Bhopal

The capital city of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal is famous for the pair of artificial lakes (Upper Lake and Lower Lake) that split the city. Towards the north of the lakes lie the intriguing old town with rustic mosques, bustling bazaars, serpentine alleys and exquisite havelis. To its south is the new town with swanky infrastructure, shopping complexes and wide roads. It is this contrast that makes Bhopal an exquisite blend of the old and the new, the past and the present, the rustic and the classy. Bhopal is replete with majestic mosques which showcase classic Mughal architecture exemplified by the Taj-Ul-Masjid (one of the largest in India, built by the third female ruler Bhopal had, Shah Jahan Begum), and Moti Masjid. The city will catch your attention through its breathtakingly beautiful havelis and museums as well as Nawabi food that is an absolute delight for foodies. Tragically, Bhopal is also a reminiscence of a world's worst industrial disaster in the chemical plant of Union Carbide that was responsible for at least 8000 deaths from the explosion alone.