It is the
capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh. Bhopal is said to
have been founded by the Parmara King Bhoj (1000–1055),
who had his capital at Dhar. The city was originally
known as Bhojpal named after Bhoj and the dam ('pal')
that he is said to have constructed to form the lakes
surrounding Bhopal.Bhopal is a hilly area, located on
the Malwa plateau, and the land rises towards the
Vindhya Range to the south.The major hills in Bhopal
consists of Idgah hills and Shyamala hills in the
northern region and Arera hills in the central region.
Lake View Ashok
Address: Shamla Hills, Opp. TV Tower Premises , Bhopal
,Madhya Pradesh
Rooms:
45 Rooms
Location: 11 kms from Bhopal
Airport, 6 kms from Railway Station, 4 kms from Bus Stand.
This beautiful temple
on the Arera Hills has a museum attached to it which houses a
collection of sculptures from Raisen, Sehore, Mandsaur and Shahdol
districts of Madhya Pradesh.
Gohar Mahal is
situated behind Shaukat Mahal on the banks of the Upper Lake.It is
an architectural gem dating back to the times of Kudsia Begum, also
known as Gohar Begum, who built this sprawling palace in 1820. The
Mahal is a magnificent expression of the fusion of Hindu and Mughal
architecture.
These two lakes were
constructed by Raja Bhoj. The Upper Lake which is six sq. km. in
area, is divided from the Lower by an over bridge. Madhya Pradesh
Tourism’s, Yacht Club on the Upper and Lower Lakes provide
facilities for exciting trips by sail, paddle and motor boats.
Bhim Bhetka
Van Vihar
Archaeological museum
Bhim
Bhetka is situated 46 kms from Bhopal. Based on the northern fringe
of Vindhya Mountain ranges is a major tourist attraction . The site
has South Asia's richest collection of prehistoric paintings and
other archeological discoveries. It was declared a UNESCO World
heritage site in July 2003.
This safari-park is
located on a hill adjacent to the Upper Lake, with an area of 445
hectares. In these natural surroundings, wildlife watchers can view
a variety of herbivorous and carnivorous species.
It is situated to the
south of the lower lake, on the Banganga Road. This Museum has a
fine collection of sculptures from various parts of Madhya Pradesh.
How to reach
Bhopal
By Air
By Rail
By Bus
Bhopal is well
connected by regular Alliance Air flights to Mumbai, Indore,
Delhi and Gwalior. Airport is 15 km from the city center.
Bhopal is well connected to major cities of india by
railway.Bhopal is on one of the two main Delhi to Mumbai railway
lines and also on the main line to the southern state capitals
of Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Thiruvananthpuram.
There are extensive bus services to cities within the region and
interstate.
Events in Bhopal
Shivaratri
Dussehra
The festival of
Shivaratri is usually falls in the month of March. The festival is
devoted to the worship of Lord Shiva. A 10 - day long Bazaar is held
where traders, peddlers and gypsies from other parts of the state
display their traditional fare and a variety of handicrafts. A rural
circus, folk theatre, magic shows and merry-go-rounds add to the fun
and frolic.
The festival is
generally falls in the month of September or October.Celebrated by
all Hindus of India on the tenth day after Navratri , Dussehra is
celebrated as the day of Rama's victory over king Ravana, or as a
day on which the Goddess Kali destroyed the buffalo-demon and
liberated the world.
Weather
During summers
(May to June) it's very hot and its biting cold during winters
(October to March). The monsoon rains begin around June and end
August. The best time to visit Bhopal is between October and
April.
Last Minute Guide
Shopping At
Bhopal
Mrignayani Emporium,
23 New Shopping centre and Handicrafts Emporium, Hamidia Road are
two good places for souvenirs hunting and they also stock a good
collection of local handicrafts. Women’s Co-op Zari Centre, Pir Gate
sells bags with some exquisite zari work (rich embroidery done with
gold and silver thread) and chiffon sarees. MP State Emporium, GTB
Complex, TT Nagar, specializes in chanderi saris and fabrics
(combination of cotton and silk so sheer that the Emperor Aurangzeb
insisted that his daughter wear seven layers of it!), as well as
tussar and other raw silks.
Cuisines of
Bhopal
Restaurants in
Bhopal's larger hotels serve uniform multi-cuisine menus; the
strip-light-and-formica cafes oppisite to bus stand do thalis and
hot platefuls of subzi, rice and dhal for next to nothing. For
breakfast try state's favourite food , poha - a light steamed rice
cake served piping hot in newspaper from every street
corner,followed by katchoris and a chai. The fine delicacies of the
restaurant in the hotel make Ashok Lake View the favorite of all the
tourists. There is a round the clock coffee shop in the hotel.
