|
Introduction 
With well over a million inhabitants, Bhopal , the capital of Madhya
Pradesh, has a skyline of minarets jutting from tightly packed streets and
sprawling from the eastern shores of a huge artificial lake. Yet to
the west there are verdant hills hiding nouveau-riche suburbs and the most
expensive hotels. Below them on Upper Lake, little fishing boats bob along
the shore, while middle-class families get down to some serious pedalo
action.
In addition to the 19th century mosques that bear witness to
Bhopal's enduring Muslim legacy, the packed bazaars of the walled old
city are well worth a visit. Elsewhere, excellent archeological museums
house large hoards of ancient sculpture. Bharat Bhavan, on the
lakeside, is one of India's premier centres for performing arts, with an
unrivalled collection of contemporary painting, sculpture and adivasi
(tribal) art, while the Museum of Man is an excellent open-air
exhibition of adivasi houses, culture and technology which aims to
challenge stereotypes of the country's many indigenous groups.
History
Bhopal's name is said to derive from the 11th
century Raja Bhoj, who was instructed by his court gurus to
atone for the murder of his mother by linking up the nine rivers flowing
through his kingdom. A dam, or pal, was built across one of them, and the
ruler established a new capital around the two resultant lakes - Bhojapal.
By the end of the 17th century, Dost Mohammed Khan, an oppurtunistic
ex-soldier of fortune and erstwhile general of Aurangzeb, had
occupied the now deserted site to carve out his own kingdom from the chaos
left in the wake of the Moghul empire. The Muslim dynasty he established
eventually became one of India's leading royal families. Under the Raj, its
members were among the select few to merit the accolade of a 19 gun salute
from the British- a consequence of the help given to General Goddard in his
march against the Marathas in 1778. In the 19th century, Bhopal was presided
over largely by women rulers. Holding court from behind the wicker screen of
purdah, successive begums revamped the city with noble civic works,
including the three sandstone mosques which still dominate the
skyline.
Festival
Best
Season :-
Though Bhopal can be visited throughout the year, it is
advisable to avoid the summer season.
Travel
Links of Bhopal
|
|
