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Beautiful Tourist Places in Mandu, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, India

Beautiful Tourist Places in Mandu, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, India

Mandu is located in Dhar district in Madhya Pradesh known for imposing forts and palaces. Mandu is approx 35 kms from Dhar and about 100 kms from city of Indore. Hindi is the main language of Mandu and its coordination lies at 22.20’7” degree North Latitude and 75.24’57” degree East Longitude.

Mandu History:

Earlier Sanskrit inscriptions say that Mandu history dates back to 555 A.D. and the city of Mandu was found in 6^th century B.C. Mandu attained prominence during 10^th and 11^th century as the place was ruled by Parmar kings. Formerly Mandu was known as “Shadiabad” meaning city of happiness and joy which was given by Mughal Emperor Alauaddin Khilji. Mandu was under the rule of Mughal Emperor Akbar until it was taken over by the Marathas in the year 1732.

Places to see in and around Mandu:

Hindola Mahal:

This mahal is also known as Swing Palace is situated in Mandu and is named due to sloping side walls. The Hindola Mahal was built in the year 1425 and is a major tourist spot in Mandu.

Darya Khan’s Tomb:

Darya Khans Tomb is situated near Hathi Mahal and is known for its intricate patterns on mosaic tiles. It is one of the major tourist place in Mandu.

Jahaz Mahal:

Jahaz Palace is also called as Ship Palace and was built in 15^th century by Ghiyas-Uddin. The double storey structure lies between 2 artificial lakes namely Munj Talab and Kapur Talab. The Palace has pavilions, open terraces and balconies.

Dai Ka Mahal:

Dai ka Mahal also called as Nannys Palace used to be womens residences who were hired to look after the babies of the Mandu rulers.

Rewa Kund:

This is a tiny reservoir built by Baz Bahadur used to supply water to Rupmati Pavilion.

Jami Masjid:

This is a gigantic mosque built as per Afghan style of architecture located on a high elevated ground with a plinth and domed porch in the center. The mosque was constructed by Hoshang Shah and completed by Muhammad Khilji in the year 1454.

Baz Bahadur’s Palace:

The Palace was built by Baz Bahadur in 16^th century which has high elevated terraces and large halls. The Palace is being built as per Afghan style of architecture and was built in memory of tragic love story between Rani Rupmati and Baz Bahadur.

Hathi Mahal:

Hathi Mahal is also called as Elephant Palace due to the presence of large pillars resembling the legs of an elephant. It is one of the major tourist place in Mandu.

Bagh Caves:

These caves dates back to 400 A.D. and are known for their old paintings similar to the one that is located in Ajanta. Overall there are 9 Buddhist rock cut caves used by Buddhist monks as a place of dwelling.

Dilawar Khan’s Mosque:

This is one of the earliest Indo-Islamic structures located in Mandu built in the year 1405 by Dilawar Khan Gauri. The mosque has a main entrance, huge corridors on all three sides and a prayer room for offering Namaz.

Rupmati Pavilion:

This monument is built using a huge sandstone located opposite to Baz Bahadur Palace. It is said that Rani Rupmati used to stay at this Palace from where she used to see river Narmada. The Palace also offers an ideal place for watching sunset over river Narmada.

Hoshang’s Tomb:

The tomb is considered to be one of the first Indian marble structures built in the year 1440. The tomb is square in shape and has a dome with high towers, open courts.

Other attractions in and near Mandu include:

Dai ki Chotti Bahen ka Mahal
Nilkanth Mahal
Rupayam Museum
Chhappan Mahal Museum
Darwazes
Malik Mughith Masjid
Nilkanth Shrine
Sri Madhavgarh Teerth

Connectivity to Mandu:

Mandu is well connected by road and rail modes of transport. Many bus services are available from Mandu to Dhar and Indore at regular intervals. The nearest railway station and airport is Indore which is approx 100 kms from Mandu.

Accommodation facilities in Mandu:

Mandu has some good hotels and guest houses that provide decent accommodation facilities to the tourists. The hotels range from 1 star rating to 5 star rating providing host of amenities and world class services at the fingertips of the visitors. List of some of the hotels located in and near Mandu are:

Hotel Roopmati
Hotel Nataraj Palace
Hotel Gautam
Hotel Monarch
Hotel Star Palace
Hotel Jhira Bagh Palace
Kanha International Hotel

Places to Visit in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India

Places to Visit in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India

Mandla is situated in Mandla district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on the banks of river Narmada lying at an altitude of 1460 feet above sea level. Mandla has a literacy rate of 77% with Hindi being the main spoken language of the people living in Mandla. Mandla coordinates with 22.6’ degree North Latitude and 80.38’ degree East Longitude with Postal Code being 481661.

