Indore is one of the most commercial cities in India and is the center of trade and commerce in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Until 1956, it was the summer capital city. It has traces of Holkar dynasty of the seventeenth century. Indore is regarded as a growing city and is extremely well planned. Most of the metros in India derive inspiration from its transportation services, especially its efficient bus service and town planning.
There are beautiful temples and architectural wonders here that is a hallmark of the glorious times of the Marathas and the Mughal era. The forts, temples and other architectural structures make for a splendid view.
History:
Indore was a land of zamindars or land owners. Baji Rao Peshwa finally received the Viceroyalty of Malwa in 1743 A.D., and was bound by a treaty forbidding him from ever infringing upon the rights of Zamindars. Malhar Rao Holkar- the chief zamindar- was one of the four signatories who guaranteed the proper fulfillment of the conditions. Upon victory the Peshwas appointed Malhar Rao Holkar as a “Subhedar”, which marked the beginning of Holkars' reign in Malwa. Indore then came to be ruled by the Maratha Maharajas of the Holkar dynasty.
The temperature varies widely. Summer can be very hot as the temperatures rises up to 40 degrees C and the winter is equally cold-about 2 to 3 degrees C. The best time to visit Indore is anytime between October and March.
The Indian Rupee (INR) is the acceptable form of currency here.
Indore is well connected to other parts of Madhya Pradesh and India through national and state highways. There are some major highways which pass through Indore and connect it to some major cities. They are: the Agra-Bombay national highway (NH3), NH59 to Ahmedabad to the West and to the East to Betul, Itarsi and Bhopal by a state highway. The city is connected to the Khandwa town by the Khandwa Toll Road, towards the south of the city. In the North-West, the city is connected to the holy city of Ujjain via the Ujjain Road. There are bus services to and from all major and minor cities near Indore, the prominent ones being Bhopal, Barwani, Khandwa, Ujjain, Dewas, Shajapur, Dhar, Ratlam, Khargoan, Jhabua and Agar.
Train Travel
Regular train services connect Indore to most parts of the country. There are direct trains to Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata (Howrah), Chennai, Trivandrum, Ahmedabad, Pune, Jammu, Jaipur, Lucknow, Bhopal, Nagpur, Patna and other major towns. The Indore junction is the main station in the city. Four other small stations, Rajendra Nagar, Lokmanya Nagar, Saifee Nagar and Lakshmibai Nagar provide short distance services to nearby towns and villages.
Source: wikipedia
All national festivals, Diwali, Holi, Eid-ul-Fitr, Rakhi and other local ones like Nag-Panchmi, Ahilya Utsav, Ganesh Utsav, Garba (Navratri Utsav), Dussehara, Durga Puja are celebrated with zeal. During festivals, fairs and shows are organized.
Janapao Temple: This ancient temple is located on the Agra- Mumbai Highway. The temple is on top of a hill in the village of Kuti. It is about 16 kms away from Mhow Cantonment.
Rajwada: It is a seven storied palace built during the Holkar era. The Kings' residence was rebuilt recently to its original glory by Maharani Ushadevi Holkar.
Lal Bagh Palace: It is a beautiful palace spread across 200 acres of land. It is now a museum and one can see the artifacts of the Holkar era.
Sitlamata Falls: These beautiful water falls are located in the tiny village of Manpur which is part of Mhow Tehsil and is 25 kms from Mhow. There is a temple in a cave here. It was in this cave that the English residents inIndore were kept safely by the Bhil tribals during the 1857 uprising by Indian troops.
Kajligarh: Nearly 20 km towards Khandwa, it is a very small old ruined fort situated near a beautiful valley and also has a small waterfall.
The Indore Zoo
The Central Museum
Kaanch Mandir (Temple of Glass)
Where To Stay:
Since Indore is a major cultural and commercial center, there are many hotels and restaurants here. The range of accommodation varies from inexpensive lodges and budget hotels to luxury 5 star hotels.
Where To Eat:
Indore is famous for its cuisine. Sweets and Namkeen (tasty salted snacks - a typical Indian preparation) of Indore are famous all over India. Sarafa (market near Rajwada) and Chappan Dukan (56 shops) are the two well known gourmet hangouts of the city. A special dish of the Malwa region, including Indore, is the Daal Bafle.
Indore is known for its wide variety of "Namkeens", Gujarati and Indochinese food restaurants, and Bengali sweets.
Shopping:
Indore is also known for its leather toys, Maheshwari & Chanderi sarees. There is a lot of zari work coming out of Madhya Pradesh, and the Maheshwari sarees have particularly gained in popularity of late. Besides the fabrics, there is a variety of local carving crafts to choose from in Indore. Try the Mrignayni Showroom: Behind Gujarati Girl's college, it is MP government's exclusive handicraft store.
Ujjain[55 kms]: It is an ancient city of central India, in the Malwa region of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, on the eastern bank of the Kshipra River. In theancient times the city was called Ujjayini. As per the famous Indian epic Mahabharata, Ujjayani was the capital of Avanti Kingdom. It has been the first meridian of longitude for Hindu geographers since the 4th century BC. It is one of the seven sacred cities of the Hindus, and the Kumbh Mela religious festival is held there every twelve years.
Khandwa[113 kms]: Khandwa is a town in the Nimaad region of Madhya Pradesh. It is an ancient town, with many places of worship, like many other towns in India. Here one can find some of the most beautifully styled Hindu and Jain temples.
Kajligarh: Nearly 20 km towards Khandwa, it is a very small old ruined fort situated near a beautiful valley and also has a small waterfall.
Mandu, around 100 km from Indore is a good weekend getaway. see Jahaz Mahal, Rani Roopmati Mahal, Baj Bahadur Mahal
Omkareshwar (90 km on the Khandwa road) - One of the 12 Joytirlings
