The Heart of India, Madhya Pradesh, is one of the highest tourists attracted states in India with four of the major UNESCO declared World Heritage Sites. The state of Madhya Pradesh is the second largest (area-wise) state in India and has some of the most fascinating historical monuments worth watching. According to several archaeological excavations and research, this state is said to be a major city during the sixth century BCE or the second wave of Indian urbanization. Madhya Pradesh has seen the reign of several huge dynasties including Avanti Mahajanpadas, Muryans, Mughals, and the Marathas. This state has always been famous for national as well as international tourists for various attractions such as Khajuraho Temples, Bhimbetka Caves, Gwalior Fort, Amarkantak, Sanchi, Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Parks.
Major Cities in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal: This city is the capital of Madhya Pradesh and one of the worth visiting places in this state. Bhopal owns several archaeological sites, old palaces and mosques. This city is also commonly known as “The City of Lakes”, as it holds several natural as well as artificial lakes. The city of Bhopal is said to be founded by the King Bhoja of the Paramara Dynasty during 1000 – 1055 CE. A temple constructed by King Bhoja still exists at Bhojpur, which is situated twenty-eight kilometres from Bhopal. The major tourist attractions of this city include Lakshmi Narayan Temple, Kalighat Temple, Gufa Mandir, Manua Bhan Ki Tekri, Taj-ul-Masajid, Jama Masjid, Moti Masjid, Purana Qila, Bharat Bhavan, Upper Lake, Van Vihar National Park, Manav Sanghralay, Museum of Natural History, and New Market.
Gwalior: The great Gwalior Fort is what one remembers when thinking of this city. The fort and the city were founded by Raja Man Singh Tomar of the Tomar Dynasty in the eighth century. Since then the city has seen several dynasties such as the Mughals, Marathas, Lakshmi Bai, Tatya Tope, and then the British. The major attractions of Gwalior include the Gwalior Fort, Teli ka Mandir, Jain rock-cut sculptures, Gurudwara Data Bandi, Maharaj Bada, Gopachal Parvat, Tomb of Rani Lakshmibai, Sher Shah Mandir, Jai Vilas Palace Museum, Jivaji Rao Scindia Museum, Gujari Mahal Archaeological Museum, Municipality Museum, Sun Temple, Jai Vilas Mahal, Shyam Vatika, Chatrri of Scindias, Tansen’s Tomb, Gaus Mohammad Tomb, and Gwalior Trade Fair.
Indore: The city of Indore has had its own importance since olden times and serves as a central hub between Delhi and Deccan. This city has seen several reigns including that of Mughals, Marathas, Nizams, and other rulers. Indore is an important pilgrim and cultural destination in Madhya Pradesh as well as India. Thus, the city has several worth visiting pilgrim destinations like Gurudwara Imli Sahib, Gurudwara Paduka Betma Sahib, Annapurna Mandir, Khajrana Ganesh Mandir, Bada Ganpati, Gommat Giri, Kanch Mandir, and many others. The other major tourist attractions of this city include Rajwada, Lal Bagh Palace, Krishnapura Chhatri, Central Museum, Chokhi and Nakhrali Dhani, Tafreeh Garden, Paatal Paani Waterfall, Sitala Mata Falls, Choral Falls, and the Shell City.
Ujjain: The presence of this city can be dated back to the Mahabharata period. Ujjain was the capital city of the then Avanti Kingdom since the fourth century BCE and has been a prime meridian for Hindu geographers. The city of Ujjain is thus a holy city for Hindus and is considered one of the seven sacred Hindu cities. The city has several pilgrims and other tourist attractions such as the Kal Bhairav Temple, Jantar Mantar, Vikrant Bhairav Shrine, Gadkalika Temple, Vikram Kirti Mandir Museum, Chintaman Ganesh Temple, Ankapata, Bhartrihari Caves, Chaubis Khamba Temple, Kalideh Palace, Gopal Mandir Temple, and Siddha Ashram.
Jabalpur: The city has been the centre of the Kalchuri and Gond dynasties and has also experienced the reign of the Mughals and Maratha kingdoms. This city is one of the historically rich and prosperous places in India which offers a wide range of tourist destinations. Some of the must-visit destinations in Jabalpur include Marble rocks at Bhedaghat, Dhuandhar Waterfalls, Chausath Yogini which means Sixty-four female yogis, Lametta Ghat, Tilwara Ghat, Rani Durgavati Memorial and museum, Bargi Dam, Shaheed Smarak, D.B.Vallabdas Palace, Madan Mahal Bastion, Balancing Rocks, Sangram Sagar, Bhajan Math, Khandari Water Works, Bandhavgarh National Park, Kanha National Park, Beohar house, Pench National Park, and the Beohar Sarovar.
Must Visit Tourist Attractions in Madhya Pradesh
Khajuraho: This place is one of the UNESCO declared World Heritage Sites and a must-visit tourist attraction in the state of Madhya Pradesh. The site of Khajuraho includes a group of monuments and temples famous for their stone-carved erotic sculptures. These monuments and temples are also considered one of the seven wonders of India. The other attractions of Khajuraho include Kandariya Mahadev Temple, Lakshmana Temple, Adinath Temple, Devi Jagadamba Temple, Parsvanath Temple, Jain Museum, Shantinath Temple, Archaeological Museum of Khajuraho, and many other sites.
Sanchi: This is another World Heritage Site declared by the Archaeological Survey of India and is well known for its Stupas. The Stupas are dome-shaped monuments that were formed to represent love, trust, peace, and courage. The monuments date back to the third century BCE and are considered one of the oldest stone structures in India. Some of the other tourist attractions of Sanchi include Udaygiri Caves, Ashoka Pillar, Eastern Gateway, Buddhist Vihara, Gupta Temple, and the Great Bowl. Sanchi is one of the must-visit tourist attractions which will definitely give you life experiences.
Bhimbetka: The site of Bhimbetka is famous for its Stone Age rock paintings. The place is said to be the shelter of the earliest traces of human life in India, which can be dated back to 100,000 years. The paintings are said to be from the Paleolithic Age and are approximately around 30,000 years old. The paintings from these caves can be categorized on the basis of periods such as upper palaeolithic, mesolithic, chalcolithic, early historic, and medieval. One can definitely not miss such a site on their visit to Madhya Pradesh.
Amarkantak: Amarkantak is one of the holy places for Hindus. This place is a unique natural heritage and is rich in biodiversity. Amarkantak has its present from the reign of Kalachuri and Chedi Kings that date back to the tenth and eleventh centuries AD. Some of the major tourist attractions here include Narmadakund, Temples from the Kalachuri period, Sonemuda, Mai ki Bagiya or the Garden of Goddess, Kapildhara Waterfall, Kabir Chabutra, Shri Jwaleshwar Mahadev temple, Shri Sarvodaya Digamber Jain Temple, and the Shree Kalyan Seva Ashram.
Bandhavgarh Fort National Park: This is one of the famous National Parks in India and is well known for its tiger reserves. The national park has the highest number of Bengal Tigers in the world. The Bandhavgarh Fort is another major tourist attraction in this national park. Apart from tigers, this park is also well known as a bird sanctuary with over 200 species. The other animals that can be spotted in this national park include Sambas, Chital, Chinkara, Muntjac, Wild Pigs, Barking deer, and Indian Bison. This national park is one of the must-visit national parks in India.
Orchha: This is a small town in the Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. The town is well known for its Orchha Palace and several other ancient monuments. Some of the other places of interest here include seasonal islands on the banks of river Betwa, Raja Mahal, Jahangir Mahal, Ram Raja Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple, and Chandrashekhar Azad Memorial.