Bhopal – The unsung Tourist Destination

Madhya Pradesh is a prime destination for tourists for its natural beauty and historic relevance. The State Government has taken many an organized initiative to promote tourism here. Surprisingly, in spite of being a beautiful city, Bhopal, the state capital is hardly perceived as a tourist destination.

Bhopal enjoys strategic proximity to New Delhi, Mumbai, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Indore, Vidisha and many important cities of India. The city is well connected through road and rail network, and boasts of the only international airport in Madhya Pradesh.

The history of Bhopal dates back to more than 1000 years back, when Raja Bhoj came into power. Initially known as “Bhojpal”, after the King, the city got its present name. Today, layers of development hide within itself quiet testimonials of rich history, exquisite natural feautures, flora and fauna. The location of BHEL and Mandideep Industrial Townships create a pseudo impression of an industrial town. Delve deeper, and you would discover a city that has developed in pockets, between the undulating terrain, huge lakes, dams, water reservoirs; a city of underpasses and railway crossings; a city that lives on poha, jalebi and tea (a roadside stall can be found almost anywhere); a city that treasures many a historical structure, a famous animal reserve (Van Vihar), as many as twelve museums and much more.

Popularly known as “City of Lakes”, Bhopal can be also called the “City of Roundabouts”. Only few junctions in this city have signals, while fairly sized rotaries act as natural traffic regulators in the city. Amidst the speedy urban life, one cannot fail to notice the unbiased homage paid to various leaders and freedom fighters of the country. A statue of anyone you can think of, be it Rani Jhnasi, King Shivaji or Maharana Pratap, Bhagat Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra  Bose, Mahatma Gandhi or Swami Vivekananda can be found adorning these traffic islands, acting as landmarks.

Asia’s largest Mosque, named Taj-ul-Masajid is located in the heart of the Old City. A steep flight of stairs lead up to the entrance beyond which lies the huge compound of the mosque. A central waterbody and smaller ones on the sides create a mesmerizing effect as you enter. The exquisite carvings of the mosque attract not only tourists but students of art and architecture as well.

A smaller mosque, but no less beautiful, known as Moti Masjid is also nearby. The mosque is actually white, and the stark contrast of white marble against red sandstone stuns you as you step in through the entrance. Strangely, people of non-Indian origin are not allowed to enter Moti Masjid without prior permission of competent authorities. The third mosque, Jama Masjid, although close to Moti Masjid, has got engulfed in commercial activities and can be approached only through a narrow but busy market street. It is similar to the Jama Masjid of New Delhi and Ahmedabad.

Bhopal also houses Bharat Bhawan, an example of modern architecture. It is a cultural centre designed by Sir Charles Correa, the most famous architect of India. Spaces flow into each other as one meanders through open amphitheatres, art galleries in split levels, auditoriums and more. Many educational institutes are located in Bhopal, making it an educational hub.

The people of Bhopal are nice and warm. Another interesting aspect is that they speak in pure Hindi, in spite of being fluent English speakers. Bhopal also has something to offer for all foodies of various tastes: multi-cuisine restaurants are available all over the city. The food, as well as the cost of anything you want to do is cheap compared to that of other big cities. The big city element, malls, have also started coming up in Bhopal: The DB City Mall is a famous landmark. Most of the government offices are housed in tastefully designed modern buildings, or government acquired old buildings that are well maintained.

So what are you thinking? Next time you are in Bhopal, make sure that you take a boat ride on the huge Upper Lake, visit Van Vihar, check out the museums, venture in the dams and drop by on the historic structures that date back to the days of Moghul Nizams. And budget some time in your trip to catch up on the nearby getaways: Sanchi for its architectural splendor and historical importance; Bhimbedka for ancient paintings, Udaygiri caves for exquisite carvings and Panchmarhi for exotic natural beauty. On the way to Udaygiri and Sanchi, you would cross the Tropic of Cancer – don’t forget to get yourself photographed here!! Move on to Jabalpur, Ranthambore, Gwalior and Indore to discover the treasure that Madhya Pradesh holds for you on the way ahead.

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