Location: In the
northwestern part of the state of Madhya pradesh, in central India.
Tourist attractions: Aquarium, Upper and Lower lakes,
Chowk, Regional Science Center, Van Vihar, Laxmi Narayan Temple and Museum,
Bharat Bhawan, Government Archeological Museum, Taj-ul-Masjid, Shukat Mahal
and Sadar Manzil, Moti Masjid, Jama Masjid.
Best Hangouts : Upper and Lower lakes
Nearby Tourist Destinations: Ginnorgarh, Delawadi,
Raisen, Kerwan, Islamnagar.
When to Visit : October to March
About Bhopal
Bhopal, the capital city of the largest state in India, Madhya Pradesh, is
also known as the City of Lakes because of the two beautiful lakes that are
situated in the center of the city. Bhopal is a beautiful city also famous
for its mosques. The city of lakes, Bhopal, is divided as; Old Bhopal and
New Bhopal. Both the new Bhopal and the old Bhopal are contradictory to each
other. One of the greenest cities of India, it has wide, clean, well-lit
roads lined with fiery, tall Gulmohar trees.
Major Tourists Attractions in Bhopal
Taj-ul-Masjid
Taj-ul-Masjid is the largest mosque of India and was commenced by Shah
Jahan and is still incomplete. It's beautiful terracotta walls surround two
white domed minarets and three white domes over the main building.
Mosques and Monuments
Bhopal has a number of important mosques. The Jama Masjid and the Moti
Masjid of Bhopal were built by the local Begums in the 19th century. Shaukat
Mahal and Sadar Manzil are situated in the chowk area, the heart of the old
walled city. These some added attractions in Bhopal.
Bharat Bhavan
Started in the year 1982, Bharat Bhavan is a museum of tribal and
contemporary art forms and breeding ground for traditional dance, music and
drama. This huge complex is a marvel of modern architecture. It is one of
the important centers in India for the preservation of traditional folk
arts.
The Tribal Habitat or Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya
This is an open-air museum and is located on Shamala hills of Bhopal,
depicting tribal dwellings, from all parts of India. It is an honest attempt
to showcase the lifestyle, culture, art and religion of India’s more
than 450 Adivasi tribes.
Upper Lake and Lower Lake
Both these peaceful lakes are important tourist spots providing boating and
sailing facilities. Other worth visiting places in Bhopal are The Government
Archeological Museum near the Lower Lake, the chowk at the heart of the old
city, Van Vihar local safari park near the Upper Lake, and the Aquarium. The
Lakshmi Narayan Temple (or the Birla Mandir) and the adjacent local museum
on the Arera hills are other sites to be visited.
Getting There
Air : Bhopal airport is 12 km from the Old City. Indian Airlines
operates daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, and Indore.
Rail : Bhopal is an important railway station as it is on the main
Delhi-Madras route. The station is near Hamidia Road. It is well linked to
Delhi, Mumbai, Bhopal, Gwalior, Jhansi and Ujjain by train.
Road : Tourist places like Sanchi (2½ hours), Indore (186
kilometers 6 hours), Ujjain (188 kilometers 5 hours), Panchmari (7 hours)
and Jabalpur (308 kilometers and 12 hours), and Khajuraho can be easily
accessible from Bhopal.
Accommodation
Bhopal has a number of hotels and lodges, ranging from luxury class to
budget class. So, just pick or choose one of them according to your
requirements.
