Indore: Palaces, Temples and Street Food

Indore lies on the southern edge of the Malwa Plateau and has good rail, road and air connections.

Palaces and their architecture

Rajwada, also known as Holkar Palace or Old Palace, is a historic palace in Indore. The Holkars of the Maratha Empire built it about two centuries ago. Its large wooden entrance door has iron fittings. A Maratha arched hall dedicated to Ganesha stands in the courtyard. The construction is also clearly divided: the lower three storeys are made of stone, while the upper storeys are made of wood. Balconies and windows, as well as corridors, connect rooms with galleries. Opposite Rajwada is a well-maintained garden with a statue of Queen Ahilya Bai, fountains and an artificial waterfall.

Lal Bagh Palace combines Renaissance, Palladian and Baroque architectural elements with Rococo and Neoclassical furniture. Its interior features include Belgian glass windows, chandeliers, Persian carpets and reliefs depicting scenes from Greek mythology. The Holkar family lived in the palace until 1978. Its architecture can therefore also be considered in connection with its historical use.

Temples and memorials

Kanch Mandir, literally “Glass Temple,” is a Jain temple in Indore; its construction began around 1903. The interior is entirely covered with glass panels and mosaics, including the floor, pillars, walls and ceiling. In contrast to Rajwada, whose storeys are defined by stone and wood, glass and mosaics dominate the interior surfaces here.

Annapurna Temple is both a pilgrimage site and a tourist attraction. Near Indore are the Krishnapura ki Chhatris: cenotaphs built at the cremation site in memory of Holkar rulers. This means religious architecture and a historically significant memorial can be considered side by side when planning your trip.

Street food and regional cuisine

Chappan Dukan is a street food destination with 56 stalls offering local namkeen and dishes such as Garadu ki Chaat. Individual stalls and offerings may change; check what is currently available when you visit. Indori Poha is served with jalebi and sev, and generously sprinkled with Jeerawan. Poha with jalebi is also a breakfast combination in Indore.

Bhutte ka kees is a street food associated with Indore and is especially popular during the rainy season. In the Malwa region, grated corn is roasted in ghee and then cooked with milk and spices to make it. Indore’s Shikanji is a thick milk drink enriched with dried fruits. Its ingredients include saffron, cardamom, mace, nutmeg, raisins, mattha and milk.

After nightfall, Sarafa Bazaar becomes a food market with street stalls selling chaat, sweets and savory snacks. Along with the different poha and corn dishes and Shikanji, the local cuisine offers concrete ideas for planning your trip around the foods that interest you.

Discover more destinations: Sanwer, Harsola, Mhow.

Go to the main travel overview: Indore.