this Simhastha Kumbh Mela is a gigantic fair held once in twelve years. During this festival thousands of devotees visit Ujjain to take a holy dip in the river Shipra. However, the Ardh (half) Kumbh Mela is held every six years, this month long festival is held in the month of Chaitra (March-April) when Jupiter is in Scorpio and the Sun is in Aries. To witness the religious ardency among the people during the festival is a unique chance.

Mahashivratri
Having one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, obviously, Mahashivratri is a big event here. Thousand of pilgrims flock to the fair grounds near the famous Mahakaleshwar temple and fast and worship throughout the night.

District
Ujjain
STD Code
0734
Topic
Termperature
Summer 24-48°C, Winter 9-36°C
Best time to visit
October to March
Famous For
The Kumbh Mela - Held Once in Every Twelve Years

Sanchi

Sanchi is a small town on the outskirts of Bhopal, situated around 48 km from the capital city. The town comes under the district of Vidisha. Sanchi is the living example of visions and beliefs of Emperor Ashoka. The town is scattered with numerous Buddhist structures like pillars and stupas. Although the city is world known for these Buddhist sites, but Sanchi does not have great significance or consequences in Buddhist history. Though it is now considered as a pilgrimage town due to the monasteries that are present here.

History

Sanchi’s importance as a major pilgrimage center began to increase from the time when Ashoka the Mauryan Emperor tied the knot with a woman from Besnagar, a place situated close by. Ashoka then went on to construct a glazed stone pillar and a stupa built of brick and mortar. These constructions were a significant landmark in the history of Sanchi. They can be traced back to the 3rd century BC. The complex was refurbished and additions and alterations were made by the successive dynasties, but the waning of Buddhism brought in its wake the decline of Sanchi that lay abandoned for a considerable time, till it was brought to life in the year 1818 by General Taylor of the Bengali cavalry.

On flipping through the pages of the history of Sanchi, you would stumble upon a lot of interesting information on the historical background of Sanchi that would have otherwise remained under covers. Restoration activity in Sanchi gained a fillip during the 20th century which saw the reconstruction of the chief stupas. However the major restoration work was undertaken by archaeologist John Marshall and the Buddhist scholar Albert Foucher in 1912. Beautiful parks and museums also came up. Due to its strong association with Buddhism and the life of Lord Buddha, Sanchi was ascribed the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Accessibility

Air: 'Raja Bhoj' Airport in Bhopal is the nearest airport. It is nearly 46 km away from Sanchi. Taxi fare is about Rs 1000 from Bhopal airport to Sanchi. Bhopal airport is connected to many cities in India by air, including Delhi, Indore, Mumbai, Gwalior and Jabalpur. Air India offers flights to Sharjah and Dubai from Bhopal.

Rail: Bhopal is the nearest railhead to Sanchi, which is nearly 50 km away from Sanchi. Tourist taxi services are available from Bhopal to Sanchi with a fare of about Rs 1000. Bhopal is a major railway junction, which is placed in the Mumabi – Delhi broad gauge line. It is connected to all cities in India.

Road: Many buses are available from different parts of Madhya Pradesh to Sanchi. Governmemt owned public buses and Private luxury buses are providing services from Sanchi to many cities, including places like Bhopal (46 km), Indore(232 km) and Vidisha (10 km).

Shopping

Renowned to be a Buddhist heritage site dotted with monuments this city is not mush of a shopping ground. But you would surely love to carry some token back to your country, so pass trough the local shops that will give you a varied options for souvenirs. Some of the items that you can look forward to buy in Sanchi includes brass ware, terracotta, shell work, crochet, carved furniture, bamboo work As it is a very small town then there are not many bazaars and markets. The local people sell their concentrated items that were probably made at home and for an ardent traveller, this is more than a blessing.

District
Vidisha District
STD Code
07482
Termperature
Summer 24-48°C, Winter 9-36°C
Best time to visit
October to March
Famous For
The Great Stupa

Orchha

Orchha is also spelled as Urchha / Orcha.

