Northern Madhya Pradesh is tucked between Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. This area runs from Gwalior in the far north down to the city of Satna. It includes destinations such as Khajuraho and Orchha with their stunning temple carvings and palaces.
Category: Madhya Pradesh And Chhattisgarh
Mandu is home to India’s finest examples of Afghan architecture, clinging to the edges of a ravine-riddled 20-sq-km plateau overlooking the hazy plains. With monuments on every corner – from Rupmati’s Pavilion, scene of India’s Romeo and Juliet, to obscure ruins such as the wet nurse’s tomb, and of course the wet nurse’s sister’s tomb – the mountain village has a ‘lost world’ atmosphere.
Maheshwar has long held spiritual significance – it’s mentioned in the Mahabharata and Ramayana under its old name, Mahishmati, and still draws sadhus and yatris (pilgrims) to its ancient ghats and temples on the holy Narmada River. The town enjoyed a golden age in the late 18th century under Holkar queen Ahilyabai, who built the towering fort and many other monuments.
Madhya Pradesh (MP) was India’s largest state until tribal Chhattisgarh broke away in 2000. It’s still a significant chunk of most train rides from Delhi to central India, yet many travellers see little more than its train tracks; a shame for more reasons than having to train it for two days.
The Kamasutra carvings that swathe Khajuraho’s three groups of temples are among the finest temple art in the world. While many travellers take a quick peek at the sensuous sculptures as a stop-off between Agra and Varanasi, those who linger discover a spiritual but modern spot where everything from yoga to folk dancing can be experienced.
Kanha regularly tops lists of the best places to glimpse a tiger in India. Unfortunately, this attracts many visitors to its sal forests and meadows, but they are outnumbered by a four-legged population, including more than 200 tigers and leopards, 350 barasingha (swamp deer) and 22, 000 spotted deer, and more than 300 species of bird.
The 200-sq-km park (07782-227596; Indian/foreigner Rs 25/200, camera/video Rs 25/200, vehicle entry Rs 50; 8am-4pm 1 Nov-30 Jun), some 40km southwest of Jagdalpur, consists of ancient forest flanking the Kanger River.
Looking at the map, Jhansi lies at the narrow mouth of a globular Uttar Pradesh incursion into Madhya Pradesh. It’s in the west of the mountainous Bundelkhand region that has long been a hiding place for dacoits (outlaws) such as Phoolan Devi, the ‘Bandit Queen’. Jhansi fort bears testament to the town’s turbulent history, but Jhansi today is mostly used by travellers as a transit point for Orchha and Khajuraho.
Fifty years ago, the maharaja would stand atop Jagdalpur palace shooting at animals in the surrounding jungle. Since then, Bastar’s amiable capital has claimed a patch of forest and the palace has been joined by imposing statues of Hanuman and a Bison Horn Maria tribesperson. Jagdalpur is a good base for meeting the tribes and discovering their artwork.
A military and industrial centre, the capital of eastern Madhya Pradesh is a grimy city of chowks and working men’s taverns, which will likely give you a dose of culture shock if you’re emerging from the surrounding bush. The High Court is one of the buildings left by the British, for whom Jabalpur was capital of the Central Provinces.