Travel_LeisureIndiaSouthAsia-January_2017

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Zenana Hammam—the royal bath that

combines Mughal and Persian styles.

There are underground channels in the

town that were used to transport water into

the town—visit the Kundi Bhandara

(eight kilometres from the town) and you

will be amazed to see the ingenuity and

skills of engineers in that era. The tombs

of Shah Nawaz Khan and Bilquis Jahan

are also popular attractions.

NEAR BURHANPUR

Some 21 kilometres from Burhanpur is the

Mahal Gulara on the banks of River Badi

Utaoli. It used to be a retreat of the Mughal

Emperor Shah Jahan. Then a prince,

he often spent moonlit nights in this palace,

listening to a beautiful singer named

Gulara, whom he later married.

Another fascinating place of interest

around Burhanpur is the Asigarh,

a formidable fort located 25 kilometres

from the town. The strategic location of

this fort—once ruled by a local chieftain

and later captured by the Faruqis in 1400—

made the city's defences impregnable.

It was called the Gateway to Southern

Indian since any ruler with an ambition to

get to the Deccan had to fi rst gain control

of this fort. You must also see the temple

of Ichhadevi, situated 23 kilometres from

the town. The temple structure is recent,

but the site is more than 450 years old.

MUMTAZ

CONNECTION

Burhanpur was frequented by Mughal ruler

Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal.

The royal bath, or hammam, was built

exclusively for her use. It is also believed

that a rock in the middle of River Tapti was

their love corner, where Shah Jahan would

often take his wife on a boat on starry nights.

Across the Tapti is the Ahukhana (which

means deer park). It was here that Mumtaz

was buried when she died in Burhanpur

in 1631. Later, her body was taken to Agra

and she found peace in the Taj Mahal.

Interestingly, Burhanpur was the preferred

location of the Taj Mahal.

The airport nearest to Burhanpur is the

Devi Ahilya Bai International Airport in Indore,

180 kilometres away. Or if you're visiting

Aurangabad, you can just drive over for a short

getaway. Book your stay at the Tapti Retreat run

by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.

+91-7325/242-244; [email protected]

THE

DETAILS

GURU NANAK VISITED THE TOWN IN THE

16 TH CENTURY AND THE 10TH SIKH GURU,

GURU GOBIND SINGH SPENT 20 DAYS

TEACHING HERE. VISIT THE GURUDWARA

SANGAT RAJGHAT PATSHALI PAHILI AND

GURUDWARA BARI SANGAT THAT

COMMEMORATE THESE EVENTS.

The royal bath or hammam
at the Badshahi Qila.

Dargah-e-Hakimi in Burhanpur was made in the

memory of Syedi Abdul Qadir Hakimuddin.

The tomb of Nadir Shah

is a popular attraction.