Namaskaram !
Welcome, Padharo ! I'm Mathini, a French woman who has been living in Rajasthan for 10 years. Despite being imbued with Indian culture from a young age it wasn't until 2014 that my Indian adventure really began. I left everything behind in France and set off on a 6-year journey through the land of Gandhi. These adventures are gathered in this blog which aspires, in an intentionally positive spirit, to bear witness to India's remarkably diverse and multifaceted cultural heritage. If this website sparks a desire to pack your bags and set off for an Indian adventure, it will have achieved its purpose. Subh Yatra on Magik India and beautiful explorations in the sacred land of Bharat...
Omkareshwar is one of India’s holiest cities. It is the home of “the Lord of the sound Om“, one of the 12 Jyotir Lingams or “lingams of light”. At Omkareshwar the river Narmada divides into two channels around an island called Shivapuri. The island, 4km long and 2km wide, is said to be in the shape of Hinduism’s symbolic syllable “OM” (ॐ) – whence the name Omkareshwar.
Ujjain stands on the right bank of the Shipra, an affluent of the Ganges. It is one of the oldest holy cities in India. Its various names are Avantika, Pratikalpa, Kanakasrnga, Amaravati, Shivapuri, Chudamani, Kumudvati and also Ujjainyini, “he who conquers with pride”, because it is said to be the place where Shiva triumphed over the demon Tripura.
The town of Indore, which was once a village at the confluence of the Khan and Saraswati rivers, is the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh. It is renowned for its historic monuments, reflecting a glorious past under the patronage of the queen Ahilya Bai Holkar. Indore lies equidistant from two major Hindu pilgrimage sites, the Jyotir Lingam temples at Ujjain and Omkareshwar.
Lal Bagh Palace
Lal Bagh palace, built in European style by the Holkar maharajas between 1886 and 1921, reflects that dynasty’s refined lifestyle. Now converted into a museum, the palace boasts a collection of coins and another of contemporary Indian and Italian paintings and sculptures.
The palace interior is sumptuously decorated, taking inspiration variously from Versailles in France, Italy for its marble columns, Belgium for its stained glass and Buckingham Palace for its gates.
Rajwada, Holkar Palace
Rajwada is a seven-storey palace built by the Holkars, a Hindu Maratha royal house, over a long period in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is a delicious mix of Maratha, Mughal and French architectural styles.
The three lower storeys are built of brick and the upper floors of wood. Vulnerable to fire, these floors have suffered three major fires over the years, most recently in 1984. Only the front part of the original structure now remains. A lovely garden has been created in the rear part, with fountains, an artificial waterfall and some fine 11th-century sculptures.
Kanch Mandir, the mirror temple of Indore
Kanch Mandir is an astonishing Jain temple, lined from floor to ceiling with mirrors and mosaics.
A gem of a place! Seth Hukumchand, a rich Jain industrialist known as the Cotton King, had it built in 1903.
Were it not for the black onyx Mahavira statue one could easily forget that this is a temple and not a palace.
Cenotaph of Krishnapura
On the banks of the River Khan not far from Rajwada stand the cenotaphs or chhatris of the Holkar maharajas, built in the Maratha style with domes and carved arches.
A stretch of the Khan river has been turned into an artificial lake with a fountain and gardens.
It’s an interesting place but poorly maintained, which is a pity.
Annapurna Temple
This shrine to Annapurna, the goddess of food, is a Hindu pilgrimage site. In design it resembles the Meenakshi temple in Madurai.
The entrance gate is flanked by four life-size elephants that seem to be holding up the entire superstructure, which is ornately decorated with carvings of mythological scenes. As well as the main temple to Annapurna Devi there are shrines to Kal Bhairav (Shiva) and the monkey god Hanuman, and a cow sanctuary or gaushala.
Bada Ganpati temple
This temple built in 1875 houses a huge, brightly-coloured statue of the god Ganesha. At 25ft tall it is one of the largest Ganesh statues in the world. It is said to have been built because of a dream dreamed by Shri Dadhich, a devotee from Ujjain.
It is said to be made of brick, lime, earth from the seven Sapta Puri holy places, cow dung, powdered gemstones (diamond, emerald, pearl, ruby and topaz) and holy water from India’s main pilgrimage sites.
Khajrana Temple
The Khajrana neighbourhood is famous for its Ganesha Mandir, which attracts large crowds of devotees.
The temple is thought to have been built by the queen Ahilya Bai. The faithful believe it will grant the wishes of all who come there to pray to the elephant-headed god Ganesh.
Nearby is the dargah or mausoleum of the Sufi saint Nahar Sayed, which attracts many Muslim pilgrims.
Gomatgiri jain temple
The Gomatgiri Jain temple was built in 1981 on a small hill ten minutes from Indore airport.
It houses a 6m statue of Gomateshwar which is said to be a replica of the one at Shravanabelagola in Karnataka. The complex includes 24 temples, one to each of the 24 Tirthankaras (saints) of the Jain religion.
Jyotir Lingams of Ujjain and Omkareshwar
Indore lies equidistant from two major Hindu pilgrimage sites, the Jyotir Lingam or ‘Lingam of light’ temples at Ujjain and Omkareshwar…
KNOW MORE ABOUT IT
Legend has it that the god Brahma named Allahabad “Tirth Raj” or “king of pilgrimage centres”. It is here that the incredible Kumbha Mela is held gathering millions of devotees. “Incredible India”, the country’s official slogan, is no exaggeration here.
Stretched out along the Yamuna river lies Mathura. Like its neighbours Vrindavan, Govardhan and Barsana, it seems to be lulled by the sweet notes of Lord Krishna’s flute. After all, it is said to be the place where he was born.
Sonmarg, the “golden meadow”, certainly owes its name to the natural beauty of this alpine valley 2740m above sea level, 87km from Srinagar. Around it are the majestic Kolhoi and Machoi glaciers and mountain peaks reaching more than 5000m.
Just as Agra is known for the magnificent Taj Mahal, Amritsar too has its emblematic monument, the famous Golden Temple, spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion. Amritsar (“nectar of immortality”) is also called Guru Nagri, “city of gurus”, referring to the spiritual leaders of the Sikh religion. As well as the famous Golden Temple this holy city offers such sights as the Durgiana temple and the more unusual Lal Devi temple (Lal Devi was a 20th-century woman saint).
