India Tours & Travel Packages

Tourism in States & Cities of India

Bhopal		Sanchi		Gwalior		Orchha		Khajuraho		Kanha National Park
		Ujjain		Indore		Bandhavgarh National Park

Bhopal

BHOPAL, CAPITAL OF MADHYA PRADESH, is fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, historicity and modern urban planning. It is situated on the site of an 11th century city, Bhojapat, founded by Raja Bhojapal. The founder of the existing city was, however, an Afghan soldier of fortune Dost Mohammed (1708-1740) Fleeing from Delhi in the chaotic period that followed Aurangzeb's death, Dost Mohammed encountered the beautiful Gond queen Kamlapati, who sought his aid after the murder of her consort. A charming legend relates how the queen would recline in a lotus that would drift across the lake on moonlit nights. The tow lakes of Bhopal still dominate the city, and are indeed its nucleus; along their shores stand silent sentinels that testify to the growth of a city. Bhopal today presents a multi-faceted profile; the old city with its teeming marketplaces and fine old mosques and palace still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former-rulers, among them the succession of powerful Begums who ruled Bhopal from 1819 to 1926. Equally impressive is the new city with-its verdant, exquisitely laid out parks and gardens, broad avenues and streamlined modern edifices.

Sight Seeing Places:

Taj-ul-Masjid , Juma Masjid , Moti Masjid, Shaukat Mahal , Bharat Bhawan and Roopankar, Shamla and Idgah Hills. Chowk, Upper and Lower Lake , Gandhi Bhavan, Van Vihar.

Tours:

Bhimbetka, Bhojpur, Chiklod, Dhelwadi, Islamnagar, Neori, Raisen, Sanchi, Vidisha, Ginnorgarh Fort.

Sanchi

Sanchi is a serene hill crowned by a group of stupas, monasteries, temples and pillars dating from 3rd Century BC to the 12th Century AD. The glory that was Sanchi, an ancient seat of Buddhist learning and place of pilgrimage, can still be experienced in its complex structures where many Buddhist legends found expression in the rich sculpture. The Buddha is not represented through figures at Sanchi, but through symbols, as was the tradition in the early period of Buddhism. The lotus represents the Buddha's birth, the tree signifies his enlightenment, the wheel represents his first sermon and the stupa represents his nirvana or salvation. The footprints and the throne denote the Buddha's presence.  Sanchi was virtually forgotten after the 13th Century until 1818, when General Taylor, a British Officer rediscovered it, half buried and well preserved. Later in1912, Sir John Marshal, Director General of Archaeology ordered the restoration work at the site. 

The best monuments in Sanchi are:-

The Great Stupa No.1, 36.5 Mtrs. in diameter and 16.4mtrs. high, it is one of the oldest stone structures in India. With a massive hemispherical dome, the Stupa stands majestically.  The paved procession path around it has become smooth by centuries of pilgrims' visit. Built originally as an earthen  stupa by the Emperor Ashoka, it was rebuilt in the 3rd and 2nd Centuries BC. The last of the additions to this remarkable stupa are the elaborate and richly carved four gateways or Toranas. The first of the four gateways to be erected was the one at the Southern Entrance, followed, in chronological order by the Northern, the Eastern and the Western Gateways.

The Southern Gateway reveals the birth of Gautam in a series of dramatically rich carvings. The Northern Gateway, crowned by a wheel of law, illustrates the miracle associated with the Buddha as told in the Jataka tales. 

The Eastern Gateway, depicts the young prince, Gautam, leaving his father's palace, renouncing worldly life to seek enlightenment. The inner face of the right pillar portrays the dream of Maya, the mother of Buddha, when she conceived him. 

The Western Gateway depicts the Seven incarnations of the Buddha, four represented by trees and three by stupas; the Buddha preaching his First sermon at the Deer Park, Sarnath and the Chhaddanta Jataka tale. 

Stupa No. 2, dating back to the 2nd Century BC, stands at the very edge of the hill and its most striking feature is the stone balustrade that surrounds it. 

Stupa No.3,  situated northeast of the Great Stupa is where the relics of Sariputra and Mahamogalana, the two famous disciples of the Buddha were found in its inner most chambers. The hemispherical dome is crowned, as a mark of its special religious significance, with an umbrella of polished stone. It has only one gateway. This  structure belongs to the period between 150-140 BC.

Ashoka Pillar, with its four lion head stump, erected during the 3rd Century BC, is situated close to the Southern Gateway of the Great Stupa. Though, similar to the intricately carved pillar in Sarnath, the lions did not support a "Wheel of Law" (Dharma chakra). A unique feature of this pillar is its brilliant polish. 

The Gupta Temple (4th Century AD), in ruins now, is one of the earliest known examples of temple architecture in India. It consists of a simple flat roofed chamber with a pillared porch in front.

Temple 18, a Chaitya Hall, situated in front of the Southern Gateway of the Great Stupa is comparatively recent (around 7th Century A.D.) resembles the rock-cut chaitya halls at Karia Caves in Maharashtra. The Monastery and Temple45,   built between the 7th and 11th Centuries, show more developed styles of architecture. On the ornamental doorway here, one can see the image of Buddha with an oval Halo. 

The Great Bowl, carved out of one block of stone, contained food that was distributed amongst the monks of Sanchi. 

The Archaeological Survey of India Museum, situated at the entrance to the monument, exhibits findings and remains of the excavated site. Among these are caskets, pottery, parts of gateways, lion capital of the Ashokan Pillar and images. 

Gwalior

In the northwest part of Madhya Pradesh lies Gwalior, well-known for its large and and old fort. Within the fort walls, several interesting palaces and ruins can be found. South of the fort lies the main market area, the Jayaji Chowk, which is the hub of the new town. The main tourist attractions are the archeological museum within the Gujri Mahal Palace; The Mansingh Palace, a delightfully whimsical building also known as the Chit Mandir or painted Palace; the Karan Palace; Sas-Bahu temple and Teli-Ka-Mandir. About 120 kms from Gwalior lies the old summer capital of Shivpuri, which is surrounded by a pleasant lake and a beautiful garden. 

Sight Seeing Places:

The Cenotaphs, Man Singh Mahal, Man Mandir Mahal, Gujari Mahal, Suraj Kund, Teli-ka-Mandir, Sas-Bahu Temple, Rani Jhansi Memoir, Tomb of Tansen, Ghaus Mohammad Tomb, Jai Vilas Mahal, Gandhiji Park, Gwalior Museum, Jivaji Rao Schindia Museum.

 

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Orchha

Orchha grandeur has been captured in stone, frozen in time; a rich legacy to the ages. For, on this medieval city, the hand of time has rested lightly and the palaces and temples built by its Bundela rulers in the 16th and 17th centuries retain much of their pristine perfection. Orchha was founded in the 16th century by the Bundela Rajput chieftain Rudra Pratap who choose this stretch of land along the Betwa river as an ideal site for his capital. Of the succeeding rulers, the most notable was Raja Bir Singh Ji Deo who built the exquisite Jehangir Mahal a tiered palace crowned by graceful. From here the view of soaring temple spires and cenotaphs is spectacular. Complementing the noble proportions of their exteriors are interiors which represent the finest flowering of the Bundela school of painting. In the Laxmi Narayan Temple, vibrant murals encompassing a variety of religious and secular themes, bring the walls and ceilings to rich life.Strewn around the area are little shrines and memorials, each with its own poignant history, each contributing to the nostalgic beauty that is Orchha

Sight Seeing Places:

Jehangir Palace, Raj Palace, Raj Praveen Palace, Ram Raja Mandir, Chaturbhuj Mandir, Laxmi Narayan Mandir, Phool Garden, Dinman Hardaul Mahal, Sunder Palace, Cenotaphs.

Tours -

DATIA : Datia is a railway station on the Delhi-Chennai main line. An ancient town, it has been mentioned in the Mahabharat as "Daityavakra". The main historical monument here is the seven-storied palace of Raja Bir Singh Ji Deo, built atop a hill with a splendid view over a lake. A temple with Mughal style frescoes and the Gopeshwar Temple are other attractions here. It is also a pilgrimage spot for devotees of Siddha Peeth Shri Peetambara Devi. 

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Khajuraho

The temple of Khajuraho are superb examples of Indo-Aryan architecture, with decorations of exceedingly fine art and artistic stonework. The sculptures around the temple depict many aspect of Indian life a thousand years ago; gods and goddesses, warriors and musicians, real and mythological animals. But two elements appear over and over again in greater detail than the rest; women and sex. Stone figures and apsaras or celestial 'maidens' appear on every temple. In between are the mithuna couples running through a whole Kama Sutra of positions. The temples were built during the Chandela period between the 10th and 11th centuries and their remoteness helped to preserve them from destruction at the hands of Muslim invaders of the later centuries. Originally there were 85 Mandirs, of which only 22 still exist. These magnificent temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and the Jain Tirthankaras. The three main regions are the entrance (ardhamandapa), assembly hall (mandapa), and the actual sanctum (garbha griha). The Mandirs are grouped into three geographical divisions: western, eastern and southern.

 

Sight Seeing Places:

Eastern Group Of Temples, Western Group of Temples, Southern Group of Temples, Archeological Museum.

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Kanha National Park

Kanha's Sal and bamboo forests, rolling grasslands and meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic natural splendour. This is original Kipling country, of which he wrote so vividly in his Jungle Book. The same abundance of wildlife species exists today in Kanha National Park, which forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only habitat of the rare hard ground Barasingha (Cereus Duvaceli Brander),In the 1930s, the Kanha area was divided into two sanctuaries: Hallon and Banjar, of 250 sq km and 300 sq kms each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded, the area remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the years that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952.By a special statute in 1955, Kanha National Park came into being. Since then, a series of stringent conservation programme for the protection of the park's flora and fauna has given Kanha its deserved reputation for being one of the finest and best administered National Parks in Asia, an irresistible attraction for all wildlife lovers and a true haven for its animal and avian population.

Fauna:

The animals found here are Tiger, Bison, Gaur, Sambar, Chital, Barasinghe, Barking Deer, Black Deer, Black Buck, Chou Sihgha, Blue Bull, Mouse Deer, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Fox, Porcupine, Hyena, Jungle Cat, Python, Pea fowl, Hare, Monkey, Mongoose, Leapord etc.

Birds:

Storks, Teals, Fly Catchers, Spur Fowl, Pintails, potted Parakeets, Partridges, Pond Herons, Ring Doves, Egrets, Warblers, Peacock, Cuckoos, Pea Fowl, Jungle Fowl,  Quails, Bee Eater, Green Pigeons, Rock Pigeons, Papihas, Rollers, Hoopoes, Drongos,  King Fishers, Wood Peckers, Finches, Orioles, Owls.

 

 

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Ujjain

UJJAIN is the modern name of UJJAYINI. Legend has it that the God-like king Shiva of Avanti commemorated his victory over the demon-ruler of Tripura or Tripuri on the banks of the Narmada by changing the name of his capital, Avantipura, to Ujjayini (one who conquers with pride). The magnificence and the awesome spectacle of the bathing ritual at the Simhastha defy description. Beginning on the full moon day in Chaitra (April), it continues into Vaishakha (May), until the next full moon day. Ujjain turns, amidst a riot of colors, into an India in miniature. Ujjain lay on the main trade route between north India and Deccan going from Mathura via Ujjain to Mahismati (Maheshwar) .on the Narmada, and on to Paithan on the Godavari, and western Asia and the West. The northern black polished ware the NBP as it is often called which is technically the finest pottery of the time, with a brilliantly burnished dressing almost of the quality of a glaze in color from jet black to a deep grey or a 'metallic blue and iron, found their way to the northern Deccan from the Gangetic plains through Ujjain. The articles of export to western Asia such as precious stones and pearls, scents and spices, perfumes, silks and muslin, reached the port of Brighukachcha from the remote north through Ujjain. All this finds a detailed and interesting description in the Periplus of the Eritrean Sea, an account of an unknown Greek merchant who made a voyage to India in the second half of the first century AD. The Periplus talks of a city called Ozene to the east of Barygaza (Broach) which fed all commodities of trade like onyx, porcelain, fine muslins, coloured muslins and quantities of ordinary cottons, spikenard, costus bodellium to this important port and to other parts of India.

Sight Seeing Placest:

Bharatahari Cave, Gopal Temple, Obbservatory, Kailadah Mahal, Mahakali Mandir, Sandi Pani Ashram, Shipra Ghat, Vikram Museum.

Tours:

Agar, Devas, Maksi, Nagada

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Indore

Indore, a busy industrial and trading centre, is located in the western part of Madhya Pradesh. Rajwada or old palace, overlooks the main square in the crowded streets of the Kajuri Bazaar. The chattris or memorial tombs of the region's former rulers on the banks of the River Khan are the other places of interest. Excursions include Mandu, one of the most interesting palaces in central India and known as the 'city of joy' with relics of the romance of Baz Bahadur and Rupmati; Ujjain, a holy city of the Hindus, with a long and distinguished history and an ancient centre of learning; Onkareshwar, an island in the Narmada river and the site of many famous Hindu and Jain temples. Planned and built by Rani Ahilyabai, the brave Holkar queen, Indore lies to the extreme west of Madhya Pradesh on the banks of the rivers Saraswati and Khan which unite at the centre of the city. Indore derives its name from the 18th century Indreshwar Mandir. The history of Indore is inseparable from the history of the Holkar State. The founder of the House of Holkars was Malhar Rao Holkar, born in 1693 AD. Ahilya Bai was one of the foremost Maratha personalities and an extraordinary woman ruler of India. She was the rare Indian royalty who was deified in her lifetime. Though Ahilya Bai loved Indore immensely, it was only after her death that the State capital was shifted from Maheshwar to Indore in 1811 AD. Today, her statue adorns the centre of the city, Rajwada.

 

Sight Seeing Places:

Lalbaug Palace, Annapurna Temple, Kendriya Sangrahalaya, Chhatri Bagh, Gita Bhavan,  Bada Ganapati,   Kanchi Mandir or Hukumchands Temple, Juna Rajwada,

Tours:

Bagh Caves, Ujjain, Mandu, Maheshwar, Omkareshwar.

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Bandhavgarh National Park

A wildlife retreat, where history and nature meet, Bandhavgarh National Park is not far from Kanha. Set amidst the Vindhyan ranges, the park has a series of ridges running through it. Initially just 105.40 sq km in area, Bandhavgarh with 25 resident tigers, was noted for its high density tiger population. Today, it has been extended to an area of 437 sq km. About half the park is covered with fine stands of sal, while mixed forests are found in the higher reaches of the hills. Stretches of bamboo and grasslands extend to the north. The main viewing area is still in the core of the park with its 32 picturesque wooded hills. An ancient fort up on a precipice, 800 meters high, dominates the Park. Bandhavgarh history goes back 2000 years in time and the earliest signs of habitation can be seen in the caves excavated from the cliffs to the north of the fort. Brahmin inscriptions here, date back to the 1st century BC. A hunting reserve of the royal family of Rewa in more recent times, Bandhavgarh was declared a Park in 1968. This is where the famous white tigers of Rewa were discovered. Wandering through the Park on elephant back, the chances of seeing a tiger are quite good. Also to be seen here are Nilgai, Chausingha, chital, chinkaras, wild boar and sometimes a fox or jackal. Other habitants of the Park include the jungle cat, hyena, porcupine, the rhesus macaque and the black faced langur. About 150 species of bird are also found here and include the migratory birds that arrive in winter like the steppe eagle and various water-birds. It is possible to climb up to the Bandhavgarh fort for a breathtaking bird's eye view of the Park and there is also small population of black buck that lives here, protected from the predators below.

 

Fauna:

Tigers, Panther, Leopard, Bear, Wild Bison, Chital, Sambhar, Nilgai, Chinkara, Chowsingha, Barking deer, Wild Pig, Hyena, Porcupine.

Birds:

Peacock, Paradise fly catchers, Jungle Fowl, Golden and Black headed Orioles, Yellow Ioras, Red-vented Bulbuls, Blue Jays, Purple Sunbirds, Green Barbets and Mynahs.

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Mandu

Mandu is a celebration in stone of life and joy, love of the poet-prince Baz Bahadur for his beautiful consort, Rani Roopmati. The balladeers of Malwa still sing the romance of these royal lovers, and high up on the crest of a hill, Roopmati's pavilion still gazes down at Baz Bahadur's palace, a magnificent expression of Afghan architecture. Perched along the Vindhyan ranges at an altitude of 2,000 feet, Mandu, with its natural defence, was originally the fort-capital of the Parmar rulers of Malwa. Towards the end of the 13th century, it came under the sway of the Sultans of Malwa, the first of whom renamed it Shadiabad - the City of Joy. And indeed, the pervading spirit of Mandu was of gaiety; and its rulers built exquisite palaces like the Jahaz and Hindola Mahals, ornamental canals, baths and pavilions, as graceful and refined as those times of peace and plenty. Each of Mandu's structures is an architectural gem; some are outstanding like the massive Jama Masjid and Hoshang Shah's Tomb, which provided inspiration for the master builders of the Taj Mahal centuries later. Under Mughal rule Mandu was a pleasure resort, its lakes and palaces the scenes of splendid and extravagant festivities. And the glory of Mandu lives on, in its palaces and mosques, in legends and songs chronicled for posterity.

 

Sightseeing

Mandu which has over 40 monuments to choose from. For convenience, these are divided into three broad groups: the Central Village Group, the Royal Enclave Group, and the Rewa Kund Group. You can easily spend all day in Mandu, wandering in and out of palaces, beauty of the Champa Baoli, the former baths, the huge 15th-century Jama Masjid, the finest example of Afghan architecture in India. Then there are the beautiful Jahaz Mahal, where the architectural illusion is completed by the two surrounding lakes; Hindola Mahal, or swing palace; the  Baz Bahadur’s Palace, Roopmati Pavilion; and Hoshang Shah’s Tomb, the final resting place of the founder of Ghauri Dynasty.

 

 

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