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Indore Tourism

MG Hall - Indore

Indore - City of Magnificence

Situated south of Satpura Range on the Malwa Plateau, Indore is the largest city in Madhya Pradesh. The city is called the cosmopolitan capital of Madhya Pradesh and is definitely the most living as well. The city, which was founded by landlords in year 1715, gets its name from temples of Indreshwar and Indrapur. The city served as the summer capital of former state of Madhya Bharat before it was taken into Madhya Pradesh. Today Indore is a center of garment industries and is some times also referred to as ‘Textile City’. The overall outlook of the city is an amalgamation of young and old, historical and contemporary. Small shops still dominate the market place but now they stand wall to wall with glittering showrooms and retail stores. The metropolitan is fast catching up with many malls becoming land of sort for the Indore residents

Indore is explicitly the best destination in India when it comes to street foods. The moment you set foot in Indore, the aroma of spicy and salty food arrests all your senses. Many residents of nearby areas come to Indore just to tread through those tasteful streets that are full of food vendors and pamper their taste buds. The most known streets are Sarafa Bazaar, Chhapan Dukaan and Chhawni Chowk.

Attractions - Spiritual Heights

The major places to visit in Indore are either temples or monuments. Most of them are 19th century buildings that have been cared for and are well preserved. Lal Baag Palace and Town Hall attract the maximum number of tourist whereas devotees throughout the year throng Bada Ganapati Temple and Kanch Mandir.

Bada Ganapati

Built in the year 1875, the temple has over the time, has become a great tourist attraction. It is famous for the magnificent statue of Lord Ganesha. Towering to a height of 25 feet, it is the biggest statue of Lord Ganesha in the world. The statue is built of material like bricks, limestone, jaggery mix, soil collected from seven Mokshapuri, powder of five atnas and water from sacred rivers. The charm of the statue comes from the metallic frame made up of gold, silver and copper, iron and brass. Do not miss a visit to this giant wonder.

Lal Baag Palace

This is surely the most impressive building in Indore. The construction of this palace was started in the year 1886 by Tukoji Rao Holkar II but it was carried out in phases. The palace was completed in 1921 by Tukoji Rao Holkar III. The palace is spread over an area of 200 acres. One will notice the influence of European and Maratha style in the architecture. Lal Baag Palace is now a museum where you can see numerous artifacts of Holkar Dynasty. The main attraction of the palace is the Durbar hall, which is covered with stucco art and has been a venue for many royal gatherings. The palace is open from 10 AM to 5 PM and is closed on Mondays.

Kanch Mandir

Kanch Mandir is a Jain Temple that is considered nothing less than a wonder. The entire building is decorated with glass. Right from ceilings and floors to pillars and doorknobs, everything is completely covered with glass. There are many paintings as well, which are also done on glass. This one of a kind temple is dedicated to Lord Mahavira whose statues are kept in a glass chamber at the top. There are three statues that are reflected 21 times on all sides akin to 21 tirthankars of faith.

Town Hall

The present Mahatma Gandhi Hall was initially named as King Edward Hall when it was built in the year 1904. It was then renamed to Mahatma Gandhi Hall only in 1948. The building is made up of Seoni stones and is built in Indo-Gothic style. It is also referred to as 'Ghanta Ghar' because of the four-faced clock tower in front. The Town Hall houses children's park along with a temple and a library. The Hall also is venue to many fairs and exhibitions that are held here throughout the year.

Accommodation

Indore is an important city in Madhya Pradesh and receives a huge crowd of tourists and business travelers. The inflow literally remains through out the year and to accommodate people with different needs. Along with budget hotels, there are ample luxury hotels as well. MP Tourism's tourist Bungalow which is very near to station is the best option. Other good hotels are Fortune Landmark Hotel and Sayaji Hotel.

Getting There

By Air

Indore has its own airport named Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport and is well connected to all major cities of Madhya Pradesh and India.Indian Airlines, Jet Airways and many private operators have their flights plying to and from Gwalior.

By Rail

Indore is an important station in Madhya Pradesh. All major trains have a stop here.

By Road

Buses connect Indore to cities like Bhopal, Gwalior, Omkareshwar, Maheswar. There are Interstate buses to and from Mumbai, Ahmehabad, and Aurangabad.

Local Transport

Buses that run in the city are probably the best in entire India. The buses are designed to international standards and are the convenient most mode of transport. Shared autos are also present in huge number and take you to places that are not covered by buses. You can also hire taxis and auto rickshaws to get around in the city.