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Indore
 Population
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1,278,690
Altitude
:
567m
Indore is not a historically important city. Not many tourists wind up here unless they make it a sort of basecamp for excursions from it. Located in the heart of India, Indore is quite hot in the summer but the nights are something special.
Due to its location on the southern edge of the Malwa plateau, it makes an excellent tourist destination; during the day a cool breeze starts which makes the evenings quite pleasant. No wonder poets have deemed Shab-e-Malwa (the night of Malwa) exquisite beyond compare.
Indore is spread out along the two small rivulets, Saraswati and Khan, which unite at the centre of the city where a small 18th century temple of Sangamnath exists. Thanks to the rich black soil of the Malwa Plateau, Indore has prospered into being the fourth largest centre of cotton textile industry in India. It is also justly famous for its beautiful bangles.
Indore rose to prominence very late in Indian history. About the same as when the thirteen colonies were busy trying to wrest America from the tight grips of England, Malhar Rao Holkar, the founder of the dynasty, enters the stage of history.
Major Tourist Attractions in Indore
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Rajwada
Located in Old Indore, Rajwada is also known as the Old Palace. This 200-year-old palace belonged to the Holkar dynasty. It is an amalgamation of Mughal, French and Maratha architecture.
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Lalbagh Palace
It was built by Holkar rulers and is one of the few important monuments built by them. It was constructed in three stages. The gardens and the over all aura of the palace tells about the taste, grandeur and lifestyle of the Holkars.
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Kanch Mandir
Built in the early 20th century by Sir Hukumchand Seth, Kanch Mandir is also known as also known as Seth Hukamchand Temple. It is a wonderful Jain temple with plain exteriors and intricate mirror work done on interiors. The walls, ceilings, floor, pillars and doors are all inlaid with glass.
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Chattri Bagh
Located near the Khan River, the Chattri Bagh is dominated by a number of chhatris or memorial canopies dedicated to the Holkar rulers.
Getting There
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Air : Indore has an airport, 10 km from the city, on the western side of the town. Indian Airlines and Jet Airways operate from Indore connecting Delhi and Mumbai.
Rail : Indore is well connected to Delhi and Mumbai by rail. There is a daily Malwa Express to Delhi from Indore (807 km), via Ujjain (55 km), Bhopal (186 km), Jhansi (475 km), Gwalior (486 km), and Agra (604 km). The other broad-gauge line connects Indore to Ujjain, Bhopal, and Jabalpur (494 km).
Road : Indore is well connected by bus with Ujjain (55 km, 1½ hours) and Bhopal (186 km, 5 hours).
Accommodation
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One can find all kinds of accommodation in Indore ranging from economy to high-end hotels. Low-budget hotels can also be found in the area between the Sarwate
bus station and the railway station.
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