Shopping at Natural Nirvana

Indore

Pop: 1.3 million Area Code: 0731

Indore, the second largest city in Madhya Pradesh, is a fast-moving, modern business and industrial town with not much to do in it. You may pass through here on the way to Ujjain, Omkareswar, or Mandu.

Indore became the capital of the Holkar dynasty during the 18th century when the dynasty controlled a large part of India. Rani Ahilya Bai (died 1795) built temples and philanthropic establishments across India.

Information
The helpful MPTDC Tourist Office (528-653) is behind the Ravindra Natya Griha Exhibition Hall on RN Tagore Rd. (10 am to 5 pm). They can arrange tourist taxis, and also run a one-day tour to Omkareswar and Maheshwar (Rs 250), as well as a two-day tour to Mandu (Rs 500).
The State Bank of India on AB Rd, next to the GPO, changes cash and travelers cheques. The State Bank of Indore, on Raj Wada, changes money. The Bank of Baroda, Agra-Bombay Rd, near the GPO, accepts Visa cards.

Rupayan, in the Central Hotel, and Badshah Bookshop, in the City Center shopping center, MG Road, are good bookshops.

After 10 pm there is a fifty-percent surcharge on auto-rickshaw fares.

Travel agencies: Royal Tourist Service (434-730), 164 RN Tagore Rd; and President Travels, in the Hotel President (533-472), 163 RN Tagore Rd.

Internet at Central Telegraph Building in Nehru Place. Rs 40 per half hour.

Lal Bagh Palace
The Lal Bagh Palace (daily except Mon 10 am to 5 pm) is one of the most elaborate palaces in India. This extravagant palace, which took thirty years to build, was the former home of the Maharaja. Its gate is a copy of the gate at Buckingham Palace. It has crystal chandeliers, marble pillars, stained glass windows, and antique furniture. On the ground floor are the Durbar hall (assembly hall), billiards room, and the ballroom. There is a small collection of tribal items.

Central Museum
The Central Museum near the GPO has an interesting collection of 11th and 12th century sculptures and old deities found mainly in Madhya Pradesh. There are some Harappan terra-cotta pieces found in Mohenjo Daro in southern Pakistan. Open daily except Mon 10 am to 5 pm.

Other Places
Rajwada is the Old Palace of the Holkars. The gateway is seven-storeys high. There is not much left of the palace due to damage from three different fires.

Kanch Mandir (Mirror Temple) is an ornately decorated Jain temple. It has glass chandeliers, and mirrors cover the walls and ceilings. It has paintings inside depicting the Jain viewpoint of life and the events following a person’s death.

Chhattri Bagh contains memorials to the previous rulers of Indore.

The busy Kujuri Bazaar is an interesting place to visit.

In the Bada Ganapati Temple, at the western end of MG Rd, there is a 9m (30 ft) tall statue of Ganesh—said to be the world’s largest.

Where to Stay—Lower
Most of the budget hotels are by the Sarwate bus stand and the railway station, which are only a few minutes apart. The mid-range hotels are a better value than the budget ones.
Janta Hotel (name in Hindi), next to the Hotel Ashok, is the least expensive.
Hotel Shalimar (462-481) is a good value with basic rooms with bath for Rs 100/125.
Hotel Sagar International (462-630) has a selection of large rooms for Rs 150/200. It is a good choice. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Neelam (466-001) has rooms with TV for Rs 150/200 and Rs 350 with A/C. Rooms have hot water and are decently clean.
Nearby, the Hotel Ashoka (465-991) has rooms with TV and hot water for Rs 150/225 and Rs 300/400 with TV and A/C. 24-hour checkout. It is a good value.
Hotel Sagar (462-630) has big rooms with hot water for Rs 225/300. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Payal (463-202), 38 Chhoti Gwaltoli, is a good place with clean rooms with TV for Rs 150/200. Bucket hot water free. It is near the bus station. 24-hour checkout. Recommended.

Where to Stay—Middle To High
Samrat Hotel (433-889), 18/5 MG Road, is a large, good-valued, modern place with nice rooms for Rs 350/450 and Rs 500/600 with A/C. 24-hour checkout.
Kanchan (527-932), Kanchan Bagh, has clean. comfortable rooms for Rs 400/500 and Rs 600/700 with A/C. It is a good value.
Royal Residency (764-633; fax 465-377), 225 RN Tagore Rd, has very clean comfortable rooms for Rs 550/700 and higher.
Tourist Bungalow (541-818), RN Tagore Rd, has rooms with A/C for Rs 350/400.
Surya Hotel (521-155; fax 518-774), 575 Nath Mandir Rd, is a quiet place with modern rooms with TV for Rs 650/850 and Rs 900/1100 with A/C. Some rooms have a balcony. Recommended.
Shreemaya Hotel (514-081; fax 527-680), near the railway station, is a good place with rooms for Rs 400/500 and Rs 550/650 with A/C. You can change money here. Recommended.
Hotel President (528-866; fax 512-230), 163 RNT Marg, with a turbaned doorman, has good, comfortable rooms with A/C for Rs 950/1200. There are also higher-priced rooms. It has a sauna and health club, and the vegetarian Woodlands Restaurant is excellent. Recommended. 9 am checkout.
Taj Malwa (433-884) 585/2 MG Rd, Palasia, is a pleasant, modern place with comfortable rooms. It is a good value. 9 am checkout.
The four-star Indotels Manor, AB Rd, 4km from the center of town, is one of the best places in town with rooms for Rs 1000/1200 up to Rs 2500 for the Maharaja Suite. It has a pool and a good restaurant.
Taj Residency (557-700; fax 555-355), near Meghdoot Gardens, 5km from downtown, is a deluxe place with rooms for $75/85. Recommended.