Mandla History:

Mandla was known as Mahishmati Nagari prior to 1500 A.D. Rani Durgavati who was ruling this place fought a valiant battle to defend her kingdom against Akbar. In the later part Rani Avanti Bai waged a battle against the British to protect the city from British invasion. In the year 1670, Mandla was made the capital city and was ceded to Mughal Emperor Akbar. In the year 1742, Mandla was attacked by Peshwa and last but not the least Mandla came under the rule of the British East India Company in the year 1818 at the conclusion of Third Anglo Maratha War.

Tourism in and around Mandla:

Mandla Fort:

The fort is situated on the banks of river Narmada and the front portion of the fort is provided with a protection by a trench. Currently only the ruins and some towers of the fort are only visible as many of the structures have been destroyed due to passage of time.

Kanha National Park:

Kanha National Park is known for Tiger Reserve and other endangered species of animals. The tourists can find Asiatic elephants, tigers, Indian Gaur, Bison, Sambar deer, leopards, Cheetah, wild dogs, stripped hyenas in this National Park. The Kanha National Park also has thick natural vegetation where many rare species of migratory birds including Siberian Crane migrate to Kanha National Park.

Bandhavgarh National Park:

This National Park is approx 176 kms away from Mandla famous for wildlife sanctuaries and forts.

Nagpur:

Nagpur is also famous for oranges, lakes, gardens, temples, museums and wildlife sanctuaries which is approx 257 kms from Mandla.

Khajuraho:

Khajuraho is well known for heritage sites, temples, forts, museums and waterfalls situated 345 kms away from Mandla.

Best time to visit Mandla:

Mandla can be visited all round of the year except during the time of monsoons where the Kanha National Park will be closed for the public. At one point of time Mandla was known for its lush greenery and sublime climatic conditions, but off late due to deforestation, the area has been witnessing severe rise in temperature over last few years.

Connectivity to Mandla:

Mandla is well connected by road and rail modes of transport. National Highway 12A connects Mandla with Raipur, Jabalpur and Nagpur. Plenty of bus services are available from Mandla to Nagpur, Indore, Jabalpur and Raipur. The nearest railway station is Jabalpur Railway Station which is about 96 kms from Mandla where several long distance trains arrive and depart on regular basis.

Hotels in Mandla:

As many tourists come to Mandla to visit Kanha National Park, the department of tourism of Madhya Pradesh has built many hotels, resorts and guest houses to meet the accommodation demands. The tourists can select a hotel as per their choice and requirements which normally ranges from 1 star category to 5 star categories. List of some of the hotels and resorts located in and near Mandla are:

Hotel Ashoka
Hotel RK
Baghira Log Huts
Muba at Mukki Jungle Resorts
Hotel Paradise
Mridukishore Hotel & Resort
Kanha Village Eco Resort

Best Tourist Places in Mandi Govindgarh, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India

Best Tourist Places in Mandi Govindgarh, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab, India

Mandi Govindgarh is a town in Fatehgarh Sahib district in Punjab is famous for industries, factories and steel mills. It is also called as the “Steel City” due to the presence of large number of steel mills. Govindgarh has a literacy rate of 69% and Punjabi, Hindi are the widely spoken languages in Govindgarh. Govindgarh coordinates with 30.41’ degree North Latitude and 76.18’ degree East Longitude and its Pin Code is 147301.

History of Mandi Govindgarh:

History says that when Guru Har Govind visited the city with his family, he had a long battle with Lala Beg, the existing ruler of this region. In the war, Lala Beg was killed by forces of Guru Har Govind and dead soldiers were cremated near the Gurudwara. The first industry to come up in Govindgarh was cotton weaving industry and gradually utensils like enamel plated plates mugs were manufactured in Govindgarh.

Tourist places to visit in and around Mandi Govindgarh:

Sanghol:

Sanghol is known for its Harappan Civilization and has a museum which has collection of many rare Harappan sculptors, coins, statues, tools, weapons which attracts large no of tourists all round the year.

Fatehgarh Sahib Gurudwara:

This gurudwara was built in the year 1952 by Maharaja Yadvindra Singh to commemorate the death of sons of Guru Gobing Singh. The gurudwara attracts many visitors all round the year.

