Travel Special: How Bhopal can be full of surprises for the uninitiated

The lsquoThingrsquo about travel is that it picks you up from your current life situation and throws you into new surroundings lifting the spirit and bringing back the old sparkle So if you ever have the blues needing a break simply get on the next bustrainflight and GOItrsquos just what we did when we walked into the warm embrace of Bhopal Situated in the heart of India and surrounded by water bodies this city ruled by Begums makes a pretty picture After reaching our destination we couldnrsquot help but marvel at the many gorgeous heritage buildings and the beautiful upper and lower lakes that sped past usldquoThere is so much to see in Bhopal you canrsquot possibly stop everywhererdquo my friend quipped Convinced we shortlisted five treasures that grabbed our eye during our time in BhopalFrom top Pots in a tribal home at the Tribal Museum Facade of a tribal home Terracotta art at Manav Sangralay Bhopal PICsSUPRITA MITTER1 Gohar MahalOur first stop was the gorgeous Gohar Mahal situated beside the Upper Lake The architecture of this palace is a perfect blend of Hindu and Mughal styles and was built by the first woman ruler of Bhopal Gohar Begum in 1820 Sadly this heritage building has not been maintained adequately but itrsquos beautiful faccedilade and arches are vivid reminders of its past glory Various artists were using the outer courtyard of Gohar Mahal for an exhibition of pottery but we only had time for a brief look at some of the unusual pieces before heading out to the next gem to keep to our deadlineAt VIP Road Nakkar Khana Peer Gate Area Time 8 am to 630 pmA column displaying tribal art at the Manav Sangrahalaya PicsSuprita Mitter2 Van Vihar National ParkAdjacent to Upper Lake is the Van Vihar National Park notified in 1983 but developed and managed as a modern zoological park following the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority It is beautifully landscaped and houses over 300 species of animals reptiles and birds which are kept in their near natural habitat Most of the animals are either orphaned brought from various parts of the state or exchanged from other zoos No animal is deliberately captured from the forest It has a beautiful open cafeacute facing the lake that serves average fareAt Post Box No 348 Central TT NagarTime 7 am to 11 am 3pm to 5 pm Call 0755 2674278 Tribal gate at Bhopalrsquos State Tribal Museum3 Manav SangrahalayaThis openair exhibition has many tribal artifacts and specimens from tribal villages It is a display of lifesize dwellings typical of contemporary tribal cultures in various Indian states Manav Sangrahalaya highlights architectural features and displays elaborate interiors The surroundings have been reconstructed to match some of the interesting ambiance of tribal villages A favourite of ours thisAt Dr Salim Ali Road Lower Lake View near Boat Club Shymala Hills Time 10 am to 530 pm Call 0755 2661458Display of tribal art at Bhopalrsquos State Tribal Museum4 State Tribal Museum Bhopalrsquos State Tribal Museum deserves more than a dekko Indiarsquos diverse tribal rhythms geometrics materials forms and aesthetics inspire its architecture The museum gives the visitor a sense of the way various tribes live their daytoday lives their houses beliefs rituals games and entertainment Tribal artisans supported by anthropologists sociologists and social workers have created the exhibits on display At Shyamala HillsTime 12 pm to 8 pmCall 0755 26619482661640 5 Bharat BhavanAfter a long day we decided to watch a play and were lucky to catch director Atul Kumarrsquos Hindi musical adaptation of William Shakespearersquos 12th Night titled Piya Beharupiya at Bhopalrsquos famous Bharat Bhavan This is a thriving centre for visual arts and performances Sitting at the ground level which is at the same level at which the artists perform is an experience to rememberAt J Swaminathan Marg Shamla Hils Time 1030 am to 530 pm Call 0755 26602392661398