Where to Eat
Apsara, at the Tagore Natya Griha Hall, in front of the Tourist Bungalow, is popular with the locals. Recommended. The macaroni and vegetable pulao are both good.
Woodlands Restaurant, at the Hotel President, 163 RNT Marg, is a high-class and excellent South Indian vegetarian place. Recommended.
Food Place, City Center shopping complex, MG Rd, has good South Indian food.
Indian Coffee House, MG Rd, serves good food. Inexpensive.
Shreemaya Hotel, RNT Marg, has a popular, good South Indian restaurant.
Volga Restaurant, Regal Theatre Premises on MG Road, is a high-class place.
Status Restaurant, ground floor of Hotel Purva, 565 MG Road, is a good place with very good Rajasthani lunch thalis (Rs 40).
Hotel Surya has a good restaurant.

Travel
Air Indian Airlines (431-594; airport: 411-782) has daily flights to Mumbai ($85) and flights to Delhi ($125) via Bhopal ($55) and Gwalior ($100). There is a daily flight to Mumbai on Damania Airways. Indian Airlines office (431-595), Race Course Rd. Archana (492-748); Jet Airways (544-590; Airport: 410-452); Sahara (432-280; Airport: 413-516).

The airport is 9km west of the city center. An auto-rickshaw costs about Rs 70 and a taxi Rs 150 to the hotel area.

Train The reservation office is across the street from the station. Open Mon to Sat 8 am to 8 pm, Sun 8 am to 2 pm. Trains departing from Delhi and Chennai can be reserved here.

Trains to Delhi go by two routes: the daily Indore-Nizamuddin Exp #4005 departs 4 pm from Indore via Ujjain and Bharatpur and arrives in Delhi at 6.10 am. The Malwa Exp #9367 (2 pm) takes the other route—via Bhopal (6 hr), Jhansi (11 hr), Gwalior (13 hr), and Agra (14½ hr)—and arrives in Delhi at 7.50 am.

There are two trains daily to Chittorgarh, Ajmer, and Jaipur, in Rajasthan.

To get to Ajanta and Ellora, travelers must first go to Jalgaon, 55km north of Ajanta. To get there you have to change trains at Khandwar junction.
Bhopal Intercity Exp #9303 (6 am, 4¾ hr); Calcutta  Shipra Exp #9305 (8.10 pm, 36½ hr; Mon Thu, Fri); Jabalpur Narmada Exp #8233 (3 pm, 15 hr); Jaipur Indore-Jaipur Exp #9773 (12 hr); Mumbai Avantika Exp #2962 (3.45 pm, 15½ hr) .

Bus There are two bus stands, the Sarawate bus stand (465-688), near the railway station, and the Gangawal bus stand (480-688), 3km west of downtown.

From the Sarawate Bus Station, there are regular buses to Ujjain (1½ hr) and Bhopal (5 hr). There are buses to Ajanta (12 hr, two direct, 5 am, 8.30 pm), Udaipur (12 hr), Jalgaon (8 hr, two daily), Omkareswar (3 hr, regularly) and Maheshwar (3 hr, three daily).

There is a direct bus to Mandu from Gangawal bus stand (8 am) and from Sarawate bus stand (2 pm). You can also take a bus to Dhar (45 min), and another to Mandu. From the Sarawate station, there are several buses to Dhar in the morning before 10 am. There are frequent buses to Dhar from the Gangawal bus stand.
MPSRTC has four deluxe buses per day to Bhopal (5½ hr) from the Sarawate bus stand. MP Tourism runs an A/C express bus (Rs 175) to Bhopal at 8 am and 3.15 pm from the Tourist Bungalow. This bus meets the superfast Shatabdi Express coming to and from Delhi.

You can catch overnight luxury buses to Mumbai, Jaipur, Pune, Ahmedabad, Nasik, or Aurangabad through private companies. The buses depart around 9 pm. Vijayant Travels is a reliable travel agency operating overnight luxury buses to Mumbai, Nasik, Aurangabad, Nagpur, and other places. Also reliable are Royal Travels, 164 RNT Marg, and Multani Sona Travels.

Vegetarian Fast Food Options

World Vegetarian Restaurants Guide

Amazing Colon Cleaning Program

Our own Vegetarian, Vegan, Alternative & Spiritual Sales Shop

Please Help Support This Site and buy our own USA Vegetarian Restaurants Book

Please check out our Natural Nirvana Store, which we started to help pay for the maintenance of this Website. Natural Nirvana is dedicated to selling vegetarian, spiritual and alternative products. We sell only animal-friendly and cruelty-free clothing, gifts, health foods, books and beauty products.

