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Bhopal

Pop: 1.2 million Area Code: 0755

Bhopal, the state capital, has interesting museums and mosques. It is said to have taken its name from Raja Bhoj, who ruled Bhopal in the 11th century. Until 1952, Bhopal was an independent, Muslim-ruled princely state. Tourists often come here while going to and from the Buddhist ruins at Sanchi.

Bhopal is infamous as the site of the worst industrial accident in history. In the early morning of December 3, 1984, a cloud of lethal methyl icocyanate gas, used to make pesticides, leaked out of the Union Carbide fertilizer factory in north Bhopal. By the next morning, over 2,000 people had died and many more were crippled for life.

Orientation
The city is divided by the Upper and Lower Lakes. The north part of town is known as Old Bhopal, and the area south of the lakes is known as New Market (New Bhopal). The railway station and bus station are close to the main hotel area around Hamidia Road in Old Bhopal. To get to Hamidia Rd, exit the railway station from platform 4 or 5.

Many of the banks, offices, the tourist office, and Indian Airlines office are located in New Market, a good distant from the railway station. To get there, visitors must take a vehicle.

Information
The MPTDC Tourist Office (778-383), 4th fl, Gangotri Building, TT Nagar, New Market, gives information and books afternoon city tours, cars and MPTDC hotels. The tour goes from 9 am to 5 pm (5 hr, Rs 100) departing from the MPTDC Hotel Palash. There is also a helpful counter at the railway station and Hotel Palash. They also rent cars for travel in the area.

Money, Post & Medical
You can change money at the State Bank of Indore, Parcharad Building, New Market Rd; Allahabad Bank, Bhadbahda Rd; and the State Bank of India, near the Rangmahal Talkies Cinema.

The GPO is on Sultania Rd, near Taj-ul-Masjid, in Old Bhopal.

Hamidia Hospital (511-446) is one of the best hospitals in town.

Bookshops and Cultural Places
There are several bookshops on Bhadbhada Rd in TT Nagar, near MP Tourism. Loyal Bookshop near Moti Masjid.

The British Library, GTB Complex, Roshanpura Naka, New Market, has recent British newspapers and magazines. The Alliance Française (566-595), Arera Colony, has French newspapers and magazines. It is technically for members only.

Taj-ul-Masjid
Bhopal’s largest mosque, Taj-ul-Masjid, was built by Sultan Jehan Begum (1669-1701). Some of the mosque’s features were never finished. It has 18-storey minarets and three large domes over the prayer hall. The entrance to the mosque is from Royal Market Rd. Open daily except Fri, dawn to dusk.

There is an interesting bazaar nearby.

Lakshmi Narayana Temple and Birla Museum
This temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu (Narayana) and Lakshmi (the Goddess of Fortune). There is a good view of the lake from the temple.

The museum has a good collection of local sculptures. Most of the sculptures are of Siva, Vishnu and his incarnations, and their respective consorts. There is a terra-cotta exhibit from Kausambi. The museum is open daily except Mon 9 am to noon and 2 to 6 pm. Admission Rs 3.

Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (Tribal Museum)
In this museum in Shamla Hills, overlooking the Upper Lake, there is an outdoor exhibition of traditional adivasi tribal buildings from all over India. Villagers were brought from all over India to build these houses in their own traditional styles, using only the tools and materials available at their home villages. The buildings contain intricate murals, carved beams, and items used in daily life, such as cooking utensils, musical instruments, and tools. Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya means “museum of man.”

Open daily except Mon 10 am to 6 pm. There are craft demonstrations and a film on Sat at 4 pm. If you are coming here from near the railway station (20 minutes away) you might want to get the rickshaw to here and back, plus waiting time. From the railway station, you can take a bus to New Market and another bus from there.

Van Vihar Safari Zoo Park
Van Vihar is more like a zoo than a safari. Open daily except Tues 7 to 11 am and 3 to 6 pm. Admission Rs 10. The Safari Zoo Park has a white tiger, leopards, and Himalayan bears. The best time to visit is between 4 to 6 pm. The zoo is located near the Tribal Museum, and both can be visited on the same trip.