Orchha also called as Urccha literally means "hidden place". However, it was once the splendid city and capital of the Bundela dynasty who ruled an anonymous princely state in Bundelkhand region of Central India. Orchha is situated in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh and today the splendour of Orchha lies within the many, still beautifully maintained ruins of the Bundela era. This town which lies on the banks of Betwa River is about 15 kms from the town of Jhansi in uttar Pradesh.

History

The history of Orchha sheds light on the glorious past of the Madhya Pradesh city that was famed as an erstwhile princely state in the Bundelkhand region. The legendary Bundela chieftain Rudra Pratap Singh founded the town of Orchha, way back in the 16th century.

The town of Orchha has fought against the vagaries of time. The chronicles of Orchha history record that Raja Jujhar Singh, a former Orchha monarch had renegaded against the mighty Mughal potentate, Shah Jehan in the 17th century. This tactical error met with disastrous consequences and soon afterwards, in between 1635 to 1641 AD, the Mughal army took over the princely state and caused wanton carnage and destruction.

Very soon, however Orchha grew into a powerful empire. The only state that did not succumb before the Marathas in the 18th century, Orchha has many a claim to its fame. In the year 1783, the town of Tehri ( present Tikamgarh) was established as the capital of Orchha. Tehri is also an historically eminent town that houses the majestic and crenelated fort of Tikamgarh.

In the long lineage of the Orchha emperors, Maharajah Hamir Singh was another celebrated monarch who ruled over Orchha between 1848 to 1874. The philanthropist Maharaja Pratap Singh, Hamir Singh's successor ascended to the throne in 1874 AD and worked solely for the noble cause of the sustainable growth and development of the state's engineering and irrigation facilities. In fact, Orccha reached the zenith of prosperity during his regime.

In the year 1904, the state encompassed an area of 2080 sq. miles and marked a net populace of 321,634 people. The first and foremost of the Bundela states with a 15-gun salute, the Maharajahs of Orchha were deeply esteemed in the region and were conferred the hereditary title of the First of the Princes of Bundelkhand. The annals about Orchha state that Vir Singh had coalesced his princely state with the Union of India on 1st January 1950.

Accessibility

Air: Gwalior is the nearest airport to Orchha. Gwalior is about 125 km away from Orchha. Flight services are available to Khajuraho, Delhi and Varanasi. Delhi, 440 km away from Orchha, is the major international airport, which is connected to all major cities in India and many cities in abroad. Taxis are available in the Gwalior airport and cost about Rs 2500 to reach Orchha.

Rail: Jhansi railway station, 16 km away from Orchha, is the nearest railway station. Jhansi is situated on the major rail route and there are regular train services to the major cities in India. Direct train services are available from Delhi, Mumbai and Agra. Taxis are available in the railway station and cost about Rs 350 to reach Orchha.

Road: Many private and Government Transport bus services are available to reach Orchha from Jhansi (16 km). Orchha is well connected by buses with Bhopal, Delhi, Varanasi, Khajuraho and Gwalior. Super fast, Tourist A/C and Deluxe buses are available these cities to reach Orchha.

Accommodation

Although limited accommodation are available at Orchha but they offer comfortable stay to guests. You need not worry about budget because hotel charges are reasonable here. Betwa Retreat and Sheesh Mahal are popular hotels of the town.

District
Tikamgarh
STD Code
07680
Termperature
Summer 24-48°C, Winter 9-36°C
Best time to visit
October to March

Omkareshwar

Situated in the center of Madhya Pradesh, Omkareshwar sits pretty at the union of Narmada river and Kaveri river. The island derives its name from the holiest Hindu symbol 'Om'. The island has two soaring mountains which are divided by a steep valley. The division is in such a way that the shape of island resembles the shape of 'Om' when seen from above. The place is a must visit for any devotee of Lord Shiva as one of the 12 Jyotirlingas is present here in the Shri Omkar Mandhata Temple. Nature also has been quite generous on Omkareshwar. On the south and eastern side of the island there are cliffs of over 150 m that perfectly compliments the architectural charm of the many temples.

