India was ruled by several rulers over centuries and they left their imprints on the country's culture, heritage, languages, architecture, food. One such culturally vibrant and colorful part which has been influenced by its various rulers like the is Madhya Pradesh. The Paramaras (Particularly Raja Bhoj), the Guptas, the Mauryas, the Marathas( The Holkars and the Scindias in particular), the Malwa Sultanate all left their influence on this central landlocked state of India.
Being a proud admirer of the heritage that this state possesses,I had a strong desire to explore this state. However, this state like most states in India can't be explored in one go. So, I decided to begin with the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. The Malwa traditions, culture and food have a strong influx of Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat, its neighboring states.
As I landed in the commercial capital of this region, Indore, what was appreciable was how clean the city had become, from being amongst the filthiest. The street food there is probably the best in the world. The variety is astonishing. The variety of Namkeens, chaats, pohas, jalebis, kachoris etc not only feed your tummy but also your soul.
There are some beautiful getaways a few kilometres away from Indore. Mandu or Mandavgadh is one of those gorgeous gems embeded in the Satpura ranges, with a glorious history and architectural masterpieces dotting this gorgeous hamlet everywhere. This land was occupied by several dynasties and rulers, whose influence can be seen in the various architectural sites here. The marvelous and immaculately designed ancient structures , constructed over water bodies and located amidst the green Satapura ranges never fail to capture your imagination and is a view to savor. Each structure narrates a story of its own. Rani Rupamati's Pavilion and Baj Bhadur's palace are located in the complex. The stories about Baj Bahadur and Rani Rupamati are quite intriguing indeed . Jahaj mahal, Hindola mahal, Haathi mahal, Ashrafi mahal, Hoshang Shah's makabara are some of the mystical hideouts in Mandu.
Maheshwar, a town on the banks of river Narmada, a few kilometres from Indore was the capital of the Maratha Holkar reign. Ahilyabai Holkar, the most prominent of the Holkar statesmen, was a symbol of grace, women empowerment, bravery and justice. The beautiful fort and the ghats built by Rajmata Ahilyabai Holkar is an archietectural masterpiece with number of temples within its complex.
Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is a town founded by Raja Bhoj somewhere around the 11th Century. It was later ruled by the Islamic rulers, most prominently the Nawabs of Bhopal who gave Bhopal its modern look. A part of the town today still has that old, charming Mughal town look with crowded and congested streets, mouth watering aromas of 'The Great Indian Street Food' and some age old forts and mosques, which are the remnants of the history of the town. The Bhojtal (Upper lake) with the majestic statue of Raja Bhoj on its banks is one of the landmarks of the town.
A few kilometers away from Bhopal are the Bhimbateka caves, which exhibit the oldest form of rock art in the Indian Subcontinent more than 1,00,000 years old. Various dance, hunting, animal themes have been painted on the Indian Mesolithic rock by probably earliest form of human life in the subcontinent.
Sanchi, in the Raisin district of Madhya Pradesh, an hour's drive from Bhopal has the incredible Sanchi stupas, which make you wander back in history and marvel the incredible heritage and history we are blessed with. These stupas reminded me of the incredible story of transformation of emperor Ashoka (commissioned the work of these stupas), whose life changed upside down seeing all the bloodshed in the Kallinga war. The Great Stupa is the largest and the most profound one, in the sense, many stories from various sources like the Jataka tales, Upanishads, Triptakas etc are carved out on the Stupas, particularly on its 4 gateways, . This Great Stupa of Ashoka and the stories carved on it are epic showpieces of our country's glorious history. As one takes a stroll around the Stupa complex, the grandeur of our glorious past amazes people to core. The Ashok Chakra, which is at the center of our Indian flag, has been taken from the Ahoka pillar, which is errected on the sides on one of the gateways. Sanchi's splendor truly mesmerized me to the core.
This glorious region of the country will surely captivate you and make you value our lost glory.