Gurudwara Jyoti Sarup:

This is located in the close vicinity of Gurudwara which contains the remnants of the Mata Gujri and her two sons who were buried at this site. It is said that ruler Wazir Khan refused to cremate the body unless he is offered with gold coins. Thus Seth Todar Mal, a devotee of Guru Govind Singh bought a piece of land to cremate the dead bodies.

Gurudwara Shaheed Ganj:

This was built to commemorate the death of the Sikhs who had given up their lives fighting against the Mughal troops. It is said that around 40 cartloads of heads of Sikh soldiers were buried in this region.

Aam Khas Bagh:

The garden was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan which has a palace to rest in for the Emperor. The garden also has a Sheesh Mahal where sound and lighting programs are organized which attracts many local as well as foreigners.

Sant Namdev Temple:

This temple is dedicated to Sant Namdev who taught the Bhakti Marg and is preachings are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. The temple attracts many travelers during the fair held on occasion of Basant Panchami.

Mata Chakreshvri Devi Jain Temple:

This temple is dedicated to goddess Chakreshvri Devi who is believed to be 1000 years old. The walls and the interiors of the temples are decorated with glass work. There is also a well located beside the temple which is considered to be holy.

Rauza Sharif:

Rauza Shariff is a Dargah dedicated to Shaikh Ahmad Faruqi Sirhindi and Sunni Muslims consider this Dargah as their second Mecca. The place is visited by many tourists during Urs of Shaikh Ahmad Faruqi Sirhindi.

Floating Restaurant:

This restaurant was built across Sirhind canal and is maintained by PTDC which takes the visitors floating across the canal is one of the thrilling experience. The best time to visit the floating restaurant is during summer season.

Haveli Todar Mal:

The haveli is built using Sirhindi bricks and used to be the residential place of Diwan Todar Mal. The haveli is known for its splendor architecture and workmanship. It is one of the popular tourist destinations in Fatehgarh Sahib.

Other attractions include:

Shahgird Di Mazar
Ustad Di Mazar
Sadhana Kasai Mosque
Tombs of Nabis

When to visit Mandi Govindgarh?

Mandi Govindgarh can be visited all round the year, but the ideal time to visit the floating restaurant will be during summer.

Connectivity to Mandi Govindgarh:

Mandi Govindgarh is about 191 kms from Amritsar and approx 50 kms from Ludhiana. Many local and interstate buses are available from Mandi Govindgarh to Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur and Amritsar at frequent intervals. The nearest railway station and airport is Ludhiana Railway Station and Ludhiana Airport which is approx 50 kms from Mandi Govindgarh.

Hotels in Mandi Govindgarh:

Mandi Govindgarh has some reputed hotels offering decent accommodation facilities to the tourists visiting the place from time to time. Hotels show good hospitality and courteous services when dealing with visitors as goodwill and reputation form the main criteria. Hotels come in budget ranging from Rs. 600 onwards and goes up to Rs. 5000 for ultra luxury ones. List of hotels located in and near Mandi Govindgarh are:

Hotel Silver Stone
Hotel Grand Marian
Hotel Ginger
Hotel Gulmor
Hotel Ivory Retreat
Hotel Rajpal Regency
Aveda Hotels & Resorts
Zimidara Hotel & Restaurant
Hotel Tip & Top
Hotel Kakkar
Hotel Hamilton Amar
Floating Hotel
Hotel Simran

Places to Visit in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India

Places to Visit in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India

Formerly known as Mandav Nagar, Mandi is a city in Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh which is about 153 kms from state capital Shimla. The city was established in the year 1527 and covers a total area of 23 sq kms located at an altitude of 3425 feet above sea level. The literacy rate of Mandi is 83% and Hindi form the most popular spoken language of the people living in Mandi. Mandi comes under Mandi Lok Sabha Constituency and coordinates with 31.42’25” degree North Latitude and 76.55’54” degree East Longitude. The Postal Code of Mandi is 175001.

Meaning and History of Mandi:

As per Indian mythology, sage Mandav performed aggressive penance in this area due to which the rocks present in the area used to turn black due to severe penance. Thus the place came to be called as Mandi in due course of time.

Mandi was to be a princely state during 1200 A.D. which was found by Bahu Sen but it was Ajbar Sen who actually discovered the historical city of Mandi in the year 1526 A.D. Mandi was ruled by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1839, but soon after his death Mandi became a part of the British rule.

