If you ever find yourself meandering across the subcontinent and think, “I could really use a strong dose of history, wildlife, and crazy rock formations,” then Madhya Pradesh is the place for you.
Now, thanks to a new partnership between the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) and Finnish traveltech firm VReal, you can now visit the state from your couch. But let’s be real. While virtual tourism is great for those who misplaced their passports (or their sense of direction), nothing beats experiencing this marvellously chaotic, absurdly historical land in person.
1. Sanchi Stupa
If there were ever an ancient monument designed to make you feel like an underachiever, it’s the Sanchi Stupa. Commissioned by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, it’s older than most forms of organized chaos and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here, you’ll find grand gateways covered in carvings of elephants, lions, and monks looking very peaceful despite their proximity to lions.
2. Bhimbetka Caves
Before humans decided art should be about existential dread, they painted stick figures fighting buffalo on cave walls. The Bhimbetka Rock Shelters house some of the oldest known prehistoric art, dating back over 30,000 years. A walk through these caves is essentially a scroll through humanity’s first Instagram account, except instead of selfies and brunch photos, you get mammoths and battle scenes.
Fun fact: The name Bhimbetka is said to be derived from “Bhim’s resting place” from the Mahabharata.
3. Khajuraho
Khajuraho is home to some of the most impressively carved temples in India, known for their intricate sculptures depicting gods, goddesses, celestial beings, and some very enthusiastic artistic interpretations of human intimacy. Built by the Chandela dynasty between 950 and 1050 AD, these temples serve as proof that medieval architects were not only wildly talented but also had a fantastic sense of humour. Some carvings depict warriors, musicians, and dancers. Others depict things that would make your grandmother clutch her pearls.
4. Kanha National Park
Kanha is essentially The Jungle Book: The Theme Park, minus the singing bear and dubious child-rearing. Rudyard Kipling drew inspiration from this sprawling expanse of wilderness, and it’s still home to tigers and barasinghas (swamp deer). A safari through Kanha involves waking up at ungodly hours, bouncing around in a jeep, and trying to spot a big cat while simultaneously battling the urge to nap.
5. Orchha
Orchha is that weirdly beautiful, half-abandoned place you stumble upon and immediately start imagining what life would have been like if you had been born into royalty. The town is a maze of towering palaces, intricately built temples, and a silent riverbank. The Jahangir Mahal is a prime example of architectural overenthusiasm. Meanwhile, the Chhatris (cenotaphs) along the Betwa River look like they belong in an indie fantasy film where someone discovers a long-lost kingdom.
6. Ujjain
Home to the famous Mahakaleshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, this is where Kumbh Mela takes place every 12 years. It’s also where the ancient scholars calculated time using an actual observatory long before wristwatches and digital calendars existed. Even if your grasp of astronomy is limited to “stars are pretty,” standing at the Jantar Mantar observatory here is enough to make you reconsider your career choices and respect ancient mathematicians a lot more.
7. Pachmarhi
If all this history and tiger-watching has exhausted you, head to Pachmarhi, the state’s only hill station. It’s a charming mix of cascading waterfalls, mysterious caves, and colonial-era bungalows that remind you of a time when people wrote letters by hand. The Bee Falls deliver an experience both refreshing and slightly traumatizing if you misjudge how cold the water is. There’s also Jata Shankar Cave, an ancient cave temple where you can ponder why nature insists on creating weirdly shaped rock formations.
While virtual reality is fantastic for armchair travelers and people who dislike physical exertion, Madhya Pradesh is one of those places that demands to be felt... the heat of the temples, the hush of the forests, or the speed of a langur.
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