We’re not even sure how we came to know about Shivpuri. Maybe it was an old edition of Outlook Traveler, maybe we read about it somewhere. Wherever it was, we added it to our ‘To Be Visited’ list then & had been looking for an opportunity to go there.

With the Indian national highway network becoming better by the day, and plenty of expressways being built, driving to Madhya Pradesh from NCR has been a breeze in the last couple of years.

So, in 2023 August, we decided to finally head to Shivpuri. Finding a suitable, pet – friendly accommodation proved to be a challenge till we chanced upon Tranquility Farm Stay on Airbnb. But more on that later!

Shivpuri

Shivpuri is a city in Madhya Pradesh & the district headquarters of its namesake district. It was the summer capital of the Scindias who ruled the Gwalior State. The Scindias captured the region from the Narwar ruler in the early 1800s.

Shivpuri is known for its forests & stunning monsoon greenery. While we could fathom the subtropical climate that most of central India receives, i.e., a hot summer, we were genuinely surprised by the pleasant monsoon at Shivpuri and even more when Colonel Gill told us about the temperature dipping to the low single digits in winter!

Shivpuri was historically called Sipri. And it’s old. Old with a capital O. Ancient to be precise! This is something we realized when we visited the Survaya Ki Garhi & the Shivpuri Museum.

Day 1 – Noida to Shivpuri

We started at 8:30 AM. Shivpuri is 445 kilometers from Noida. On Google Maps, it already showed eight hours. Throw in a couple of stops & that would become 10 hours. Throw in a long weekend traffic & that would become… forever!

Noida – Greater Noida Expressway –> Taj Express Highway –> NH44 –> NH46 – The expressways & highways proved to be smooth sailing but the roads connecting one to another were quite a different ball game, especially the stretch recommended by Google Maps to go from the Taj Express to the NH44.

Having Fluffy with us in the car meant that we’d to halt every couple of hours for her to calm her agitated state down. Our first halt was Food Inn Yamuna Express Café on the Taj Express Highway – just a short loo & tea break.

Our second halt was Jai Baba Dhaba in Piprai on the NH44. TBH, this stretch doesn’t have too many great options. And those get further reduced when you’ve a dog in tow. We really wish more places become dog – friendly!

So, anyway, we’d lunch at Jai Baba Dhaba, overlooking the Chambal ravines. We’d explored this place first during our 2022 January Madhya Pradesh road trip. So, we knew they’d a garden where we could sit with Fluffy.

Regarding the toilets, the less said, the better!

Our final halt was at Tomar Hotel & Restaurant in Satanbada on the NH46 – just a short tea break.

We reached Tranquility Farm Stay by 5:30 PM. It’d taken us nine hours to reach which, we would say, isn’t bad given the halts we took & the fact that N is a careful driver.

Day 2 – Bhadaiya Kund & Chhatris

& hunting for a good place to eat should be the complete heading but we’ll save the story for a little later!

We began our day with Aloo Parathas at Tranquility & then headed out for some sightseeing.

Bhadaiya Kund

Located right next to the MPT Tourist Village, Bhadaiya Kund is a natural rainwater waterfall tank. So, monsoon is the best time to visit it, when the Kund is full. But, this year, due to a paucity of rains in the region, it’d much less water.

However, that didn’t take away the charm of the Kund. It is surrounded by trees that add to the overall radiance of the spot. It also helped that there weren’t too many visitors.

After buying an entry ticket of INR 10 per adult, we climbed down a few stairs to reach the tank. To our right was the waterfall, falling over a traditional, many – pillared concave structure.

Straight ahead was a small temple dedicated to Lord Hanuman. Narrow pathways are built over the water that flows onwards to the lake. Apparently, till as recently as 2021, bathing in the Bhadaiya Kund was allowed.

But, on our visit, we saw the place barricaded with fences & railings made at all the accident – prone areas.

Walking further ahead, we came across a garden with swings for children. A few hawkers sold edible items as well as cheap plastic toys. Further ahead, the Sankhya Sagar begins; the Kund water merges into this.

Bhadaiya Kund is also said to have an underground natural spring that’s known for its high mineral content. And, interestingly, bathing in its waters is supposed to remove discords between couples! :D

Lastly, to be honest, the Bhadaiya Kund needs a cleanliness drive.

