Hotels in Indore

The city of Indore is known for its beautiful synthesis of historical past with new age developments and modernization. Nestled on the banks of two small rivulets - the Saraswati and the Khan on Central India’s Malwa plateau at 553 m above sea level, the city is literally the heart of India.These rivers merge at a site where a small 18th century temple dedicated to Lord Indreshwar exists, after whom the city was named. A relatively small city but the largest in Madhya Pradesh and already regarded as its commercial capital, Indore is poised to become the next big Business & Corporate hub of India. With latest technological advancements, several big industries and corporation have set up their business in the city. Indore now possesses one of the most advanced business and commercial centers including automobile, textile and IT, in which it is touted to become the industry leader in MP. Apart from the commercial developments, the city has also built a reputation for itself in the education sector. Attracting student from all over the country, some of the premier Institutes and university are located here including the prestigious IIM (Indian Institute of Management).One of India’s fasters growing cities, Indore also figures in the list of Indian cities with million + population, which according to the last census was 1.6 million. Mumbai of Madhya Pradesh and City of temples are some of the adjectives used to describe Indore, the latter due to the numerous temples and shrines that dots its majestic landscape. The most famous one amongst them is the Indreshwar temple constructed in 1741 by local landowners. Any description of Indore is incomplete without a mention being made of Rani Ahilya Bai Holkar, the great architectural patron and a Queen admired and respected by her people. Overall, bravery and valor are epitomized in various monuments and legends from the past, which the Indore denizens recount to this day. With growing population, the tourism industry is expanding rapidly and travel to Indore provides an opportunity to witness and marvel at the blissful blend of history with the future.


History of Indore
Indore’s history echoes with tales and legends about hereditary Zamindars, the valiant Holkars and the indigenous landholders of Malwa. The city witnessed several takeovers and battles, saw establishment and falls of huge empires, invasions and the subsequent modernization during its glorious history. By the time Indore broke the shackles of history to embrace the post-independence India, it had been witness to various historical events and outcomes that greatly influenced its future, shaped its culture and gave it an imperishable place in history books. The city was founded by the hereditary Zamindars –the rich landlords who led a luxurious life and enjoyed close and fruitful relations with the royal families of the region. Throughout the history of Indore, we see these Zamindars enjoying a prominent position and their status remained more or less the same, even though the ruling dynasties changed from first the Holkar and then to the Mughal rulers. As a token of appreciation and respect, the Zamindars were allowed to keep their royal possessions like an elephant, Danka, Nishan, Car and rights of performing the first pooja of Dussehra.One of the most famous Zamindars during this period was Malwa Rao Nandlal Chaudhary, who was presented with two jewel studded swords, which are now displayed in the Royal British Museum. Raja Savai Jai Singh of Jaipur, his well wisher, gifted him with a special "Gold Langar" which served as an agreement for his special place in all the Durbars of India. He even constructed the Shree Sansthan Bada Rawala, a fort strategically located at a site that was surrounded by rivers on all sides and started moving his people to the fort. The objective was t o protect his people from the frequent harassment by Maratha’s and Mughal rulers. The city came to be known as ‘Indrapura’ after Lord Indreshwar, which overtime changed to present day Indore.

The 17th century saw the establishment of Holkar dynasty with the appointment of Malhar Rao Holkar as a "Subhedar". This was also the period when Malhar Rao Holkar (1694-1766), the dynasty's founder was appointed as the Maratha Governor of the region. After his reign was completed, his daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar (1767 - 1795) was sworn-in as the ‘Maharani’. An avid lover of architecture, Ahilyabai Holkar played a big part in the construction of several famous Hindu temples across the Indian subcontinent. With a defeat in the third Anglo-Maratha War during 1818, the Holkars kingdom became a part of the British Empire, signaling the end of its golden period and beginning of a regretful one. The British rule saw signing of some important treaties, the prominent amongst them being handing over of the cantonment town of Mahow to the British and shifting of the capital of the Holkar state from Maheshwar to Indore. Finally, in 1947 with India's independence the city along with several other princely states was merged to form the Indian state of Madhya Bharat. Indore was elected as the summer capital of the new state. Finally, Madhya Bharat was merged on November 1, 1956 to form the present day state of Madhya Pradesh.