History

Omkareshwar is the result of the diversion in the river Narmada which caused it to branch its flow into two. The shape of the island is in the form of the sound Om sound of Omkara. According to legends, Lord Vindhayas had prayed to Lord Shiva, and they got the town of Omkareshwar as a present. In another mythological fable, the Shivalingas on request of the Devas, were broken into two parts. One was the Omkareshwar temple and the other being the Amareshwar.
Raja Mandhata of the Ishvaku clan is believed to have been worshipping on the very land. The cave here is supposed to have been the abode of Govinda Bhagavatpaada, the guru of Sankaracharya. These are some of the most popular legends of the town. However, every person will tell about his own set of beliefs and mythology.

Accessibility

Air: Indore airport, which is 77 km away from Omkareshwar, is the nearest airport. Indore is connected to major airports in India including Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi. Taxis are available from the airport to Omkareshwar, it takes about 2 hours journey and fares about Rs 1800.

Rail: Omkareshwar railway station situated at a distance of about 12 km away from Omkareshwar city center. Omkareshwar is connected to major railway stations in central India. Taxi charges about Rs 300 from railway station to the heart of the city.

Road: State owned bus services are available to Omkareshwar from major cities like Khandwa (60 km), Ujjain (133 km) and Indore (77 km). Omkareshwar is situated at distance of about 884 km from Delhi. Many private luxury buses are available on this route.

Things to do

Omkareshwar Parikrama: As per Hindu mythology, walking around any sources of positive energy would proffer one with the same positive energy. So from time immemorial, walking around in a clockwise direction of something, which has positive energy, is a well-acclaimed practice.
The popular belief is that circumambulating the sacred temple of Omkareswar would fetch boons and wipe out all the sins of those who had undertaken such parikrama. Apart from the jyothirlinga, the presence of holy river Narmada adds the parikrama a worthy affair. Narmada is believed to be the daughter of Lord Shiva and regarded as the purest of all other rivers. Since it is a customary practice of a Shiva devotee to take a parikrama of Narmada.

Omkareshwar is situated on the holy banks of this sacred river and hence walking around the shrine would proffer dual benefits to the devotee. It is rather a testamentary custom than an alluring attraction. Most of the people who prefer a parikrama here at Omkareshwar would definitely give preference to its religious aspect than the scenic ambiance through which they walks around.

Apart from its spiritual facets, Omkareshwar parikrama would provide an enthralling experience with its picturesque settings.

District
Khandwa
STD Code
0731
Termperature
Summer 23-37°C, Winter 17-30°C
Best time to visit
July to March
Famous For
Having a Natural Shape of Om, Sacred Sign of Hindus

Mandu

(Mandu is also known as Shadiabad).

Mandu, in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh, is one of India’s architectural gems with wonderful palaces, baths, attractive canals, and skilfully crafted pavilions. Some of Mandu’s attractions date back to the 10th century and the city has arguably the finest examples of Afghan architecture in India. Mandu was abandoned in the 17th century. Largely because of this, the city retains a compelling medieval aura.

The hill fort of Mandu is dramatically situated along the crest of a mountain range (elevation 2,079 feet) separated from the main plateau of Malwa by a deep ravine which encircles it in three directions and a valley and the Narmada River on its south side.

History

The history of the town is a reason itself that attracts thousands of tourist to visit the land of the lovers. The curtains lifted from the face of Mandu in the early 10th century under the Mughal rules that lasted till the 16th century. It was this period when Mandu enjoyed the status of a pleasure resort. Mandu has regularly been inflicted with the virtue of being throned and dethroned. This is the cause of the great mixture of various culture that is incontestable and is survived by its people.

The much hyped legend this town revolved around the love story of a poet prince, Baz Bahadur with his consort Rani Roopmati. This story of love and romance still echoes in the songs of the Malwa balladeers. Visit this city and try to comprehend the language of the air that still tells the fairy tail love story of the poet prince and the princess.