Many species of birds congregate on the lakeshore. You can get a boat half a km from the entrance of the park (Rs 30 for 30 min), to get a good view of the birds.

Bharat Bhavan
Bharat Bhavan, established in 1982, is a center for the visual and performing arts, whose goal is to help preserve traditional folk art. There is a sculpture exhibit and a gallery containing modern Indian art, and an exhibit of adivasi art (traditional folk art). Exhibited are paintings, terra-cottas, carvings, and masks. It is in Shamla Hills and open daily except Mon 2 to 8 pm. There are dance, music, and drama performances here.

Other Places
The Jama Masjid (1837) and Moti Masjid (1860) are interesting mosques.
Visitors can take boat rides on the Upper Lake. There are motorboats, sailboats, rowboats, and pedal boats available for rental.

The Madhya Pradesh Archeological Museum, south of the Lower Lake near Raj Bhavan, has a collection of ancient sculptures, miniature paintings, and bronze statues. Open Tues to Sat 10 am to 5 pm. It is not particularly interesting.

Where to Stay—Lower
Many of the cheaper places are on or near Hamidia Rd, near the railway station. To get to this area you exit via platform 4 or 5. Many of the hotels add a ten-percent luxury tax and a ten-percent service charge. You may want to inquire about this when you book the room.
The Retiring Rooms at the railway station are Rs 150 per person. A dorm bed is Rs 70.
Hotel Ranjit (533-511; fax 532-711), 3 Hamidia Rd, has clean air-cooled rooms for Rs 175/225 and Rs 350/400 with A/C. Good value, recommended. Has a good restaurant.
Hotel Red Sea Plaza, near the railway station, has rooms for Rs 200/250 and Rs 400/500 with A/C. It is not so well-maintained.
Hotel Sangam (542-382), has clean rooms for Rs 200/250 and Rs 250/350. It is fairly quiet.
Hotel Jalishan (535-778), Hamidia Rd, has rooms for Rs 250/400 and Rs 550 with A/C. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Rama International (535-542), near Radha Cinema, has good-sized rooms for Rs 200/250 and Rs 350/400 for A/C. It could be better maintained.
Hotel Sonali (533-162), 3 Hamidia Rd, is a good, popular place with rooms for Rs 225/275 and Rs 300/500 with air-cooling.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Shivalik Gold (536-000; fax 536-101), 40 Hamidia Rd, has clean, comfortable rooms for Rs 300/350 and Rs 500/550 with A/C. It is a good value.
Hotel Taj (533-162), 52 Hamidia Rd, has comfortable rooms for Rs 200/350 and Rs 550/650 with A/C. Good restaurant.
Shimla Palace (540-313), 31 Shimla Rd, has clean, large rooms. It is a nice place in a quiet area. Some rooms have a view of the lake.
Hotel Blue Star (535-526; fax 533-045) has rooms for Rs 250/300 and Rs 500/550 with A/C. It is a good value.
Jyoti (534-858), 53 Hamidia Rd, is a clean, popular place. It has a very good restaurant.
Richa (532-564), 1 Hamidia Rd, is a well-managed place with clean rooms with hot water and TV. It is a good value.
Deep (545-339), near Sangam Cinema, is a clean, quiet place. It is a good value.
MP Tourism’s Hotel Palash (553-006; fax 552-384), TT Nagar, near New Market, has rooms for Rs 550/650 and Rs 800/900 with A/C. It has a pleasant garden. This hotel is popular, so it is best to book it in advance.
Hotel Surya (536-925), Hamidia Rd, has rooms for Rs 225/275 and Rs 450/550 with A/C.

