Indore

Here is an ignored city that the tourist guides dispatch in some lines. Blow, the foreign visitors amount on the fingers of the hand. Damage, bus Indore is not deprived of attractions.

 

All in the west of Madhya Pradesh, on the plate of Malwa, the town of Indore is crossed by the rivers Sarasvati and Khan. Located on the road axis Mumbay-Delhi, Indore developed in the industrial field and equipment supplier. It is thus a wide city which turns around 1.5 million inhabitants, probably. It dates in fact only from the semi 18th century, when it was built by Malhar Rao Holkar, founder of the dynasty of the same name. The city became capital of State in 1811.

Located at only 53 km of the Holy City of Ujjain, Indore constitutes also a point from where one can go for the day, either in Maheshwar, or with Omkareshwar, one and the other to 145 km, by different roads.

The principal points of interest of Indore are as follows:

The Old Palate or Rajwada, which goes back to some 200 years, on a great nicely decorated central place palm trees, draws up the high one and proud silhouette of its seven stages. It is said that it combines the French styles, Moghol and Marathe from where its uncommon pace. A fire seriously damaged there is a score of years. There remains however interesting to penetrate in the interior court bordered of administrative buildings. Some old statues are preserved under a large elevated hall.

Not far from there, it is completely essential to visit the temple Jain de Kanch Mandir. As usual in the Jains temples, one will take guard not to have with oneself no object out of leather. The interior is amazing (prohibited photographs). All the walls, grounds, ceilings and pillars are covered mirrors of glasses of various colors often posed in relief, which multiplies the plays of light and reflexion. A part of them form tables describing of the edifying scenes, in particular those which show the punishments reserved for malicious once that they will be in the hells... Large crystal glosses coming from China hang high ceilings. In the second room, a great glazed niche shelters three gigantic statues of Tirthankara of which Mahavira (the 24th one and last Tirthankara) in superb black onyx.

Lal Bagh, old residence of Maharaja of the dynasty of Holkar, was built between 1886 and 1921 in the medium of a correctly maintained garden but without attraction. From now on museum, Lal Bagh presents especially a set of shows and movable European within a framework where the marbles of various colors abound. The unit has pace, but not much of interest for a European visitor. Moreover, the collections mentioned in the tourist guides are not exposed. Some unhappy tigers empaillés in cages of glass. As much to say that one can do without this visit...

The Exchange Museum should constitute a visit impossible to circumvent for any person being interested in Indian art. Because the collections of statuary presented here are remarkable by the variety and quality. One will note that many parts, 10th at the 12th centuries (Paramâra time, come from Hinglajgarh (Mandsaur) in the North-West of Madhya Pradesh, not far from the limit of the Rajasthan.

The seven Chhattri (cenotaphs) royal of the Holkar dynasty constitute a good example of this type of monuments (accessible from 8h to 11h), if one did not connait those of the Rajasthan (Jaisalmer, Jaipur, Bikaner, Udaipur). It should be noted that the walls of a fence opposite the entry of the chhattri (2002) are painted of a sympathetic nerve series of very coloured divinities, in the popular taste.

The temple of Bada Ganapati shelters a gigantic statue (8 meters) of the famous god with head of elephant that many people come to request. This statue of beautiful imposing presence is curiously made mixture of a great number of substances: brick, limestone, spices, yoghourt, ground coming from great places of pilgrimage, dejections of cows, elephant and horses, invaluable stones (diamond, emerald, pearl, ruby and topaz)...

If one has a little time, it is instructive to go to the temple of Annapurna. One can admire there the naive ones and large statues of gods, formant of the tables which illustrate scenes of legends. Surprised: in spite of its name, the temple of Annapurna shelters beautiful Durgâ in its sanctuary...

Lastly, one will enclose the visit with Indore while going, in the part is city, in the district of Khajrana, with the temple of Ganesh. The temple dates from the 18th century but knew many restorations and modifications of which some all recent, within the framework of extensions; on the other hand, the statue of the god is extremely old and strange from its characteristics. Reception excel.