Places
of Interest in Madhya Pradesh
Bhopal Travel 
Bhopal,
the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is a fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, historicity
and modern urban planning. It is situated on the site of a 11th century city,
Bhojapal, founded by Raja Bhoja.
The founder of the existing city was
however an Afghan soldier of fortune, Dost Mohammed. Fleeing from Delhi in the
chaotic period that followed Aurangazeb's death, Dost Mohammed encountered the
beautiful Gond queen Kamalapati, who sort his aid after the murder of her consort.
A charming legend relates how the queen would recline in lotus barge, that
on moonlit nights, would drift across the lake. The two lakes of Bhopal still
dominate the city, and are indeed its nucleus
Bordered along their shores
stand silent sentinels that testify to the growth of a city.
Bhopal today
presents a multi-faceted profile; the old city with its teeming market places
and fine old mosques and palaces still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former
rulers, among them the succession of powerful Begums who ruled Bhopal from !819
to 1926.
Equally impressive is the new city with its verdant, exquisitely
laid out parks and gardens, broad avenues and streamlined modern edifices.
Places of Interest in Bhopal: Vidisha Vidisha
or Besnagar as it is called in the pali sculptures, once the prosperous capital
of the western dominions of the Sungas, contains some remarkable antiquites that
throw light on the considerable architectural development of the period.
Situated in the fork of the Betwa and Bes rivers, Vidisha, 10 km from Sanchi,
occupies an important place amonst the ancient cities in India. In the 6th and
5th centuries BC, it rose to become an important trade contre and a bustling city
under the Sungas, Nagas, Satvahanas and Guptas. The Emperor Ashoka was governor
of Vidisha and it finds mention in Kalidasa's immortal Meghdoor. Deserted after
the 6th century AD it came into prominence again as Bhilsa during the medieval
period (9th to 12 th centuries AD) . It later passed on to the Malwa Sultans,
the Mughals, and the Scindias.
Udaygiri Caves 13 km from
Sanchi and 4 km from Vidisha are a group of rock- cut cave sanctuaries, carved
into a sandstone hill that stands, sentinel like, on the horizon. An inscription
in one of these states that it was produced during the reign of Chandragupta II
(382-401 AD ), thus dating these caves to 4-5 AD. The caves possess all the distinctive
features that gave Gupta art its unique vitality, vigour nd richness of expression,
the beautifully moulded capitals, The treatment of the intercolomination, the
design of the enterance way and the system of continuing the architrave as a sting
course round the structure.
Gyraspur 41 km north-east of
Sanchi, Gyraspur was a place of considerable importance in the medieval period.
Here in the ruins called Athakhambe( Eight Pillars ) and Chaukamble ( Four Pillars)
are what remains of the columned halls of two temples belonging to the 9th and
10th centuries AD. The faceted shafts of Athakhambe with their extreme delicacy
of carving testify to the high degree of craftsmanship during the period. Other
monuments of note at Gyraspur are of the early 10th century. Bajra Math and the
Mala Devi Temple, the latter distinguished by its carved pillars with foliated
motifs, representatives of the richest post-Gupta style.
Udaypur
90 km from Bhopal via Vidisha and Ganj Basoda. The colossal Neelkanthesh wara
temple here is an outstanding example of Parmara art and architecture of the 11th
centure AD. The crowning beauty of this temple lies in its well proportioned and
gracefully designed spire or shikhar, and delicately carved medallions adorning
its sides. The fascinating spire is perhaps unrivalled in beauty in the whole
array of Indian temples.
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