Bhopal Lake
Bhopal Lake is formally named 'Bhojtal'. Lakes are colloquially known as 'Talaab', and Bhojtal is known as the 'Badatalaab'. It is situated all along the VIP road and is a major source of drinking water. It offers a great opportunity for boating and sightseeing, especially during the evening. The lake has a huge statue of Raja Bhoj near the roadside. It is a primary location for anybody who visits Bhopal, and it should not be missed to visit.
Kerwa dam
Kerwa dam is located in the suburbs of Bhopal. It is a lowly populated picnic spot with a few eating joints here and there. The place is best for a visit during the rains as it becomes lush green and the water level is adequate too. This is a great place for sightseeing and for all adventure sports enthusiasts, for it offers opportunities like twin zipping and rock climbing.
Bharat Bhawan
Apart from being an aesthetically pleasing place, Bhopal is also a great cultural and traditional hub. This is best showcased at Bharat Bhawan, a theater and an exhibition hall near the Bhopal Lake itself. Bharat Bhawan has shows by some of the greatest artists in the field of theater, music, painting, sculpture and literature. Various festivals in all these fields are organized by the management from time to time, making it a primary attraction for all art enthusiasts.
Van Vihar National Park
Van Vihar National Park is again, located in the suburbs of Bhopal. It opened in 1983 and ever since it has been very strict about the safety of animals from hunters and poachers. The park categorizes animals into herbivores and carnivores. The herbivores roam around freely while the carnivores are caged. It is a habitat for lions, hyenas, tigers, crocodiles, snakes, pythons, along with herbivores like sambar, blue bull and chital.
Taj-ul-Masjid
Taj-Ul-Masjid translates into 'Crown among Mosques'. It was built at the time of Bahadur Shah Zafar and is the largest mosque in India. The construction of this mosque went through a lot of ups and downs because of the invasions and due to lack of funds. It was finally completed 1985. The architecture of the mosque has a stark resemblance to the Jama Masjid in Delhi and the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore.
Museum of Man
Also known as Indira Gandhi Manav Sangrahalaya, the museum is spread over a huge area and the handicrafts placed here depict the timeline of the evolution of mankind with respect to the culture of India. It is beautifully designed and depicts aptly the journey of India and its people, while displaying their ethnic art as well.
Birla temple
Birla temple, a grand pilgrimage in Bhopal, primarily focuses on the worship of the deity Lakshmi Narayan, though the temple has the idols of other Gods as well. The place has the charm of an ancient Hindu construction, which attracts devotees from all parts of India. Not only is it religiously important, but it has a significant aesthetic value attached to it. It has beautiful gardens and offers a large view of the city.
Fish museum
A fish aquarium is nested in a slightly less visited but a very scenic locality near the governor's residence. Spread across an area of one hectare, the museum has about 66 different varieties of fishes stored in aquariums. Apart from this, it has fishes stored in lakes and ponds as well. If not anything, visit this place to gain more knowledge about the aquatic animals around you!
Sanchi Stupa
Sanchi Stupa is located 46 km to the north-east of Bhopal. It is one of the oldest structures in India made of stone and was originally constructed during the reign of Ashoka the Great. The place has a rich heritage and a remarkable history, which one can appreciate with its simple, yet insightful architecture. Some of its parts got destroyed by the Mughals and have been reconstructed post-independence.
Udaygiri caves
Udaygiri caves are located in Vidisha towards the North of Bhopal. They are one of the oldest cave temples in India. Their construction was completed at the time of Gupta Empire and has sculptures of various Hindu Gods, out of which the Lord Vishnu'
s sculpture is the most distinct. Udayagiri also has plenty of rock-shelters, petro glyphs, inscriptions, fortifications and habitation mounds. The complex consists of about twenty caves, all of which are dedicated to Hinduism except one that is dedicated to Jainism.
Bhimbetka
It is believed that Bhimbetka got its name because it was the sitting place of Bhima in Mahabharata. Bhimbetka caves display the earliest signs of life and culture in India. Bhimbetka is located on the Southern end of the Vindhya hills. Bhimbetka was discovered by archaeologist V.S.Vakankar in 1957. It depicts various sequences of cave carvings which show the relevance of Hindu culture in those times as well.
Bhojpur
Bhojpur is famous for its huge Shiva temple. The Shiva linga here is the largest one in the world. This place is 28 km from Bhopal and is located on the banks of Betwa River. The surroundings of the temple are lush green but unkempt, which makes it naturally beautiful. One can sit by the river and enjoy the peaceful beauty of nature here.
Satpura National Park
Satpura National Park is located 210 km from Bhopal. Set up in 1981, the terrain of the national park consists of sandstone peaks, ravines, narrow gorges and dense forests. Doopgarh peak is the highest peak in the region. Satpura National Park is very rich in biodiversity. There are numerous animals present in this park like tigers, leopards, chital, Indian muntjac, Nilgai, four-horned antelope, fox, porcupine, and flying squirrel. There are a variety of birds out of which horn bills and peafowls are the most commonly found ones.
Omakreshwar Temple
Omkareshwar is one of the 12 auspicious shrines of Lord Shiva. It is located on the banks of the Narmada River. The place is extremely serene and has the calm vibe of a spiritual place. The river Narmada is so clean that one can take a bath in it. Near to Omkareshwar temple is the Mamleshwar temple. The two temples are connected by a bridge over the Narmada River. One can also take the boat and cross the water.
Indore
Indore is known as the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh. It is about 280 km from Bhopal and was evolved as an industrial hub when the Bhopal Gas tragedy took place. A significant historical venue, it is famous for its cultural base and food. There are plenty of places to visit here, like the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Regional Park, Kamla Nehru Zoo and the Meghdoot garden. Everything said and done, Bhopal has a lot of beauty and adventure to offer.
Ujjain
It is the largest city in the state of Madhya Pradesh situated at a distance of 172 Km from the state capital, Bhopal. Ujjain has been selected one among the 100 cities to be developed in to 'Smart City'. Ujjain is tightly packed with tourist attractions like Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple, kal Bhairav Temple, Harsiddhi Temple, Mangalnath Temple, Chintaman Ganesh Temple, Ujjain Simhast Kumbh, Sandipan Ashram, Isckon Temple, Bhartihari caves, Jantar Mantar, Ram Ghat, Patal Bhairav, Kalideh Palace, Ankapata,Vikrant Bhairav Shrine etc.
Khajuraho
This set of monuments is a group of Jain and Hindu temples in the state of Madhya Pradesh and Khajuraho is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. It is said that Khajuraho had 85 temples in total until the end of 12th century, out of which only 20 have survived till today. These temples are famous for their architectural styles and their erotic sculptures. Located around 350 Km from Bhopal, these temples should be on your list definitely.
