Owing to its location, Madhya Pradesh is the most diverse of Indian states and attracts many visitors from within India and the world over. The erotic sculptures of Khajuraho and Orchha, the Sanchi Stupas, the quaint hills of Pachmarhi, wildlife of Bandhavgarh and Kanha, Omkareshwar, home to one of the 12 Jyotirlingas in India, Maheshwari handloom fabrics and the temple cities of Ujjain, Indore and Mandu showcase the rich cultural heritage and diversity of Madhya Pradesh that is visible in the various religions, communities and ethnic groups with tribal origins across the state.
Madhya Pradesh – Historicand Cultural Destination
Over the years Madhya Pradesh has grown immensely as one of the most preferred destinations in India with beautiful temples with their unique architecture, ancient Buddhist monuments, majestic palaces, royal gardens, natural and man-made lakes, dams, wildlife and adventure activities.
Ujjain, one of Hinduism’s seven sacred cities on the banks of the Shipra river, has been inscribed on the list of ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ by UNESCO is home to the well-known Kumbh Mela. Maihar in Madhya Pradesh is also an important pilgrimage spot. From the exquisite temples of Khajuraho and Orchhato the Buddhist Stupa of Sanchiand the royalarchitecture of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh’s diverse heritage can require multiple visits to be discovered completely.
Amarkantak is a centre for Hindu pilgrimage and better known as ‘Teerthraaj – the king of pilgrimages. Amarkantak is also the birthplace of the mighty Narmada river along which historic towns of Indore, Maheshwar and Mandu saw the rise and fall of empires in their quest to control this holy river.
‘The pearl among fortresses in India’, Gwalior is best known for its imposing hilltop fort. Historically, it has been the capital of a number of dynasties that ruled Gwalior and their influence is seen in the many regal structures that dominate the cityscape. Gwalior’s medieval majesty is further seen in its unparalleled reputation in music ‘Sangeet’ retained over the years in Indian traditional and classical music. Legendary musicians Tansen and Baiju Bawara are said to have lived here. In fact, the Tansen Music Festival is an annual event held on his tomb in Gwalior. It also has a rich history in sports and the Wizard of Indian Hockey, Dhyan Chand, was also from Gwalior.
One of the most popular and sacred pilgrimage spots in India is Datia, an ancient town that finds mention in the ‘Mahabharata’ as ‘Daityavarka’. It is noted for its many beautiful temples and also referred to as ‘Laghu Vrindavan’. An astonishing confluence of Mughal and Rajput architecture, the 7-storeyed Datia Palace is adorned with arches, chhatris and oriel windows on the outside and Bundela paintings inside.
The historic town of Orchha, founded in the 16th century, has the most fascinating temples and palaces including the Laxminarayan Temple that exhibits a unique architectural style, which is mix of a fort and a temple. Also, the Ram Raja Temple here is the only place where Lord Ram is worshipped both as a God and as a King. The famous ‘Chhatris’ of Orchha are cenotaphs that were constructed in honour of its erstwhile rulers.
Known as the ‘Place of Many Wonders’, Chitrakoot has immense religious and mythological significance for it was in the deep forests of Chitrakoot that Lord Ram and Sita spent eleven of their fourteen years of exile. The Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are said to have taken their incarnation here.
Famous for its ancient temples with the finest art in the world, Khajuraho gets its name from the common date palm ‘Khajur’. The temples here display stunning sculptures and exceptional architecture making them a UNESCO Heritage Site.
The sacred island of Omkareshwar, naturally shaped like ‘Om’, the sacred Hindu symbol, is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas visited every year by pilgrims. The historic city of Burhanpur, on the banks of the Tapti river, with the Asirgarh Fort was known to be the gateway to southern India. Once an important outpost for the Mughals, Burhanpur has magnificent mosques, tombs and palaces that showcase Mughal life at its peak. It was originally the preferred location of the Taj Mahal and the ‘Hammamm’ or Royal Bath here was built exclusively for Begum Mumtaz Mahal. The ‘Jama Masjid’ is apparently the only mosque to contain Urdu and Sanskrit scripts.
Overall, the three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Madhya Pradesh are the Buddhist monuments at Sanchi (Stupa) that dates back to the 2nd and 1st century BC, Rock Shelters at Bhimbetka and the Khajuraho Group of Monuments have an extraordinary place in the history of Madhya Pradesh.
Madhya Pradesh – Wildlife & Adventure Destination
If you are an avid wildlife lover, then Madhya Pradesh is the place for an exhilarating holiday. The abundant wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and forests reserves in Madhya Pradesh are a treat for wildlife enthusiasts and adventure loving tourists. Besides being the ‘Tiger State’, Madhya Pradesh is also home to many wild animals in its 25 Wildlife Sanctuaries, 6 Tiger Reserves and 9 National Parks.This greatly increases the probability of seeing a tiger in Bandhavgarh or Kahna or Pench national parks. The historical region Rewa has been known as the land of white lions in the world while Madhai is the beautiful forest of Satpura.
The inspiration that led Rudyard Kipling to write the adventures of Sher Khan and Bagheera in the classic novel ‘The Jungle Book’ was the charm of Kanha, Pench and Panna National Parks. Bandhavgarh National Park has the highest density of the Royal Bengal tigers in India and the world. It is the perfect spot for you to visit to spot a tiger and trigger a sense of awe in you as few other experiences could.
Bandhavgarh, the land of tigers, is also a place of mythological and legendary significance. The nearly 2000-year-old, ancient Bandhavgarh Fort is believed to have been gifted by Lord Rama to his younger brother Lakshmana (‘Bandhav’ meaning brother and ‘garh’ meaning fort). Within the Fort are many inscriptions and rock paintings that also inspire great interest among visitors.
Madhya Pradesh – Film Tourism
Mandhya Pradesh has grown as a film tourism destination over the last few decades. From Dilip Kumar starrer ‘Aan’, India’s first colour movie (Nar Singh Garh district) in 1952 to recent Bollywood productions such as, Padman (Maheshwar), Stree (Bhopal), Sui Dhaga (Bhopal) and many others have involved film shooting at some of the most exquisite locations in the heart of India – Madhya Pradesh.
Delicacies
With a dose of nature, a tinge of culture mix and warm hospitality, Madhya Pradesh offers a plate full of mouth-watering delicacies. While the cuisine of the state varies regionally, the best ‘Poha’ or flattened rice can be enjoyed in all parts of Madhya Pradesh. ‘Bhopali Gosht Korma’, ‘Palak Puri’ and ‘Chakkiki Shak’ are widely famous. Savoury snacks famous from Madhya Pradesh include Dalmoth, Phalhari Potato Chiwra, KhattaMetthaChiwra and Khasta Kachori.
Different regions of Malwa are famous for their own specialities, but Mandu is famous for its’ ‘Bhaingan ka bharta’, Dal Bafla, and ‘Arbiki sabzi’.The famous dish which is popular in Bundelkhand is Bhutte Ka Khees made from ‘Bhutte’ which is corn.
Festivals
Significant state festivals are the ‘Khajuraho Festival of Dances’ and the ‘Tansen Music Festival’ that showcase various forms of Indian classical dance and music that attract audiences from India and the world.
The ‘Hanuwantiya Jal Mahotsav’ is an annual unique and amazing water festival celebrated in the largest reservoir in India – Indira Sagar Dam Hanumantiya island. It is a spectacle of land, air and water adventures combined with the luxurious tent city that celebrates food, art, nature, surprise and adrenalin.
The ‘Mandu Festival’ is an amalgamation of rural experiences with activities centred around village tourism in collaboration with the ‘host’ community. It showcases live concerts, art, culture, heritage, cuisine, adventure sportsand much more.
Pachmarhi, the Queen of Satpura, a mesmerizing hill station in Central India is host to the ‘Pachmarhi Utsav’ that are cultural evenings of folk art with artists of national and international fame.
‘Namaste Orchha Festival’is a celebration of cultural landscapes in Madhya Pradesh from all aspects. Held in Orchha, the only place in India where Lord Rama is worshipped as a King, the festival captures the best of art and craft, literature, history, heritage and cuisine.
Art& Handicrafts
Handicrafts lend a mysterious charm unique to Madhya Pradesh that radiate an aura, exhibit generations of workmanship, whisper painstaking craftsmanship and evoke an urgent desire to know more about the land and its colourful people. Works of terracotta, paintings, glass work, wood craft, basket and bamboo, papier mache, metal works, stone work, iron craft and also some fine art can be found across Madhya Pradesh.
Tribal art is an art form of Madhya Pradesh that combines different art forms like Mandana painting, Gond painting, Chitravan and Pana, Pithora painting, Thapa, Gudna motifs that bring out the essence of beautification and decoration of walls and floors of huts, for religious ceremonies with music and dance, hand-prints to protect from evil spirits and disease, and painting bodies of men and women.
‘Durrie’ weaving is a famous and admired craft of Madhya Pradesh essentially done my women clusters in the villages of Sironj, Jhabua, Raigarh and Jabalpur. Durries or floor coverings are usually handwoven in cotton and woollen fibres with patterns on kiln designs, geometrical traditional motifs and animal and human figures.
‘Bagh’ prints are trendy, cool and comfortable cloth that are unique hand block-printing using vegetable dyes. Traditionally, all Bagh printing was on cotton however, now ‘tussar’ silk, crepe and other fabrics also produce excellent results. Bagh layouts are dramatic and the production process remains painstaking and manual. Although the technique and designs of Bagh are age old, the prints retain their contemporary appeal.
The mighty marble rock art of Bhedaghat near Jabalpur gives new meanings to the lives of artisans here. Mostly shaped into intricate deities, ‘Sathrangee’ or seven coloured marble rocks are found in Bhedaghat. These are snow-white, golden, grey, blue-grey, pink, brown, and black.
‘Bharaikaam’ or ‘Dhokra’ is an art of moulding brass with the ancient technique of wax casting. Stunning metal figurines fashioned from bronze and copper alloys that can sometimes take months for making a single piece of this art form. Chanderi and Maheshwari sarees, fabrics with block prints, stuffed toys, floor coverings, durries, carpet weaving, leather toys and tribal jewellery are popular souvenirs from Madhya Pradesh.