Where to Stay—Higher
Amer Palace Hotel (272-110; fax 573-308), MP Nagar, has rooms for Rs 1295/1695. It is a good place.
The three-star Residency Hotel (556-002; fax 557-637), MP Nagar, has clean rooms for Rs 1250/2100. It has a pool, health club, central A/C, and a very good restaurant.
Imperial Sabre (540-702) is an old palace guesthouse with a good location.
Lake View Ashok (541-600; fax 541-606), in Shamla Hills, has very comfortable rooms with balconies and a view of the lake for Rs 1600/2200. It has a garden and a good restaurant. Friendly and well-managed.
Jehan Numa Palace (540-100; fax 540-720) was a former palace. Rooms are Rs 2200/2700. It has a large garden.

Where to Eat
Indian Coffee House, Hamidia Rd, next to Sangam Cinema, has good, inexpensive food.
Hotel Guarav, in Old Bhopal, has good vegetarian food.
Manohar Dairy and Restaurant, 6 Hamidia Rd, serves veggie burgers, dosas, and other snacks. It carries a good selection of Indian sweets and ice cream.
The Hotel Ranjit has a very good restaurant.
Apsara, Rabindra Bhavan, TT Nagar, is a good place.
Kwality, Hamidia Rd, is a popular place serving Indian, Chinese, and Western food.
Hotel Jyoti has a very good restaurant. It has good cheap thalis.
Nisarga Hotel, 211 MP Nagar, has a good Chinese restaurant.
Shahnama Restaurant in the Jehan Numa Palace Hotel has good food (main dish Rs 100).

Travel
Air Indian Airlines (770-480), Gangotri Complex, TT Nagar, New Market, next to MP Tourism, has flights to Delhi ($110), Mumbai (daily, $120), Indore (daily, $50), and Gwalior (4 weekly, $75). Archana (595-526); Sahara (765-242).

The airport (521-277) is 12km from Old Bhopal. There are fixed rates from the airport—Rs 200 for a taxi and Rs 100 for an auto-rickshaw.

Train Bhopal is on the Delhi-Mumbai railway line. There are two railway stations in Bhopal. Reservations: 540-120. To get to Hamidia Rd, it is better to exit from platforms 4 and 5.

The A/C Shatabdi Exp #2002 departs New Delhi at 6.15 am and arrives in Bhopal around 2 pm. At 2.40 pm it returns to Delhi (7½ hr), stopping at Jhansi (3 hr), Gwalior (4¼ hr), and Agra (5½ hr). To get to Khajuraho, you take a train to Jhansi and a bus from there.

There are express trains to Sanchi (1 hr) at 8 am and 2.40 pm. There are several slow passenger trains to Sanchi.

Trains depart from Bhopal to Agra (8 hr), Delhi (10 to 12 hr), Gwalior (6½ hr), Ujjain (3 hr), Mumbai (12 to 16 hr), Jhansi (4½ hr), Chennai, Hyderabad, and Amritsar. Bangalore Karnataka Exp #2628 (7 am, 31 hr); Chennai Tamil Nadu Exp #2622 (8.10 am, 23 hr); Jabalpur Amarkantak Exp #8254 (4 pm, 8 hr, Tue, Thu, Fri, Sun), Narmada Exp #8233 (11 pm, 8½ hr); Lucknow Kushi Nagar Exp #1015 (2.50 pm, 12 hr); Mumbai and Jalgoan Punjab Mail #1038 (4.50 pm, 15 hr); Ujjain Narmada Exp #8234 (6.15 am, 5 hr); Vidisha and Sanchi Jhelum Exp #1077 (9.10 am, 45 min).

Bus The bus station (540-841) is a ten-minute walk west of the railway station. The reservation office is open from 11 am to 8 pm. There are frequent buses to Sanchi (1½ hr) via Raisen, Indore (6 hr), Vidhisha, and fewer buses to Jabalpur (12 hr) and Ujjain (5½ hr). To get to Mandu, travelers must first go to Indore. It is more convenient to go to Jabalpur by train.

MP Tourism has an A/C express bus from Bhopal to Indore (5 hr, Rs 175). It departs from the railway station after the Shatabdi Exp arrives. To get to Ujjain you can take this bus and get down at Dewas (35km). Then take a local bus from there. There is a morning express bus to Indore for Rs 100.

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