A royal sojourn in Indore

Between the crowded streets of Khajuri Bazaar, the 18th-century Rajwada Palace, the royal abode of the Holkar family stood tall. Built in a fusion of Mughal, French, and Maratha styles, the seven-story wood and stone building was completed in 1747 by Malhar Rao Holkar. It features wooden doors, arched balconies, and huge columns, which has survived fires over the years. I hear that Ger Rang Panchami, a special festival to mark the end of Holi is celebrated near Rajwada Palace every year, with music, colours, songs and food.

 

I am in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, voted India's cleanest city for seven consecutive years. Since 2016, Indore’s municipal corporation (IMC) has eliminated garbage dumps, ensured 100 per cent household-waste segregation and converted waste to usable products. Indore is also home to some of India's finest educational institutions, including the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Today, Indore is a city that beautifully marries history, luxury, and culinary delights, offering visitors an unforgettable experience.

 

Nestled on the Malwa Plateau and alongside the Kanh River, this city, once ruled by the Holkar dynasty, is a treasure trove of history and culture. The Maratha kings of the Holkar dynasty began their rule in 1733, with Malhar Rao Holkar appointed as the Maratha governor of the Malwa region. His daughter-in-law, the remarkable Ahilya Bai Holkar, played a crucial role in planning and building this splendid city. She was responsible for constructing Hindu temples, dharamshalas and laying the foundation of the Holkar army.

 

My home away from home is the Sayaji Hotel. My day began with a indulgent floating breakfast in my plunge pool, and ended with a fine dining experience at the hotel's rooftop Mediterranean restaurant, where I savoured a mezze platter, pizza, avocado soup, and black tortellini, while enjoying panoramic views of the city. The hotel offers a unique culinary passport, that guests can get stamped at each of its eight restaurants. My favourite dining experience was at Chopstick City, the hotel's Asian restaurant, where I enjoyed a delightful lunch of dim sums, clear soup, and crispy ‘chopsticks’ noodles with mapo tofu.

 

Indore is renowned for its vibrant culinary scene, and street food culture, with Rajasthani, Gujarati and Maharashtrian influences. One of my first meals in the city was at Sanchi - the hotel's pan-Indian restaurant. I started with a tangy frozen Shikanji drink made with lime and spices, followed by Ghewar chaat, and the Indori version of Dal Bafla Churma, featuring small wheat dumplings cooked in a tandoor, dipped in ghee, and crumbled with simple Malwa dal, accompanied by churma. Lighter in texture, than Rajasthani Baati, Bafla is boiled before it is baked, thus, making it much softer than baati. The breakfast spread included the famous Indori poha, served with various toppings like crunchy sev, chopped onions, and tangy Jeeravan masala, alongside piping hot jalebis.

 

At Chappan Dukkan, street food market with 56 shops, a certified ‘Clean Street Food Hub’ offering delectable local sweets and snacks, I sampled Kopra patties, coconut-stuffed deep-fried potato patties with tangy chutney, egg benjo (an omelette encased inside a bun) at Johnny Hot Dog, and a refreshing coconut crush drink made with coconut cream, coconut water, ice, and a touch of sugar.

 

The narrow lanes of Sarafa Bazaar, the most legendary food market, transform from a jewellery market by day into a lively night market by 11pm, staying open until the wee hours of the morning. At Vijay Chaat House, I tasted Bhutte-ka-Khees, grated corn cooked in milk with spices, served with grated coconut and a dash of lime. At the famous Joshi Dahi Vada, the owner demonstrated his skill in tossing dahi vadas into the air, and making them land perfectly before spreading five masalas without mixing them from his fingers!

 

History whispered from every corner of the city. The red sandstone Indo-Gothic Gandhi Hall with its clock tower was inaugurated by the Prince of Wales, George V, in 1905. With domes and minarets, flying buttresses and Jharonka windows, it’s a graceful blend of East and West. Entering the majestic Lal Bagh Palace sprawling over 28 hectares, with massive cast iron entrance gates modelled on Buckingham Palace's gates, I felt like a queen myself. The three-storey building with 45 rooms was constructed in 1926, in the Italian Renaissance style. Walking through the palace was a step back in time, with striated marble pillars, stuffed tigers in glass cases, a Rococo library and reading room with nymphs and cherubs cavorting on walls and ceilings, and a ballroom with a wooden floor mounted on springs, for added bounce.

 

In the bustling Itwaria Bazaar, I was bewitched by light reflecting off glittering mirrors and glass mosaics, inside the Kanch Mandir, one of the most magnificent temples that I have ever seen. This Jain temple, built in 1903 by Seth Hukum Chand Jain, who amassed his wealth in the cotton industry, features canopied balconies and interiors covered entirely with glass and mosaic. The temple's exquisite interiors, made of glass imported from countries like Belgium, and crafted by artisans from Jaipur and even from Iran, include some gold and silver accents.

 

On my last day I walked under the shade of tall tamarind and gulmohar trees, through the sylvan paths around Sirpur lake, a lake on the Indore-Dhar road, created by the Holkars in the early 20th century and today a protected RAMSAR site. As the lake was restored, the bird species here proliferated and today it’s home to over 130 species as well as migratory birds like the Ruddy Shelduck. Spotting birds like cormorants, jacanas, herons and purple moorhens, and enjoying the tranquillity of the space, seems a fitting finale to my trip here.

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