The Chhatris

The Chhatris (cenotaphs) are located a short distance away from the Bhadaiya Kund. Entry is through Gate 3 & a huge parking space is available. We purchased tickets costing INR 50 per adult (strangely, only cash accepted!) and entered.

The Chhatris, belonging to the Scindia family, are built over a large area. From the main gate to a second gate & then to the Chhatris themselves is quite a walk. So, ensure you visit in cooler climes.

When we visited, even though the temperature wasn’t too high, the marble & sandstone floor had gotten hot. (You’ve to remove your footwear in the main Chhatris area.)

We crossed an elaborate Mughal garden which had a lot of greenery and a number of fountains & waterways (which were, unfortunately, not working) to the last section which houses three cenotaphs.

One cenotaph belongs to Maharaja Sir Madho Rao Scindia, another to his mother Maharani Sakhya Raje Scindia and the third to his grandson Madhavrao Scindia. They are all made in a style which is a fusion of Hindu & Islamic architecture.

Trivia – By the time Maharaja Sir Madho Rao Scindia died, his full title was ‘Lieutenant-General His Highness Ali Jah, Umdat ul-Umara, Hisam us-Sultanate, Mukhtar ul-Mulk, Azim ul-Iqtidar, Rafi-us-Shan, Wala Shikoh, Muhtasham-i-Dauran, Maharajadhiraj Maharaja Shrimant Sir Madho Rao Scindia Bahadur, Shrinath, Mansur-i-Zaman, Fidvi-i-Hazrat-i-Malika-i-Mua’zzama-i-Rafi-ud-Darja-i-Inglistan, Maharaja Scindia of Gwalior, GCSI, GCVO, GBE’! 😊

And the above is in such contrast to Sir Madho Rao’s own admission that the Scindias were “Really just ordinary Maratha farmers who rose on their own sweat and blood”.

Moving on, Maharaj Madho Rao Scindia’s cenotaph is a marble structure embellished smashingly. It has a pleasing Pietra dura work & is in excellent condition. It also has seven doors made of silver!

We visited the above Chhatri first & marveled at the immaculate art etched on its walls. The security guard told us that the inlay work has actual gemstones. The floor inside was, surprisingly, covered with mattresses; a singer was conducting his Riyaz with his harmonium. It made us think that the Chhatri is still used for events maybe.

To reach the Sakhya Raje chhatri, one has to cross a pond set in a Charbagh design. A dome in the centre of the pond has a Shivling & a Nandi. Perpendicular walkways form the grid of the pond.

The Sakhya Raje chhatri was built first, by Sir Madho Rao to remember his mother. The older construction of this cenotaph is evident from its appearance. When Sir Madho Rao passed away, his chhatri was built across from his mother’s cenotaph as a symbol of a devoted son seeing his mother for eternity.

At the Sakhya Raje chhatri, P instantly fell in love with the stained-glass windows.

In contrast to both these chhatris, the cenotaph of Madhavrao Scindia is quite small, a small pavilion with his statue erected within.

Trivia – Madhavrao Scindia joined Indian politics as a dashing 26 – year – old in 1971 when privileges, titles & privy purses were abolished.

The complex also has two temples & one mosque within.

Lastly, to be honest again, while the Chhatris themselves have been protected over the years, the overall monument will become even more attractive if the fountains & waterways are made operational & the central pond is cleaned.

This Chhatri complex can give a run to any of the memorial gardens across the globe; that’s the kind of potential it has!

With the humidity making us sweat buckets by now, we decided to find a place for lunch which turned into a treasure hunt of sorts. Either it was our lack of knowledge about Shivpuri or the lack of family restaurants in the city, we drove for at least an hour before we descended on OYO Hotel Tarun Residency (which was wrongly pinned on Google Maps & we’d to use the ancient navigation method!).

OYO Hotel Tarun Residency

To make matters easier for readers, Hotel Tarun Residency is located opposite ITBP Gate 2. It’s a lounge & a restaurant with the lounge serving alcohol. The lounge definitely saw more activity; so, we decided to sit there.

We chose a mix of beers, cocktails, mocktails & cold drinks. Appetizers were Hariyali Paneer Tikka & Chicken Tikka, both of which were good. Entrée was Mutton Curry with Rice & Tandoori Roti.

While the Curry flavor was OK, it was quite filling, what with oil dripping from it.

There were a few patrons in the lounge, a couple of them a little shady – looking but what’s a trip without some anecdotes thrown in!

Days 3 & 4 in our next blog post!