Every city has its charm and aura, it might be architecturally beautiful or it might be culturally beautiful, it might be fast paced or it might have a laid-back kind of pace. But when it comes to Bhopal, it has the best of both worlds. Bhopal is my second home, it holds a very special place in my heart and I always keep looking for an opportunity to go there. 'The Zen City' as I like to call Bhopal because of the calmness and happiness it provides me whenever I am there. It has given me ever lasting memories and many special friendships.
So, I am going to take you on ride and introduce you to this charming City of Lakes. I might not be able to cover everything but I will definitely give it my best shot.
Let's start with the crown jewel of Bhopal, the Taj-ul-Masajid meaning 'The Crown of Mosques', it is the largest mosque in India and one of the largest in Asia. The largest Indian mosque can be found on the slender streets of Old Bhopal in the Kohefiza area and you will get to see the enormous minarets of the mosque kissing the sky in all their glory from a good distance. You will find yourself in awe when you are standing in the huge courtyard and looking at the structure, it has resemblance of the Mughal architecture because it was built on the likes of Delhi's Jama Masjid.
Done admiring the architectural brilliance? Now let me take you to a place which apprises you of the cultural side of the city and the state of Madhya Pradesh - the MP Tribal Museum and the State Museum in Shymala Hills. If you are a history geek, do not miss out on these 2 places. The Tribal Museum is incredibly gorgeous and you will get to know about the culture and history of many tribes, it is an eye candy kind of a place and the State Museum will introduce you to the history of the state in a prolific manner. You might have to take permission and shell out some bucks for photography but it is worth it.
After some proper history lessons, time to admire the natural beauty of Bhopal and maybe meet some animals also (No! We are not going to shake hands with them). We enter the Van Vihar National Park that is also situated in the Shyamala Hills of Bhopal. It is a place of tranquility and on a good day, you can find tigers, leopards, various snakes, sloth bears, crocodiles and many birds (some migratory too) going about their lives. The banks of the Upper Lake caress and enhance the natural beauty of the place.
The trail of the national park ends and it will lead you to the Lake View Walk Path, here you can walk alongside the Upper Lake. This is the hotspot of the city and you will never find this place deprived of people, you can go for boating in the Upper Lake and there is a 'Boat Club' there for this purpose.
The evenings here are impeccable and you get a view of the lake from the vantage point.
Now, let us drive through the VIP Road which is also called the Marine Drive of Bhopal and there you can find the statue of Raja Bhoj at the edge of the lake, it is a picturesque spot and you can witness some very astounding sunsets here.
Talking about the sunsets, let me take you to my favorite spot in the city, Kaliyasot Dam and Kerwa Dam. These 2 small dams can be found in Kolar area of Bhopal. It is a lush green area with the water reservoir on the side and a well paved road passing through, these 2 places are proper chill out places specially for the youth of the city and it is also the home of some Royal Bengal Tigers. Yes! You read it right, the Royal Bengal Tigers. It is a forest area and there have been many sightings of the tigers just casually strolling in the middle of the road.
If you have some time in hand, a visit to the famous Bhojeshwar temple in Bhojpur village which is approximately 30 kilometers from Bhopal is a must. The abode of Lord Shiva houses a 7.5 feet high lingam, it is an unfinished temple next to a gorge through which the Betwa river flows.
No matter how many times I come back, it always gives me something to cherish, it welcomes me with open hands and makes me smile.
The gentle waves of the Upper Lake at Sheetaldas ki Bagiya calms me down, the sunsets at Kaliyasot and Kerwa insure me of another beautiful day. On one of my numerous visits to Bhopal, standing at the Iqbal Maidan, looking towards the wretched Shaukat Mahal and the hustle and bustle of the Old Bhopal City, I understood that life goes on but the legacy stays.
Dear Bhopal! You were, you are and you will always be my love. You are Home.
I hope I have intrigued you to come and visit this city sometime soon and see it for yourself.
Thanks for reading, hope it was fun.
Ciao!