Accessibility

Air: Indore Ahilyabai Holker Airport is the nearest airport to Mandu. Mandu is about 100 km from the airport and taxi charges about Rs 2000 for the travel. Indore is a domestic terminal which is connected to Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur and Ranchi. Delhi is the major international airport connecting to many major cities abroad.

Rail: Nearest railhead is Ratlam railway station, which is about 125 km away from Mandu. This station is well connected to the rest of the major cities in India and is an important junction in the western railways.

Road: State owned buses connect many cities in Madhya Pradesh to Mandu. Many private bus services are available from major cities in India to Mandu. Regular deluxe and semi deluxe buses are available from Indore (100 km), Bhopal (278 km), Ratlam (125 km) and Ujjain. Deluxe buses charges about Rs 3 per km.

Shopping

Mandu is basically a historical place which is surrounded by forests and natural beauty. Being a very small city it does not offer much to purchase and shopping malls are absent. Nevertheless, one can buy some local handicrafts and items made in the region. These items make good souvenirs and decorative pieces. Items made from gold and silver are particularly popular among the tourist as well as the native people. One can always go for some handloom cloths and some colourful garments. Being part of Vindhya range (Malwa), the influence of Vindhyachal (Malwa) tribal art is clearly visible in on the handicrafts and other items. One can also look for leather work.

Shopping is another drawing card of Mandu. Untouched by urbanization and modernity, one can see the fruits of labour that goes inside making each of the items. The essence of ethnicity is maintained to the core of and the old bazaars of the town are the best place to buy the traditional artifacts of the town. Here you will not find very elaborate things,due to the lack of colonization, however, the petty and decorative items you will get here will not be available anywhere else on the globe. Look for some home décor, gift items, wall pieces and showpieces. The colorful textiles and fabrics are an essential buy. The native and tribal reflection can be clearly be sought in these. Even the handicrafts of the town will have a prominent rumination of the tribal art of Vindhyachal (Malwa) area. Due to its small vicinity of the area is the reason that there are not big glazed markets. You can but things from the local stores in located in the old bazaars of the town. So do not waste any time. From distance the options may see to be not many, but once you are there you will feel short of time for just exploring the colourful bazaars of Mandu.

District
Dhar district
Best time to visit
October to March

Maheshwar

Maheshwar is a picteresque city situated on the banks of river Narmada, considered the cosmopolitan capital of Madhya Pradesh. It has one of India's best handloom industries.

History

The history of Maheshwar goes back some 4000 years and finds mention in the Mahabharatha and Ramayana as Mahishmati and was the capital of king Kartavirya Arjuna. Akbar built the fort after he came into power in the year 1601. In the late eighteenth century, Maharani Ahilya Bai took over as the queen of Holkar Dynasty. She embellished the city with many buildings and public works, and it is home to her palace, as well as numerous temples, a fort, and riverfront ghats (broad stone steps which step down to the river).

Accessibility

By Air: Nearest airport is at Indore, which is at a distance of 91 km from Maheshwar. The nearest international airport is Delhi which is 895 km away from Maheshwar.

By Rail: Barwaha is the nearest railhead, which is at a distance of 39 km from Maheshwar. Indore is the main railhead nearby.

By Road: Regular public services are available from Maheshwar to many parts of the sate. Maheshwar is bus connected with Barwaha (39 km), Indore (91 km) and Khandwa (110 km).

Attractions

Maheshwari Sarees
Introduced into Maheshwar 250 years ago by Rani Ahilyabai, the sarees are renowned throughtout India for their unique weave. Woven mostly in cotton, the typical Maheshwari saree has a plain body and sometimes stripes or checks in several variations. The mat border designs have a wide range in leaf and floral patterns. The pallu is particularly distinctive with five stripes, three coloured and two white alternating, running along its width. Maheshwari has a reversible border, known as bugdi.

