Dewas is a popular town in Madhya Pradesh, located on the Malwa plateau. The old city was founded in early 18th century by Tukaji Rao and his younger brother Jivaji Rao of the Puar clan of Marathas. They came here in 1728 with Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao. The brothers divided the territory between them, and their descendants ruled as two branches of the family. During the British period, Dewas was the capital of two princely states—Dewas Senior and Dewas Junior. In present times, Dewas is an important industrial town.
Devas literally translates to “Devon ka vaas” meaning ‘House of the Gods’. The name comes from Devi Vaishini hill, positioned in the centre of the town. This hill, locally known as Tekri, is considered to be sacred with temples dedicated to Tulja Bhawani and Maa Chamunda built here.
The best places to see in & around Dewas are:
Dewas Tekri
With a height of more than 300 feet above the ground level, the Tekri is located at A.B. Road in the centre of Dewas city. The conical hill is quite well-known for being home to the highly revered temples of Devi Tulja Bhawani, Chamunda Mata and Kalika Mata. Visitors have to climb a broad flight of stone steps or walk through a slope way to pay their respects to these goddesses. Damodar Ropeways & Infra Limited [DRIL], a leading ropeway constriction company, started their ropeway service here in 2017. Visitors who are not inclined to make the hard uphill climb can take this 400 meter long ropeway ride to reach the Chamunda Mata Temple. The image of the goddess is carved into the rocky wall of a cave. Tourists can also get a scenic view of the entire town of Dewas from top of the hill.
Pawar Chattries
The Pawar Chatries of Dewas, located near the Meetha Talaab, are everlasting symbols of Maratha architecture. Their powerful presence is a living statement of the royal might held by the Puar Kings. This architectural marvel offers a glimpse of an era gone by, telling tales of majestic life filled with splendor and royalty of the Maratha kings.
Kela Devi Temple
The Kela Devi or Kaila Devi Temple in Dewas is the largest Kaila Devi Temple in Madhya Pradesh. It was built in 1995 by South Indian artists. The temple has a 51 foot statue of Lord Hanuman. One of the main attractive features is a white marble gate that adorns the temple. Every year during Chaitra Navratri, the annual Kaila Devi fair is held to attract devotees from all over the country. The original Kaila Devi Temple is located in the Karauli district of Rajasthan built on the banks of Kalisil River. The temple is dedicated to the tutelary deity, Goddess Kaila Devi, of the erstwhile princely Yaduvanshi rulers of the Karauli state.
Mahadev Temple
This temple was built by Dewas ruler Shrimant Sadashive Rao Maharaja (Khase Saheb) in the year 1942. Located in Shankar Garh on top of a hill, the roads were built after a lot of difficulty by cutting the hills. It is said that a great number of Hindu religious saints used to stay here and impart their religious teachings to the residents of Dewas city. Today, the Mahadev Temple is a must-visit place in Dewas.
Mahakaleshwar Bilawali Temple
Situated about 3km north of Dewas, the Mahakaleshwar temple in Bilavali village is another major attraction for the tourists. It is believed that the size of the Shivling in this temple increases every year. During Maha Shivratri, a grand fair is organized every year where hundreds of devotees visit the temple.