History & modernity defines city of lakes Bhopal

Bhopal, a city founded in 11th century is a city which is not only rich in water resources with 14 lakes but is also rich in culture and heritage. Today, where the old Bhopal still carries the charm reflecting its culture and heritage, the new Bhopal is being developed into a smart city

There is a saying that reads ‘world is a book and those who do not travel don’t read the story’; so was Bhopal to me. My present occupation takes me to various places and the last one was Bhopal where I spent considerable amount of time this year. For me it was like a page in the book that would not come across but when it did, many interesting stories unfolded. Bhopal, like many Indian cities is currently at the crossroads, from being a calm, peaceful city to the city of students and chaos, its landscape and view changing with the changing times. It presents an interesting juxtaposition of old and new. What can one possibly remember when I say Bhopal. Two things comes to mind easily, first that it’s the capital city of Madhya Pradesh and second Bhopal gas tragedy. The incident happened more than thirty years ago but horror stories still keep coming out. Life moves on and so has the city. Recently in the month of January I went to Bhopal thrice and spent three weeks. You are generally apprehensive when you visit a city for the first time. Capital cities in India are generally hustling, bustling and crowded. But to my surprise I was able to find some solace in the city; