INDORE Location : North Western Part of MP Popular As : Industrial Town of Madhya Pradesh Major Attraction : Kanch ka Mandir (Glass Temple) Established By : Raja Bhoj

Bhopal Sanchi Taj Residency

Gwalior Khajuraho Cuisine

Mandu Pachmarhi

Indore - The Industrial Town

Indore is a city of the Holker queen, also the most upcoming Industrial town of the state. Assimilated as being mini Mumbai, this city of Madhya Pradesh lies at the bank of Narmada River valley in the western part of the state. The most scared scenic spot inside the megalopolitan is the conflux of the river Saraswati and Khan. Housing the 18th century Indreshwar temple, Indore town draws its name from this scared temple. Indore is rich in heritage and their monuments as well as temples are very renowned. There are multitudinous tourist stops that you must relish. Include Indore into your travel itinerary, to know the culture and heritage that is concealed in the monumental heritage that resides in the city.

History Says it All

• History

The history of Indore is riveting as it was the city that was officially established very late in history. When the behemoth American colonies of the were busy with exonerating them from the English clutches, then in India, rose the Holker dynasty under the leadership of Malhar Rao Holkar.

Due to the early death of his son, the king esteemed his daughter - in - law, Ahilya Bai to take over the crown and thus she rose to become the most revered ruler in the chronology of history. It was her rule that helped Indore to quirk. However, after her demise, the throne came under the the commander of her armies Tukoji Rao Holkar and in the year 1818, like the other parts of the state, this city too came under the rule of the British. Though India became independent, but still in Indore the progeny of the Holker family, is still existent and people revere them as kings and queens.
The Maratha and British culture has cuddled this city and as a result a great British and Marathi impact is very much evident. You must visit this land to know more about the brave history of this city, who was ruled by a queen during the times when dogmatism was at its prime.

Major Attractions - The Drawing Cards of Indore

Holiness in the lap of the Holker Land

• Pilgrim Destinations

Indore is extolled due to the presence of the most eminent temple of the city, Indreshwar temple, that was built in the year 1741 and is also the apologia behind the name Indore. You must take a tour of Indore to enjoy the holy centers that it has in store for you.
You should see the hub for the Jain pilgrims in form of the Kanch Mandir or Seth Hukanchand Temple . The heteroclitic ingredient that makes this temple very exclusive is the use of glass cutting in its construction. The Jain king,Sir Hukamchand, who is also noted as the Cotton king, constructed this beautiful temple during the 20th century. You must closely observe the brilliancy of the coloured glasses that have been cumulative from the various parts of the world, like Italy and Europe. The items worth noticing are the Chinese lantern type colored glass, and cut glass chandeliers. Once inside the premise cognizance the presence of numerous glass paintings that are fantastic. There are also decorative Jain sculptures that the kept inside the temple.
Another very venerated temple for the Hindus is the Bada Ganapati, that was built in the year 1875. More than the religious reasons, this temple is famous for the colossal statue of Lord Ganesha (Hindu God), that inhabit this temple. The 25 feet high orange colored statue which is the largest of its kind in the world. You must visit this temple during the Ganesh Chaturhi festival when this temple is kindled with the flames of joy and donation. A lot of wealth is lavishly spent and the poor and needy are bequest with clothes and food. Khajrana is another important Ganesh temple that is revered by the Hindus of the city. It is said that whatever you wish here will be fulfilled, so do not forget trying your luck here.
The Gita Bhavan, the Annapurna temple, Bijasen Tekri (a hilltop picnic spot and a ideal point to see Indore at night), and Gomtagiri Jain temples are other places worth your visit.

