Madhya Pradesh or the “Heart of India” is a home to rich culture, flora and fauna, precious heritage, National parks, dense forests, mountain ranges, palaces, temples, etc. Almost one-third of the state is under forest cover flaunts richest wildlife reserves in the whole country. Its panoramic beauty attracts a huge number of tourists worldwide.
Places which are must visit be every tourist
Khajuraho is quite popular for 25 intricately carved temples which were built between the 8th and 9th century CE by the Chandela dynasty and falls under UNESCO World Heritage Site. Orchha exhibits peaceful village life with an alluring medieval legacy in stone rising over the plains of Bundelkhand. Betwa river, Royal Cenotaphs, Palace Complex, Chatturbhuj Temple, etc. are some of the popular places to visit in Orchha. Bandhavgarh National Park invites all safari lovers to enjoy the rare view of our National animal tiger and is also a home to many wildlife species like deer with spots, sloth beer, chinkaras, nilgai, chowsingha, jackal, langur, hyena etc. Sanchi, one of the primary places of Buddhist pilgrimage has monuments from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th CE. Emperor Ashoka created the first Great Stupa.
Mandu is famous for its fine and intricate architecture in the Malwa region of MP. This ruined city consists of a huge number of forts, temples, palaces, and monuments. Some of the popular destinations in Mandu are Baz Bahadur’s Palace, Jahaz Mahal, Asharfi Mahal, Jami Masjid, and Rani Roopmati Pavillion etc. The bamboo forests of Kanha National Parks werean inspiration to Rudyard Kipling’s novel ‘Jungle Book’ is a home for tigers, leopards, sloth beers, wild dogs, and barasinghas. Jeep safaris, birding, and elephant safaris are quite famous here.
Gwalior or ‘Key to Indostan’ by Warren Hastings is now the seat of the Scindia royal family. The Gwalior Fort was described as ‘the pearl amongst fortresses in India’ by the Mughal Emperor Babur. Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh, is a mixture of an old city with narrow alleys, old Havelis, beautiful palaces, crowded markets and new well-planned colonies. Things to see and do in Bhopal consist of Moti Masjid, Taj-ul-Masjid, Lakes, Manav Sanghralaya (Museum of Mankind), Bhimbetka caves, Jama Masjid etc.
Nightlife in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh is a developing economy and has several options for entertainment that includes movie halls, pubs, lounges, bars, discos, amusement parks, theaters, festivals, etc. to cater the wide range of visiting tourists. Discotheques are located in major cities and reputed towns of Madhya Pradesh where renowned DJ’s play new, old, remix foreign songs for crowd entertainment. Most of the discos are strict about their rules and regulations and do not permit children below 18 years of age. For the complete comfort of the people snacks, beverages, alcohols are also being served in some of the discotheques.
Food which you must taste in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh displays varieties of cuisines and mouth-watering traditional dishes which are blend of different cultures. Some of the must try food and sweet dishes of this state are jalebi, mawa bati, malpua, chakki ki shak, palak puri, Bhopali gosht korma, Bhutte ka kees, seekh kebabs, daal bafla, poha, lavang lata, kusli, baflas, pilaf with peas etc. Bhopal food is rich and heavy and shows strong Muslim food influence. A normal Bhopali plate would consists of a variety of breads, rice dishes, and curries of mutton, chicken, and fish all cooked with a strong flavor of onions, garlics, spices in ghee. Marathas food consists of fresh coconut, pulses and vegetables and are low-fat and low-spiced. In between these opposite cuisine cultures, Indore flaunts 56 commercial eating outlets and restaurants. You can even enjoy European, Chinese’s, and American fast foods.
Hotels in Madhya Pradesh
All the prime cities of the state offer best places and hotels to stay which are in accordance with your requirements and budget. There are many online portals available these days where you can simply log in and can acquire a luxurious room in five-star hotels or a budget-friendly accommodation in some decent guest house or hotels. Make sure you book your hotel rooms in advance during tourist season to avoid a hike in prices.
Getting Around in Madhya Pradesh
The private companies and national domestic airline services are available in the state and cities like Bhopal, Indore, Khajuraho, and Gwalior have their own airports which are connected to other major Indian cities. In road infrastructure, most of the cities and towns are well connected with National and state highways. The distances between cities are not very large and important roads are well-maintained for travelers with eating outlets, and shops on roadsides. The railway’s network consisting of superfast and express trains connects all the places within Madhya Pradesh to each other as well as with other states and cities. Bhopal and Gwalior fall in the center of the main line and connects north and south India. Almost all the trains pass through these cities.
Best time to visit Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal exhibits pleasant climate to enjoy all the time in a year. Places like Indore, Gwalior, Mandu, and Jabalpur are very hot during summer months approx. 40°- 42° Celsius. In between October to March visiting MP can be considered best. If you are planning to enjoy wildlife and go for safari trips, different National parks have different best time for visiting. For example, Bandhavgarh between November and June, February to June for Kanha National Park. The parks are normally closed during monsoon months i.e. from July to October.