A Slice Of Heritage Hospitality

 

- Sharmila Chand

The city of lakes, Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, looks spick and span. Clearly, the Swachh Bharat Mission has been taken seriously here, and the survey Swachh Survekshan 2017 - has declared it the cleanest city in the country, next only to Indore. If you are the kind who likes to travel at a leisurely pace instead of ticking off things to do on a whirlwind tour, then Bhopal is the right destination for you.

As you go around the city, you will be fascinated by the two charming lakes. The Chota Talab or the small lake is a deeper and natural water body. The larger lake, the Bada Talab, is reputedly a 1,000-year-old man-made one. Built by Raja Bhoj, the founder of Bhopal, it is a magnificent 32-sq-km stretch, and there is a small island that hosts a dargah or a tomb of a Sufi saint. The lake is surrounded by Van Vihar, a national park which adds to the beauty of the lake, and it is very beautiful to walk alongside the lake and watch the sunset.

Fine dining