| reminiscent
of the 18th & 19th centuries in which it was established.
Traditional Bhopal crafts are on sale here - silver jewellery,
embroidered and sequined velvet/satin batuas (purses) and tea-cosies
as well as Maheshwari and Chanderi sarees from neighbouring
regions. Amidst the shops and bustle are other architectureal
gems from the preceding era - the Shaukat Mahal, a quaint mix
of European architectural styles, the elegant public audience
hall Sadar Manzil, the Jama Masjid and the Moti Masjid,
mosques inspired by Delhi's famous Jama Masjid built by the
Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
Bharat
Bhawan
A centre for performing and visual arts, dedicated to the
preservation and propagation of performing arts and
traditional folk culture, it houses a museum of arts, an art
gallery, a workshop for fine arts and a library. The striking
building was designed by Charles Correa and constructed in
1984.
Van Vihar
This safari park shelters animals in their natural
surroundings. There is also a modest aquarium in the city.
Upper and
Lower Lakes
Rowboats, pedal boats, sailboats and motorboats are available
on rent for the 6 sq.km Upper Lake though serious sailors
would be well-advised to bring their own equipment.
Tribal
Habitat Museum
This museum, also known as the Museum of Man, overlooks
the Upper Lake from its vantage position on Shamla Hills. It
has an excellent open air exhibition of contemporary,
life-size, tribal dwellings from all over India and ancient
rock shelters. |
