EXPLORESoak in the rich history of Burhanpur,MadhyaPradesh
Perched on the northwestern banks of the Tapti River, Burhanpur has witnessed
centuries of Mughal drama. It was here that Mumtaz Mahal died in 1631,
at the age of 38, and it is here that Shah Jahan had originally decided to
build the Taj Mahal. But the Mughal emperor’s fascination with building tombs
extended beyond Mumtaz Mahal. Case in point: the well-preserved tomb
of Begum Shah Shuja, which was built for his commander Shah Shuja’s wife.
20km away from the city is Mahal Gulara, where you’ll spot a plaque that cites
it as a ‘pleasure house’. Legend has it that Shah Jahan would visit his courtesan,
Gulara, here on full moon nights. Burhanpur has quite a few other historical
sites, but the star is undoubtedly Shahi Qila. Built by Faruqi kings and revamped
by Shah Jahan, it’s easy to imagine how opulent it must have been centuries
ago – Mumtaz Mahal’s hammam even has a marble bath and frescos on its
dome. Whispers of past grandeur linger in the city: if you know where to look,
you’llfindoldhousesthatarebeautifulexamplesof Indianruralarchitecture.Eat your way across Mysore, Karnataka
According to legend, Kakasura Madappa, a cook in the royal kitchen, invented
Mysore pak to comply with the wishes of the Maharaja of Mysore, who was
keen on creating a signature sweet for the city. Guru Sweets Mart, now 80 years
old and run by Madappa’s family, continues the legacy of the humble sweet
made of gram flour, ghee and sugar. But, it isn’t the city’s only iconic culinary
institution. At Original Vinayaka Mylari, every diner is simply served the famous
benne masala dosa with chutney and a dollop of butter (benne). GTR (Gayatri
Tiffin Room) Hotel turns out an equally-scrumptious masala dosa as well
as specialricedisheslikebisibelebhath. If youneeda breakfromall
thatamazingvegetarianfood,headtoRRRBiryani fora Hyderabadi
that will put your spice tolerance levels to the test. Another good spot for
carnivores is Jai Bhuvaneswari Military Hotel, a no-frills restaurant with
a loyal fan following. It’s a long drive away but the mildly-spiced mutton chops
andbhejafrywithragimudde(fingermilletballs)makeit worthyourwhile.
Out of
BANGALORE
(140km)Out of
MUMBAI
(511km)1234 5STAY:VastuShilpGuestHouse(from`1, 4 0 0 );HotelTaptiRetreat
(www.mpstdc.com/properties/mpt-tapti-retreat-burhanpur;from`2,290)STAY:RoyalOrchidMetropole(www.royalorchidhotels.com;from`4,800);
TheWindflowerResort& SpaMysore(www.thewindflower.com;from`6,750 )