FACTS
& FIGURES
Population : 1,278,690
Languages : Hindi, Marathi and English
Best time to visit : Throughout the year
STD Code : 0731
THE CITY OF THE HOLKARS
Indore is the capital city of the erstwhile
Holkar rulers. It is an important industrial city in
central India and is known as ’mini Mumbai’.
There are a number of historical monuments in Indore
belonging to the Holkars. Indore is also known for its
temples. The architecture of the monuments in Indore
is the amalgamation of different styles.
LOCATION
Indore is located in the Narmada River
valley in the western part of the state of Madhya Pradesh
in central India. River Saraswati and River Kham, which
are tributaries of River Shipra, flow through Indore.
Indore is 264 km from Bhopal. The weather is moderate.
Summers (April–June) are not too hot and winters
are cool (November–February) and pleasant. It
experiences southwestern monsoon rains in July-September.
VISITING TIME
Indore can be visited throughout the
year because of its pleasant climate.
THE PAST
Local landlords established Indore in
1715 as a trade center in the Narmada River valley.
They also built the Indreshwar temple in 1741. The city
derives its name from this temple. It became the capital
city of the Holkars and later became the headquarters
of the British Central India Agency and the summer capital
of Madhya Bharat (1948–56), before it became a
part of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
TOURIST SPOTS
There are a number of tourist places
in Indore. The Rajwada or the old palace, located in
the old part of the city, near the bustling Khajuri
Bazaar, is an important site to visit. This building
is a unique blend of French, Mughal and Maratha style
of architecture. This seven story, 200-year-old building
reflects the glory of the Holkars. The three lower stories
are made of stone while the upper stories are made of
wood and therefore vulnerable to fire. Not much remains
of this building, except its façade, as it had
been burned down three times in the past. The Kanch
Mandir (the temple of mirrors) or Seth Hukanchand temple
is located near the Rajwada. It is a Jain temple, having
plain exteriors, and contains intricate mirror work
on the inside. The Indore Museum, located near the Main
Post Office, houses a good collection of pre-medieval
and medieval artifacts. The Lal Bagh Palace (built between
1886–1921) is the most important monument created
by the erstwhile Holkar rulers. Important state functions
were held here. It is set amongst well-laid gardens
and located at the southwestern part of Indore. The
architecture and interiors of this modern palace is
highly influenced by English palaces. Another attraction
of Indore city is the Gandhi Hall or Town Hall, built
in 1904. This Indo-Gothic styled building is also referred
as Ghanta Ghar because it has a four-faced clock tower
in the front. A number of art and cultural exhibitions
are held in this building. The Chhatri (Cenotaph) Bagh,
located near the Kham River, has a number of chhatris
or memorial cenotaphs erected in memory of the erstwhile
Holkar rulers and their family members. The architectural
style of these chhatris is typically Marathi. The Chhatri
of Malhar Rao Holkar I, the founder of Holkar dynasty,
is impressive. Indore also has the largest Ganpati statue
in the world. The Bada Ganpati temple, having an 8-m-tall,
bright orange statue of Lord Ganesh was built in 1875.
The Gita Bhavan, the Annapurna temple, Bijasen Tekri
(a hilltop picnic spot and a vantage point to see Indore
at night), and Gomtagiri Jain temples are other places
worth visiting in Indore.
SITES NEARBY
Kasturbagram, 8 km from Indore, houses
the Kasturba Gandhi National Memorial Trust, which was
founded by Mahatma Gandhi. This trust has dedicated
itself to rural development and its activities are on
the principles laid down by Mahatma Gandhi.
Omkareshwar, known for its Shiva temple of Shri Omkar
Mandhata, is located on an island at the confluence
of Narmada and Kaveri rivers. The island is connected
with the mainland with a high footbridge. There are
number of other temples on this island. It takes about
3 hours from Indore to reach here by bus.
The town of Maheshwar is famous for its fort and temples
and the saris produced by the local weavers. These intricately
patterned silk saris of Maheshwar are called Maheshwari.
Travelers having a taste for traditional Indian handicraft
can buy saris from local shops. It takes about 4 hours
from Indore to reach here by bus.
Mandu is a town famous for its medieval buildings, which
include palaces, tombs, temples and a fort. It takes
about 3½ hours from Indore to reach here by bus.
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
Bijasen Tekri, near Indore airport, is a small hillock
housing the Holkar guesthouse, a small museum and the
temple of Bijasen Mata built in 1920. Every year, during
the Hindu festival of Navratri, a fair is held in this
temple.
SHOPPING
Khajuri bazaar, near the Rajwada, is
a shopper’s paradise in Indore. The shops here
abound with gold and silverwork, cloth, leatherwork
and traditional garments.
HOW TO REACH
Indore has an airport on the western
side of the town. The Indian Airlines office (Ph: 431595)
is located on Racecourse Road. Indian Airlines operates
daily evening flight to Mumbai and there are daily morning
flights for Delhi via Bhopal and Gwalior. Jet Airways
(Ph: 544590) also has daily flights to Mumbai in the
morning.
Indore is well connected to Delhi and Mumbai by rail.
There is a daily Malwa Express to Delhi from Indoor,
via Ujjain, Bhopal, Jhansi, Gwalior and Agra. The Awantika
Express leaves everyday in the afternoon for Mumbai
(16 hours). The other broad gauge line connects Indore
to Ujjain, Bhopal and Jabalpur. There is also an Intercity
Express between Indore and Bhopal and the travel time
is 5½ hours. There is also a meter-gauge track
from Indore to Jaipur.
Sarwate is the main bus station of Indore. Indore is
well connected by bus with Ujjain (1½ hours)
and Bhopal (5 hours). To catch a bus for Mumbai, one
has to either take a bus to Dhar (2 hours) or to Mandu
(1½ hour). From Gangwal bus station, one can
catch buses for Dhar, Omkareshwar, Aurangabad, Ajanta
and Mumbai (16 hours).
One can either use taxi or auto-rickshaw to move around
in Indore. Point-to-point tempo service is also available
in Indore and the main tempo stops are at the railway
station and Gandhi Hall.
The Tourist Office (Ph: 528653) is near the tourist
bungalow on Tagore Road.
PLACES TO STAY
One can find all kind of accommodation
in Indore ranging from economy to high-end hotels. Low-budget
hotels can be found in the area between the Sarwate
bus station and the railway station.
PLACES TO EAT
Indore is famous for its salty snacks
or namkeen. Bhang Gota is a local specialty. It is made
during the festivals. Travelers can choose from a variety
of cuisine and local snacks, available at different
restaurants, eating joints and hotels across the city.
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