District
Khargone
STD Code
07283
Topic
Termperature
Summer 33-44°C, Winter 10-27°C
Best time to visit
July to March
Famous For
Maheshwari Sarees

Chitrakoot

Chitrakoot, means the 'Hill of many wonders', falls in the northern Vindhya range of mountains spread over the states of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (in Uttar Pradesh it is in Chitrakoot District and in Madhya Pradesh is falls under Satna District). It is a town with great historical and archaeological importance, where the ritualistic past is elegantly cosseted in its flamboyant temples and shrines. It is believed to be the place where Lord Rama and Sita spent their 14 years of exile and where the Sage Atri and Sati Anasuya meditated.

History

The Chitrakoot's spiritual legacy stretches back to legendary ages. It was in these deep forests that Rama and Sita spent eleven of their fourteen years of exile and the great sage Atri and Sati Anusuya meditated. Here the principal trinity of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, also took their incarnations.

Chitrakuta’s spiritual legacy stretches back to legendary ages: It was in these deep forests that Rama, Sita and his brother Lakshmana spent eleven and half years of their fourteen years of exile; the great sage Atri, Sati Anusuya, Dattatreya, Maharshi Markandeya, Sarbhanga, Sutikshna and various other sages, seers, devotees and thinkers meditated; and here the principal trinity of the Hindu pantheon, Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh, took their incarnations.

It is said that all the gods and goddesses came to Chitrakuta when Rama performed the Shraddha ceremony of his father to partake of the shuddhi (i.e. a feast given to all the relatives and friends on the thirteenth day of the a death in the family). The first known mention of the place is in the Valmiki Ramayana, which is believed to be the first ever Mahakavya composed by the first ever poet. As Valmiki is said to be contemporaneous with (or even earlier than) Rama and is believed to have composed the Ramayana before the birth of Rama, the antiquity of its fame can well be gauged.

Valmiki speaks of Chitrakuta as an eminently holy place inhabited by the great sages, abounding in monkeys, bears and various other kinds of fauna and flora. Both the sages Bharadwaja and Valmiki speak of Chitrakuta in glowing terms and advise Rama to make it his abode during the period of his exile. Lord Rama himself admits this bewitching impact of this place. In the 'Ramopakhyana' and descriptions of teerthas at various places in the Mahabharata, Chitrakuta finds a favoured place. In 'Adhyatma Ramayana' and 'Brihat Ramayana' testify to the throbbing spiritually and natural beauty of Chitrakuta. Various Sanskrit and Hindi poets also have paid similar tributes to Chitrakuta. Mahakavi Kalidas has described this place beautifully in his epic 'Raghuvansha'. He was so much impressed with its charms that he made Chitrakuta (which he calls Ramgiri because of its time-honoured associations with lord Rama) the place of exile of his yaksha in Meghdoot.

Tulsidas, the saint-poet of Hindi has spoken very reverently of this place in all his major works-Ramcharit Manas, Kavitawali, Dohawali and Vinaya Patrika. The last-mentioned work contains many verses which show a deep personal bond between Tulsidas and Chitrakuta. He spent quite some part of his life here worshipping Rama and craving his darshan. It was here that he had what he must have considered the crowning moment of his achievements—i.e. the darshan of his beloved deity Lord Ram at the intercession of Hanumanji. His eminent friend, the noted Hindi poet Rahim (i.e. Abdur Rahim Khankhana, the soldier-statesmen-saint-scholar-poet who was among the Nav-Ratnas of Akbar) also spent some time here, when he had fallen from favour with Akbar's son Emperor Jahangir.

Accessibility

Air: The nearest airport is at Khajuraho which is at a distance of 175 km from Chitrakoot. Daily flights are available from Chitrakoot to Delhi, Agra and Varanasi. Taxi services are available from Airport to Chitrakoot at Rs 2,300.

Rail: The nearest railway station is at Chitrakoot Dham at distance of 11 km from the heart of the city. Chitrakoot Dham lies on the Jhansi-Manikpur main line and is well connected to all major cities in India through Jhansi junction.