At a Glance
Area: 3898 sq km
Population: 1.6 million
Location: southern edge of the Malwa Plateau, Madhya Pradesh
Climate of Indore: 40 °C to 22°C (summer)
29 °C to 10 °C (winter)
Best time to visit: October to March
Nearest Railway Station: Indore Junction
Nearest Airport: Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport
Must Visit: Central Museum, Chhatris, Kanch Mandir, Lal Baag Palace
Language spoken: Hindi, Marathi and English
Religions: Christianity, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Islam.
STD Code: 0731


Culture of Indore
The cultural inheritance of Indore city overflows with a number of religious pilgrimage destinations, magnificent remains from the bygone era and picturesque surroundings. Apart from its various sightseeing options worth exploring, Indore city also showcases a pleasant blend of various cultures and ethnicity from across the country. Possessing a magical charm, royalty and simplicity of its own, this enthralling destination has conjured up deep cultural roots, preserving it to date to present a captivating result to the present day generations. One of the first things that strike visitors about Indore is its accumulation of people from various religions and beliefs. Although the large part of cities population comprises of Hindus, a large number of Muslims, Janis, Christians and Buddhists also inhabit the land. A sizeable population of Sikhs and Pharisees also reside here, presenting a fine example of India’s unity in diversity. The end result is a scenario where people from different cultural background, speaking different languages like Marathi, Marwari, Hindi, English and Punjabi etc. co-existing peacefully. Indore represents a true, new age cosmopolitan city. With time, Indore has emerged from the shadows of other major cities to carve a niche for itself and today the city is regarded as the center of trade, commerce and learning. Workers, professionals and students are increasingly migrating to the city attracted by the opportunities offered by its emerging economy for employment, studies as well as its cultural diversity and peaceful environment.
Madhya Pradesh is India’s largest state and Indore being its capital has incorporated the very best in terms of magnificent monuments, exuberant festivity and blissful solitude. The art & crafts industry is another one of its cultures popular feature, having preserved the skills and traditional designs from the past and serving as tourist favorite shopping option in its colorful markets. The hereditary skills and painstaking craftsmanship provide a glimpse of its distinctive style and individuality. Hand Block Printing, Batik, Jute Industry and Zari Work constitutes some of the most sought after forms of art & crafts.


Indore Climate
Summer
The summer season starts in April and extends till June. This period sees hot and humid conditions in day time with average temperature between 35° C to 40°C. During peak season, the maximum temperature may reach up to 45°C. However, the evening brings cool breeze locally called 'Shab-e-Malwa’ making the summer nights very pleasant.

Winter
The winter season in Indore begins in the month of November and continues till February. Winter season at Indore exhibits the large seasonal variations associated with the Malwa region with the temperature hovering in the range of 10°C. During peak summer nights, the temperature further drops down to 2°C to 3°C, making it extremely chilly.

Monsoon
Indore experiences moderate south-western monsoon rains that falls during the months of July, August and September. Although most of the rainfall involves mild drizzle, the city also experiences occasional heavy torrents. The average annual rainfall is around 760 - 890 mm (30-35 inches).

Indore (Best time to visit)
The best time to visit Indore is anytime between the months of October and March as it is said that with the passage of monsoons, the beauty of Indore is at its best.

How to reach
By Air: Indore has an airport of its own situated 8 km to the southeast of the main city called 'Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport'. Various flights from major destinations in India like Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Chennai and Kolkata link to the city making it easily accessible via air.

By Rail: The Indore railway network comes under Indian Western Railways and both meter and broad gauge railway tracks connect the city with other major destinations. Indore junction is the chief railway station and there exist four other small stations namely Lokmanya Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Lakshmibai Nagar and Saifee Nagar.
Direct trains from Indore junction are available for major cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Trivandrum, Jammu, Jaipur and other major towns whereas short distance rail services to nearby towns and villages are available from other four smaller junctions.

By Road: Several national and state highways connect Indore to various cities, making it easily accessible by road. The Agra-Bombay National Highway (NH3) and the NH59 are important ones, whereas state highways connect Indore with Itarsi and Bhopal. To the north-west is the Khandwa Toll Road leading to Khandala whereas the Ujjain road connect it to Ujjain city. Both public and private transport services are available for transportation in the city.