dakhalandazi: India's first online bilingual magazine: Bhopal - Journey from the Paleolithic Heritage to a Scarred Modern History

The landscaping of the city is picturesque with roads going up and down the hill. The Birla temple is built at a location where by just turning around you can see the entire city. Especially in the night, the city appears like a constellation of tiny stars that have descended from the skies and have been sprinkled on the black soil.

Ritika Gupta
http://blog.traveloggers-phototales.com

I have been a frequent visitor to this city of Begums and lakes as it is popularly known as. I had not been there in a decade and that is when I decided to rediscover this capital city, founded by Raja Bhoj, located in the heartland of the country.

The city has had a turbulent past where the reigns were usurped, ransacked, transferred from the Parmar Kings to the Mughals to Muslim women rulers like Begum Qudsia, Sikandar,Shah Jehan – which was a rarity in those times. It has prominent influences from the Mughal era in architecture and culture. It is the place which has witnessed and breathed through the terrible Gas tragedy that has scarred the very existence of civilization here.

The place has a cultural fabric that is interwoven with strands of conservative Islamic values and the uber cosmopolitan predominant in the New Bhopal area.

The moment you step out of the Bhopal junction, all your senses are brought alive with aroma of kababs, kachoris, samosas wafting through the polluted smoke from the numerous vehicles that flow on the roads. 10 minutes drive and you rest your eyes on the old city of Bhopal, which has the towering Taj Ul Masjid, the remanants of the Mughal county –run down walls, domes, fountains and ruins of richly carved buildings.

If you are headed towards the Shyamala hills, you will be driving past the Marine Drive of the city – long winding road running alongside the Badaa Taal. This natural lake is huge and is the primary source of water supply to the city. There is this peculiar smell that emanates from this place, but then the olfactory nerves adapt soon. The lake runs near dry in the scorching summer heat but monsoons make it livelier and a lot of water sports like water scooters, pedal boats, parasailing start here.

The zoo here is ranked amongst the best in the country as it is one of the only ones where the wild are provided a natural habitat, are not put in cages but left loose in enclosures that are as huge as a hillock with overgrown shrubs and wild vegetation. Best time to visit is the lunch hour or the time when evening meals are served to the animals else all that you would know of the wild would be deer, migratory birds and a few lazy lizards who refuse to move out of the pools of water.

The Manav Sanghralaya – the Museum of Man is an innovative concept that attracts many a visitors every single day. Spread over huge acreage of land atop the hill, this houses replicas of housing structures from across the Indian peninsula. Drawn to a 1:1 scale it has settlements of tribes from the North Eastern queens of states like Manipur, Assam, Nagaland. Intricate attention to details to the extent that logs of wood are placed in the storehouse of these huts for lighting fire, baskets and utensils neatly decorated in the kitchen area and mats laid out in the rooms. The only thing missing is humans!

It has the houses from the deserts of Rajasthan, covered with mud to keep them cool, with windows that are heavily meshed, doors that are carved and verandahs that have chalk paintings.

There are chariots from the royal states in the south, the huge boats from Kerala (the reason why I used to refer this place as the Kerala boat museum, when I was a kid). Do not forget to carry water bottles as there is a lot to explore and it is no less than a trek. But there are canteens and eating joints that serve some nutrition and water coolers at short intervals where you can refill the bottles.

Bhopal has the honor of being closest to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the Buddhists Stupas in Sanchi and the rock excavations from the Paleolithic age at Bhimbetka.

Bhimbetka: Located some 40kms from the city is easily accessible by road (must take a taxi to the place as it is very convenient). The rock shelters and paintings here have been reported to belong to an era 11,000 years old. There are a total of some 20 rocks with depictions of cattle, wild animals, stick figures of humans celebrating by dancing, hunting expeditions and implements. The paintings are in red, white and dull yellow. Archaeologists believe that these different colors represent drawings from different eras. They are believed to be older than even the cave paintings in Spain.

Sanchi: Locate at a distance of 45kms from Bhopal, nestled in the Raisen District, is Sanchi – host to this monument that houses the relics of Gautam Buddha– founder of Buddhism. This was built by Ashoka – one of the greatest emperors from the Maurya Dynasty. The Stupas are engraved with the bodhisattvas, have four pillars that stand for courage, peace, trust and love.

The trip brought back memories from years where I used to get soaked in the pleasant rains, walk to the Shahpura Lake, have roasted corn, coffee at the ICH(Indian Coffee House), hate the black soil as it just sticks to the skin, enjoy the rustling trees(there are plenty as the city is amongst the greenest in the country) and the beauty and placid environment that this place has to offer. Sheer Nostalgia!