Road: Regular state owned bus services connect Chitrakoot with Chitrakoot Dham, Jhansi, Harpalpur, Satna, Mahoba, and Chhatarpur. The major bus stand is at Karwi at distance of 8 km from Chitrakoot. Buses connect Chitrakoot with Ahmedabad (132 km).

Topic

Bhojpur

Bhojpur, founded by Raja Bhoj of Dhar in 11th century, is of great historical and religious importance and still basks in the glory of its rich history which is reverberated by the many historical temples and monuments that dot this land. The town is famous for the Lord Shiva Temple named Bhojeshwar Temple.

History

Bhojpur town got its name from Parmara King Bhoj. He was legendary king of Parmara dynasty. Parmara dynasty ruled Malwa region of Central India from 10th century to 12th century. Today’s Dhar city close to Indore was also founded by Parmara dynasty. During that time Dhar was the capital of Malwa and became one of the prime intellectual centers of India. It is the King Bhoj who took initiative with Solanki king of Bhima of Gujarat, to rebuilt famous temple of Somnath between 1026 to 1042 after being ransacked by Mahmud of Ghazni in year 1024. King Bhoj was son of notable conqueror called King Sindhuraja. In be beginning of his carrier Bhoj suffered problem of brain tumour which results often severe heaches. Two Brahmin brothers from the school of Ujjain, who were eminent surgeons of the time, performed a successful crucial brain surgery on brain of Bhoj. Bhoj was a remarkable military commander and encylopaedic scholar. He wrote more than 11 books in his life. After ransacking of famous Somnath Temple of Gujarat, Bhoj organized his army to attack Mahmud Ghaznavi who retreated back via Sindh due to fear of his powerful army. Bhojeshwar temple is also known as Somnath Temple of East.

Accessibility

Air: Bhopal is the nearest airport which is at a distance of just 28 km. Hire a taxi or take a bus for half an hour drive to Bhojpur

Rail: Nearest rail junction is also at Bhopal. It is an important railhead in Central India and is connected to all the major cities of India.

Road: It is connected to Bhopal from where you can get bus to all most all parts of Madhya Pradesh.

District
Raisen District

Bhimbetka

Bhimbetka, known for rock painting site and is declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known to have the first traces of human existence in India. It is a rocky terrain of dense forest and craggy cliffs, bordered by the northern fringe of the Vindhyan ranges. Apart from the mystic beauty of nature, what brings Bhimbetka on the tourist map is the discovery of over 600 rock shelters belonging to the Neolithic age.

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nagarjun/6536862467/

History

It is believed that Bhima, one of the five Pandavas of Mahabharata, the Hindu Epic is associated with the location. Bhimbetka is hence named after Bhima. Legend has it that the name probably derived from the Pandava brother Bhima (from the Mahabharat) having used these rocks as a resting place (seat of Bhima). There are about 600 such caves; most times these are not caves but just rock overhangings & cliffs.

Accessibility

Air: Bhopal Airport, also known as Raja Bhoj Airport, is the nearest airport, which is 45 km away from Bhimbetka. Taxi Cab will charge about Rs 600, one way. Bhopal airport is connected to Mumbai, Indore, Gwalior and Delhi. International flights to Gulf cities like Sharjah and Dubai are operated from Bhopal.

Rail: Bhopal Railway Station is the nearest railhead to Bhimbetka. It has connection trains to all major cities in India. Daily Shatabdi expresses shuttle between Bhopal and Delhi.

Road: Madhya Pradesh road transport services are available in Bhimbetka connecting to near by cities. From Bhopal to Bhimbetka it costs about Rs 40. Luxury buses are available overnight from Delhi to Bhopal. Distance between Bhimbetka and Delhi is about 790 km.

District
Raisen
STD Code
02951
Topic
Termperature
Summer 32-45°C, Winter 10-32°C
Best time to visit
September to March
Famous For
Bhimbetka rock shelters is known for rock painting site and is declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.