Khajuraho

Pana, Bandhavgarh, Kanha National Park, Bhopal, Gwalior, Ujjain, Indore, Orchha, Sanchi, Panchmari, Mandu, Jabalpur :- are the must visit places of Madhya Pradesh. Besides, Madhya Pradesh has a number of important pilgrimage centers too. Ujjain and Omkareshwar hold special religious significance having two of the twelve jyotirlingas, Maheshwar and Mandleshwar. The medieval cities, wildlife sanctuaries and holy pilgrimage centers of Madhya Pradesh offer a memorable experience to the tourists. The mystic land of Madhya Pradesh is an ideal place for an adventurous and stress-free holiday. Come packing to enjoy the unexplored delights in Madhya Pradesh.

Sanchi

Located on the foot of a hill-- Sanchi is just 46 kms. from Bhopal. It is more of a village than a town. Sanchi is a religious place with historical and archaeological significance. Sanchi is known for its Stupas,monasteries,temples and pillars dating from the 3rd century BC to the 12th century AD The most famous of these monuments,the Sanchi Stupa 1,was originally built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The place is related to Buddhism but not directly to the life of Buddha. It is more related to Ashoka than to Buddha. Ashoka built the first Stupa and put up many pillars here. The crown of famous Ashoka pillars,with four lions standing back to back,has been adopted as the national emblem of India

Sanchi adopted Buddhism,which replaced the prominent Hinduism. But time took its toll and slowly both the Stupas and the place was forgotten. In 1818 Sanchi was rediscovered and gradually historical and the religious significance of the place was recognized. Restoration work of the Stupas started in 1881 and finally between 1912 and 1919 these were carefully repaired and restored.

It was accepted that the structure at Sanchi were the most organized construction which went into the engineering of temples in the medieval period. The carvings here are done with the precision of Jewellers.

Despite the damage and restoration work done Sanchi is the most evocative and attractive Buddhist site in India. Sanchi is primarily a place of Stupas and pillars but the gorgeous gateways add grace to the place. These gateways are beautifully carved and carry scenes from the life of Buddha or Ashoka. These gateways are the finest specimens of early classical art,which formed the seedbed of entire vocabulary of later Indian art. The images carved on the pillars and the Stupas tell moving stories of the incidents from the life of Buddha.

Bhojpur

 Located 28 Kms from Bhopal, Bhojpur is well-known for the magnificent 11th century Shiva temple, Bhojeshwar Mandir and the lake constructed by the legendary Parmar King of Dhar, Raja Bhoj (1010-1053). The huge Shiva Lingam in the temple carved out of a single rock over a three tiered square sandstone platform, is the largest in India. The Lingam is 7.5 ft tall and almost 21.5 mt in circumference. The temple is a simple square with a richly carved dome supported by four pillars guarded by two ornamental figures at the entrance. There is a simple Jain shrine nearby which has a 6m high black statue of a Thirthankara along two smaller ones. A very colourful and big mela is organised here on the occasion of the festival Maha Shivratri.

Big Lake Bhopal

There is a legend why the Parmara king built the lake. Once king Bhoj suffered from skin disease. All vaidyas failed to cure him. One day a saint told the king to build a tank to combine 365 tributaries and than have a bath in it to wipe out the skin disease. Bhoj called upon his engineers to build up a huge tank. They spotted a place near river Betwa, which was 32 km away from Bhopal. It was found that it has only 359 tributaries. A Gond Commander Kalia fulfilled this shortage. He than gave the address of an invisible river. After merging the tributaries of this river the number 365 was completed.

The fishing rights to the Bada Talaab have been given on long lease by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation to fishermen co-operative consisting of some 500 fishermen families. Fishing is mainly done on its South-Eastern shores. The lake also serves as the source of water for irrigating a large area. There are 87 villages in its catchment area in the Bhopal as well as Sehore districts. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for people in these areas and most farmers have livestock as well. While some farmers have large landholdings, many farmers are small and marginal farmers with only a few acres of land.

This club offers various water sports such as kayaking, canoeing, rafting, water skiing, parasailing etc. A number of operators provide facilities for exciting trips by sail, paddle and motor boats.

Van Vihar National Park, situated on the South-Eastern side of the lake, attracts lot of tourists due to its unique set-up.

The road passing through it has on one side the animals in their natural habitats, and on the other hand is the scenic beauty of the lake.

Taj-ul-Masjid

The most impressive structure in Bhopal is the Taj-ul-Masjid, one of the largest and most elegant mosques in India. Work on the mosque was commenced during the reign of Shah Jahan Begum of Bhopal, who ruled from 1868 to 1901. Taj-ul-Masjid literally translates as 'The Crown of Mosques', and the construction of the monument was characterised by sporadic bursts of activity alternating with spans of inactivity during the reigns of successive Begums. However, the monument was never completed due to lack of money, and after a long lay-off, construction was resumed in 1971. The building really presents a spectacular sight and is worth taking a bow to. It's pink façade is topped by two huge white-domed minarets pointing upwards to the heavens, as if seeking its blessings. The monument also has three huge bulbous domes, an impressive main hallway with attractive pillars, marble flooring and a spacious courtyard. The mosque is one of the most important landmarks in the city of Bhopal, and is multi-purpose as it is used as a madarsa (Islamic religious school) during the day.

Once a barren area, it has now been transformed in to an oasis of greenery. This is a unique zoo of the country, as the animals are kept here in near natural conditions. Country to the popular belief, animals are not captured from the forests for bringing them here. Most of the animals kept here are either orphaned animals brought here from all parts of Madhya Pradesh or those which have been exchanged with other zoos.

Location:   district of Bhopal

Area covered:  4.45 Sq Kms

Best Time to Visit:  July to September

Bhimbetka :-  Bhimbhetka based on the northern fringe of Vindhya Mountain ranges is a major tourist attraction 46 kms from Bhopal. This place has South Asia's richest collection of prehistoric paintings and other archeological discoveries.

 The paintings in over 500 caves depict the life of the prehistoric cave dwellers and a smaller number have evidences of Stone Age habitation.

The oldest paintings are believed to be up to 1200 years old. Executed mainly in red and white with the special use of green and yellow, the scenes usually depict hunting, dancing, music, horse and elephant riders, animals fighting, honey collection, decoration of bodies, disguises, masking and household scenes. Animals such as bison’s, tigers, lions, wild boar, elephants, antelopes, dogs, lizards, crocodiles etc, have been abundantly depicted in some caves. Popular religious and ritual symbols also occur frequently.