Heritage Comes Alive

Madhya Pradesh is reinventing tourism in the Gwalior-Chambal and Bundelkhand belts with fresh experiences, homestays and cultural immersion

- Rahul Noronha

The historically rich landscapes of Gwalior, Chambal and Bundelkhand, dotted with forts, temples, palaces and museums, along with distinctive local arts, crafts and weaves, have long drawn tourists from India and abroad. To sustain this appeal, reinvention and repackaging are seen as crucial. The Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board is now working to add new dimensions, aiming to make the visitor experience more immersive and contemporary.

With this objective, a regional tourism conclave was organised at Gwalior on August 29-30 where MP chief minister Mohan Yadav pitched the region to investors. The response was positive, and work has begun to prepare the ground for scaling up tourism in the region. "The idea is to marry culture with tourism," says Ilayaraja T., managing director, MP State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC), adding that most assistance from the Union government is also aimed towards that. "We want to bring out the cultural significance of this historically rich region for tourists."