Tourist attractions in and near Mandi:

Chauntra Valley:

This is a tiny village near Mandi known for paragliding and other adventure activities. One can also notice Chauntra Valley has small Tibetan settlement, Tibetan University and a Monastery which makes the place a major tourist attraction.

Rewalsar Lake:

Rewalsar Lake is located at an altitude of 1350 meters above sea level which consists of 3 shrines namely, a Hindu temple, a Buddhist monastery and a Sikh Gurudwara. Rewalsar Lake also provides as a major picnic spot for the tourists.

Sunken Garden:

The garden is famous for its lush greenery and provides spectacular view of the hills and the valleys located in Mandi. The garden has a pagoda type structure clock tower which forms a major attraction for the visitors.

Ardhanareshwar Temple:

This temple represents Shiva in half man and half women posture and such kind of temples are very few to be found in India. It is a one of the holy sites in Mandi which draws huge devotees during Mahashivatri.

Bhima Kali Temple:

The temple is situated on the banks of river Beas and is dedicated to mother goddess Bhimakali who is the main deity of this temple. There is also a large museum in the premises of the Bhimakali temple.

Bir Monastery:

Due to settlement of large population of Buddhist in this part of the region, there are many monasteries located near Mandi out of which Bir Monastery is the most noted monastery in Mandi that is visited by large number of people. The monastery exhibits Buddhist paintings, carvings and is known for its excellent masterpiece work.

Panchavaktra Temple:

This temple is known for the deity of lord Shiva who is worshipped with true faith and devotion by the locals of Mandi. The deity in this temple has 5 faces hence it is called as Panchavaktra which attracts many devotees and locals all round the year.

Triloknath Temple:

The temple was built in the year 1520 by queen Sultan Devi and is known for its excellent architecture and craftmanship. The main deity of this temple is lord Triliknath, also known as lord Mahesh.

Shimla:

Shimla is known for hill stations, ice-skating, snowfalls, skiing and monasteries is about 153 kms away from Mandi.

Kotli:

Kotli is an important pilgrimage center in Mandi famous for several temples dedicated to lord Shiva, Janitri Devi, Nagini Devi temple and Maha Dev temple.

Sundar Nagar:

Sundar Nagar is located near to Mandi known for ancient temples and pilgrimage centers situated atop the hill.

Tattapani:

Tattapani is located at a height of 655 meters on the banks of river Sutlej that consists of hot springs said to possess medicinal properties. Tattapani is also well known for rafting, fishing and trekking.

Barot:

Barot is famous for ideal picnic spot situated near Summer Palace of the Mandi kings. It is renowned for breeding ground of trout fishes. One can also undertake rafting, trekking and fishing in Barot.

Karsog:

Karsog is located 350 meters above sea level well known for apple orchards and valleys which is a major tourist hub in Mandi.

Chindi:

Chindi is situated on the Karsog valley bound by mountains, hills, forests consisting of pine, deodar trees and apple orchards. Chindi is also famous for rugs and handicrafts items.

Shikari Devi Temple:

The temple is located at a height of 3359 meters above sea level overlooking the Shikari mountain ranges dedicated to goddess Shikari Devi bound by thick forests, gorges, snow clad peaks and rivers.

Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary:

This wildlife sanctuary is located on the banks of river Uhl where the tourists can have a close view of many endangered species and vulnerable animals moving around freely within the sanctuary.

How to reach Mandi in Himachal Pradesh?

Mandi is connected by National Highway 20 and National Highway 21 that provides easy access to this place via road. Shimla is about 153 kms and New Delhi is approx 475 kms from Mandi. Frequent bus services are available from Mandi to New Delhi and Shimla. The nearest railway station from Mandi is Jogindernagar Railway Station which is approx 50 kms from the town of Mandi. The nearest airport is Bhuntar Airport which is approx 75 kms from town of Mandi.

Best Time to visit Mandi:

Mandi can be visited all round the year i.e. during summer, monsoons and even during winter months. As the place remains cool during summer many people visit Mandi to beat the city heat. Mandi can also be ideally visited during winters because the area receives snowfalls which attract many visitors during this point of time.

Hotels in Mandi:

Being a popular tourist destination in Himachal Pradesh, Mandi offers good standard accommodation facilities for the tourists visiting the place all round the year. The hotel rates vary from Rs. 600 onwards for single bed accommodation and goes up to Rs. 1000 for double bed accommodation. Some hotels also provide services like doctors on call, arrange for ticket bookings, set up help desks and travel desks, laundry services etc. List of some of the hotels located in and near Mandi are: