lndore is the 2nd biggest industrial city of the state, Different types of industries are there - it is said to be Chhota Bombai or Mumbai (Mini Mumbai). On a 567 metres high plateau on the bank of Saraswati & Khan river lndore is situated. Both railway stn & bus std (from Sarwate) are located 5 minutes from each other in lndore, linking them there is a flyover. The city is dissected by the railway track. Old lndore is to the west where as new one is to the east.
ln 1733, Malhar Rao Holker got lndore as a marriage gift for collaborating with the Marathas in many battles, Malhar Rao joined Panipath war handing over the rein of Indore to his widow daughter in-law "Ahalyabai" who was about to commit Sati on the funeral pyre of her dead husband. After the
untimely death of her mentally handicapped son, she became the Queen of lndore in 1766. Foundation of lndore. thus was initiated by the Qrreen Victoria of India, Ahalyabai. Palaces, temples. dharamsalas were built upacross the state. The name of the capital lndore has been derived from the name of the God Indreswar. Indore is a very picturesque city. About 10 million people live here. Bengali culture still exists there and a Bengali club "Navalakha" is also there. lndore is known to tourists for being a Jn to Omkareswar and Naheswar, a Hindu pilgrim centre and Mandu hill. Another Hindu pilgrim centre is Ujjain, 55 kms away from lndore. Visitors throng for the Anant Choudas or Ganesha festival in September and Rang Panchami, on the 8th day of Holi in March at Indore.
After the death of the Queen in l795 civil war broke out in lndore among the heirs to the kingdom. War also started between Marathas and British. ln 1801 with the fall of lndore to British the HQ of British Central lndia Agency was shifted to lndore.
By a deed of agreement the Holkar family got back lndore (partly) in 1818—keeping indore as capital.
In return, Holkers took sides with the British in l857’s Sepoy Mutiny and continued to reign over lndore till Independence. From Rajwara a 10 minutes walk to the west on Johar Rd, the main attraction of lndore is Glass Temple or Seth Hukumchand Temple. An idol of
Digambar jain faith is in the temple. The basements- walls—ceilings of the temrple are made of beads, gems Special pearls, and multi coloured stones, ceramic tiles de glasses, The decoration oi` the interior of the temple is plcasingdain mythology has been depicted in more than 50 mural paintings. But the outer portion is very ordinary. The paintings on the rvalldcpictthe torment ofsinners in hell. The Gods—on the full bloom lotus on solid silver l1eds»3 Tirrlrartkars Chandra Prabhu. Shantinath and Adinath. Also on thc lst floor. there arc 3 Tirtlrankaras made of bronze, Tlrcy are individually reflected as 21 multiple figures in mirrors. as if there are htrrrdreds nl` thousands ol`
Location of Indore
Indore is not a historically important city. Not many tourists wind up here unless they make it a sort of basecamp for excursions from it. Located in the heart of India, Indore is quite hot in the summer but the nights are something special.
Due to its location on the southern edge of the Malwa plateau, it makes an excellent tourist destination, during the day a cool breeze starts which makes the evenings quite pleasant. No wonder poets have deemed Shab-e-Malwa (the night of Malwa) exquisite beyond compare.
Indore is spread out along the two small rivulets, Saraswati and Khan, which unite at the centre of the city where a small 18th century temple of Sangamnath exists. Thanks to the rich black soil of the Malwa Plateau, Indore has prospered into being the fourth largest centre of cotton textile industry in India. It is also justly famous for its beautiful bangles.
Did You Know...
- The gates of Lalbagh Palace, Indore, are replica of the gates of Buckingham Palace, London. They were casted in
England and then shipped to Indore.
- Indore has a huge concrete Cricket Bat statue with names of the players of the Indian team which won the 1971 series against Gary Sobers' West Indies team. There many not be many of its kind in the world !
- Rajwada at Indore is the only 7 storeyed entrance of a Palace.
- 40 feet high Idol at Bada Ganapati is the largest Ganesh Idol in the world.
- CAT ,The Center for Advanced Technology is India's main Research center on Laser Technology.
- Indore's main Software Export Oriented Units - Policy Management Systems, Impetus Computing Systems ,Suvi Information systems, Thyron.
Great Personalities associated with Indore
- Swar Kokila Lata Mangeshkar born in Indore ·
- Great Singer & Actor Late Shri Kishor Kumar was a student of Christian College Indore.
- Narendra Hirwani highest wicket taker in single test, belongs to Indore.
- C.K. Naidu & Mustaq Ali, the cricket legend of India also belong to Indore.
- Famous comedian Jhonny Walker, & today's hot star Salman Khan, belong to Indore.
- M.F.Hussain and N.S.Bendre, famous painters spent some years in Indore studying art with Vishnu Deolalikar.