Monuments Express a Sense of Nostalgia

• Monuments

In fact the monumental heritage of Indore comprises of the palaces that have a special significance in the cultural upbringing of the city. The foremost eye catching monuments will be the humongous palaces that soar high up to great heights and cite the consummate example of the Georgian and French influence.
You must visit the Laal Bagh Palace that is encompassed by a beautiful garden that fosters some very rare flowers. This was the residence of the early Holker kings and the objects in the palace show a clear resemblance to the time of kingship. There is also a pool in the middle of the palace and you should see the exotic statue of the mermaid in the middle. Sprawling on an area of 28 acres it homes some of the exquisite paintings and one must definitely observe the articles that are the redolent of the times bygone.
Want to get lost in the intricacies of the styles of architecture, then come to the Raj Wada Palace that reflects a flush integration of French, Mughal and Maratha style that fuses in perfect synchrony without seeming cacophonous even for a teeny weensy moment. This palace soars high up to seven storey, though most of it had been dilapidated due to the burning inferno of 1984. However, whatever is left is enough to hook you to the city. Notice the huge craved and iron hold fast archways of the entrance. Built around two hundred years ago, this palace has survived to its best. An inside view of the palace will demonstrate to you the age old heirlooms, furniture, four poster beds, and chandeliers that are eloquent of the grandeur of the kings and queens.
Get some cool air under the umbrage of the 14 Chhatris, were the tombs that were built to commemorate the dead rulers of the Holkar dynasty. Their location near the River Khan is also idyllic and you will also find a palace here. Do not miss visiting the tomb of Bolia Sahib, in whose memory the most splendid Chhatri was constructed.

Museums - Mnemonic of the Holkar Absolutism

Your trip will definitely not reach the climax of the tour, until you chew the fat in these museums that will not only confront you with history, but also will offer a sense of contentment of you being a aprt of it more than being a spectator.
The Indore Museum houses a grand collection of the pre medieval and medieval collection of items that will surely lure you. Located near the main post office, here you must see the Parmar sculptures from Hinglajgarh. Besides these you can also have a fair look at the old coins and a good collection of arms and armors.
Want to see more of the holker belongings, come to the Central Museum, that houses some of the possessions of the various kings and his nobles. This museum was built in the year 1929 and has many artifacts that were accumulated from the Malwa regions. You must visit this museum as it will give you a real and genuine picture of the customs of the Holker rulers and their dynasty.
Get into the army mood at the Bijasen Tekri, a guest house of the Holkars which now has been converted into a border security arms museum. There is also a temple and once you are there, you should no miss having a view of the sunset from there.

Unbound Allurements of the Indore City

There are some other tourist points that you must sojourn before you leave the city. Town Hall is another stopover that was renamed from King Edward Hall to Mahatama Gandhi Hall in 1948. made in the Indo  Gothic style of architecture, its highlight is the for faced clock that has also earned the name of being a Ghanta ghar. A regular host for various competitions there is a library, children's parka and a temple, that you must see.
You should see the 21 feet statue of Lord Gomateshwar ( Jain deity), Gomatgiri and also has 24 marble temples with shilars for each tirthankar. Do not miss Gita Bhavan, that showcases sculptures that belong to many religions. Want to so some picnicking around then go to the Kamala Nehru Park, a zoo cum park that has attractions like the elephant rides, camel rides, pony rides, goat cart and buggy rides. Another popular picnic resort is the Sukh Niwas that was once a historical building.

Shopping - A Leisure in Indore

• Shopping

Handicrafts are the true reflection of the Indore culture so make sure you carry those lilliputian items that serve the purpose of ideal souvenirs. Enjoy a stroll around the Jail road and Top Khana road to have the best transactions of tribal tokens and paper mache products as well as terracotta idols. Want to treat yourself with some ethnic and chic jewelery, go to the Badda Sarafa road and Chotta Sarafa road that offer good and intricately carved jewelery and also have got eating points. Feel like dressing yourself in some silk and satin then go to the Maharaja Tukuganj Cloth Market. Here you can buy zari and zardosi work clothes and dress materials. For exclusive cloth shopping go to Sitlamata and MT cloth market, while for art and crafts of Madhya Pradesh head towards the Marothia Bazaar. You should not omit the chance of buying some exquisite glass bangles and leather toys. In a nut shell Indore is the perfect place where you can indulge in excellent shopping.

Getting There - Disembarking in Indore

This Mini Mumbai, is easily accessible from the major areas of the country. Having a domestic airport by the name of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar, this city is very well connected to to Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Jaipur, Nagpur, Raipur, and Bhopal. Indian Airlines, Jet Airways, Kingfisher, JetLite, travel vacillate from Indore. The airport is a also avail facilities that will allow you to use your laptop.
Various railhead also connect Indore to almost all the parts of the country. Trains maneuver from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Trivandrum, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jammu, Jaipur, Lucknow, etc. Indore is also connected to the rest of the country with good network of roads. The Agra Bombay National Highway 3 passes through Indore while National Highway 86 passes via Ahmedabad. You can also employ the buses that cover the distance of Indore daily from all the minor towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh.