Indore is a city of rich cultural heritage. Being one of the biggest cities of its state, Indore has a noteworthy influence on the education, finance, business, trade, politics, technology and media of Madhya Pradesh. The city has also had a rich history since it has been ruled by a number of kings in pre-independence era. These rulers have gifted Indore with numerous historical monuments and holy places. The majesty of its architectural glory and historical enigma gets all its visitors spell bound.
Major Attractions in Indore
- Central museum – Also known popularly as the Indore Museum is a visual delight for all the lovers of history. Besides having the finest collection of medieval and pre-medieval Hindu and Jain sculptures, the museum is also a house to the great Parmar sculptures from Hinglajgarh. Bearing its origin in Indore itself, the Parmar style of sculptures are made up of stone and are a perfect depiction of proportioned figures with sophisticated ornamentation.
- Chhatris – A masterpiece of Maratha architecture, Chhatris are cenotaphs built up of stone. Situated on the banks of Khan River, these are memorials of Holkar rulers. History has it that Holkars were exemplary rulers who also enjoyed support and love of their people. These Chhatris had built up as a memoir of their greatness.
- Kanch Mandir – As revealed by its name, Kanch Mandir, located near Rajwada, is a temple made up entirely with glass and mirrors. Built-up by the cotton king ‘Sir Hukamchand Seth’ in early 20th century, this temple is also known as Seth Hukamchand Temple. This class piece of art is basically a Jain temple. The interiors of the temple are simply breathtaking. The cut glass chandeliers and delicate glass lanterns further intensify its beauty.
- Rajwada – Built about two hundred years ago, Rajwada is the ancient palace of the Holkars. The fact that this palace is seven storied itself reveals the greatness of talent and skills of Holkars. The lower three floors are made up of stone while the upper ones are made up of wood. A mix of Mughal, Maratha and French style of architecture, the palace stands beautifully still amidst the busy streets of Kajuri Bazar. Destructed by fire three times in history, now only a part of the structure has remained.
Other places of tourist interest in and around Indore
- Lalbagh Palace
- Bada Ganpati
- Gomatgiri
- PatalPani
- St. Anne’s Church
- Nehru Center
- Mahatma Gandhi Hall
- Khajuri Bazaar
- Sarafa Bazar
- Rani Roopmati Pavilion
- Chokhi Dhani etc.
Festivals and fairs
Apart from all the regular festivals that are celebrated throughout the country, there are a few festivals that are celebrated in Indore with special grandeur. One of them is Anant Chaudas, celebrated in September, in which effigies of Lord Ganesh are immersed in water. Another popular festival of Indore is Rangapanchami which is famous since the reign if Holkars on this place. Celebrated five days after Holi, lots of colors are mixed in water and poured on each other during this festival. Ahilya Utsav is another prominent festival of Indore which is devoted to remembrance of a valiant Holkar queen Devi Ahilyabai.
Best time to visit
Indore is a place of extreme climate with hot days and cold nights. Infact, the days are so hot in summers that the temperature can even rise to 45 degrees making sightseeing quite difficult while the nights are always cold irrespective of the temperatures during daytime. So the best time to visit Indore is between the months of October and March when the weather here is pleasant and just perfect for enjoying sightseeing through the city.
How to reach
By air – Indore has an airport of its own which has a good connectivity with other major cities of the country.
By train – Indore Junction Bg (INDB), Lakshmibai Nagar (LMNR), Indore Junction Mg (INDM), Lokmanya Nagar (LKMN), Fatehabad Chowk Junction (FTD), Rajendra Nagar (RJQ) are the railway stations of Indore. Regular trains ply to and from rest of India and the railway stations if Indore.
By road – Indore has a good connectivity with other towns and cities of the country by way of state and national highways namely NH3, NH59, NH59A, SH27 and 31. State transport buses are easily available for Indore from almost all the major cities. One can also hire a taxi or drive own vehicle to reach Indore.
