It would take up to a fortnight to visit all the sites worth seeing in Madhya Pradesh, and even then one would spend only a night or two at each place. We only had a long weekend at our disposal, so we decided to concentrate on the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh (which is the south-west portion of the state) -- primarily focusing on the golden triangle of Ujjain, Mandu and Omkareshwar, with Indore as the point of entry. The trip was intended to be a temple tour, with historical Mandu thrown in for variety.
Malwa was an important junction on the historical north-western and north-eastern routes along which lay such famous towns as Harappa and Pataliputra respectively. It was also accessible from the Arabian Sea Coast. Perhaps the happy juxtaposition of all these factors caused the region to develop significantly and become an important area of contention between rival rulers. All of this is evident in the remnant architecture of the region and the prevailing cultures.
Ujjain
Ujjain is the modern name for Ujjayini, a name bestowed on the city that was called Avantipura, after the resident king’s victory over an evil demon-ruler (Ujjayini means “one who conquers with pride”). Ujjain stands on the banks of the river Shipra, and both the city and the river have been considered sacred for centuries. The city also has the reputation of being the Prime Meridian for Hindu geographers, or India’s Greenwich. One of India’s 12 sacred Jyotirlingam sites is located in
Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple.
Mandu
Mandu, or Mandavgarh, is one of the
top tourist destinations in Madhya Pradesh. It's a ruined fortress city which is celebrated for its fine architecture and scenic location. It is an ode to the marriage of cultures and architectural styles as its battlemented wall encloses large number of palaces built in Rajput and Afghan styles, mosques, Jain temples and other buildings.
Omkareshwar
Omkareshwar is an island in the River Narmada, said to appear like the symbol “Om” when viewed from above. This is another of the 12 Jyotirlingam sites, and this, added to the presence of the Holy Narmada, draws generations of devout pilgrims.