!! DVD Kurma Great Vegetarian Dsihes Cooking Videos Set for just $49. Individually each video costs $14.95.for a savings of over $100

24 Devotional DVD Set for just $99 Individually each video cost $14.95 for a savings of over $200

Fantastic Natural Herbs from the Amazons
(Best source of natural herbs in the world)

Infomation on Partnering with John Easterling &Amazon Herb formulas
Make a steady Income distruibuting natural herb products

Amazon Herbs Articles

Good News from the Amazon An interview with John Easterling

Interview with Sherrill Sellman

Journey to Porveneer
by Kosa Ely

How the Amazon Rainforest
Can Improve Our Relationships
By “Amazon John” Easterling

Returning to our Roots The Evolution of Environmental Consciousness
by Kosa Ely

CamuC Serum
Nature’s Ultimate Recipe for Glowing, Youthful Looking Skin

VEGAN BAGS
Hemp Bags
Vegetarian & Animal Rights Message Bag
Hemp Backpacks
Indian Quilted & Embroidered Bags
Ecolution Bags
Splaff Bags

CLOTHES
Vegetarian T-Shirts
Animal Rights T-Shirts
Vedic Gods T-Shirts
Hemp Gloves
Vegan Message Hats
Animal Rights Beanies
Hemp Hats
Vegetarian Message Hats
Indian Men Clothing
Indian Women Clothing
Scarves
Indian design Stoles
Indian Sarongs
Sacred Threads Tops
S. T. Dresses
S. T. Pants
Sacred Threads Children Clothing

Bedding & Pillows (beautiful)
Indian Bedspreads
Indian Design Quilts
Indian Design Pillows

FOOD
Raw Foods
Vegan Foods

AYURVEDIC MEDICINES
Ayurvedic Medicines
Neem Products
Ayurvedic Books
Herbal Vedic
NeemAura
AyurvedicSupplements
Ayurvedic Incense
Organic South Neem
Ayurvedic Soaps
Ayurveda Toothpaste
Ayurveda Massage Oil

VEGAN HEALTH
Vegan Vitamins
Vegan Herbal Remedies
Massage Oils
Sport Supplements
Vegan Protein
First Aid Products
Cold Medicines
Olbas
Well-In-Hand
Skin & Blemish
Herbal Salves & Balms

VEGAN BODY CARE
Vegan Soaps
Vegan Shampoos
Vegan Hair Spays
Vegan Toothpaste
Tongue Cleaners
Neti Pots
Vegan Perfumes
Vegan Sun Care
Lip Balm
Contact Len Cleaner
Skin Treatments
Men's Products
Dental Floss
Natural Mouthwashes
Vegan Hair Removal System

INCENSE & OILS
Incenses
Essential Oil
Vegan Candles

VEGAN BELTS & WALLETS
Vegan Wallets
Hemp Belts
Vegan Belts
Hemp Guitar Straps

VEGETARIAN & VEGAN BOOKS
Vegan Books
Vegetarian Books
Vegan Cookbooks
Vegetarian Cookbooks
Restaurant Cookbooks
Raw Food Book

VEG COSMETIC
Eyeshadows & Liners
Nail Polish
Blush
Lip Stick
Mascara
Powders
Nail Polish

VEDIC & SPIRITUAL
Mandala Publishers
OM Jewelry
Krishna Photos
Radha & Krishna Dolls

JEWELRY
Anklets
OM Jewelry
Nose Rings & Studs
Toe Rings
Astrological Gems
Earrings
Pendants
Silver Tulasi Beads
Neckbeads
Necklaces
Silver Jewelry
Gold Jewelry

BUTTONS STICKER
Animal Rights Buttons
Vegan Patch
Jam Bands Stickers
Jam Band Stickers (20 stickers for $5)

SPIRITUAL BOOKS
All Books
Holy Places
Vedic Scriptures
Mandala Publishing
Art Books
Kurma Cook Books
Bhagavat Gita
Caitanya Mahaprabhu
Children
Srimad Bhagvatam
Spiritual Biography
Vedic Coloring Books

SPIRITUAL MUCIC
Bhajans
S. Prabhupada Bhajans
Kirtana
New Age
Musical Instruments
Spiritual Lessons
Audio Vedic Books

VEGETARIAN VIDEO
Vegetarian Cooking
Vegetarian

SPIRTUAL VIDEO
Devotional Movies
Interactive CDs
Vedic Puppet Shows
Vedic Art & Culture
Indian Music Lessons
Bhativedanta Swami Prabhupada

Spiritual Photos & Art
Krishna Posters
Krishna Pictures
Vedic Gods Photos
Vedic Gods Posters

OTHER PRODUCTS
Putumayo World Music
Pet Products
Outdoor Neem
Air Garcia T-shirt

Bob Marley Reggae
Hats
Shirts
Key Chains
License Plates
Scarves
Books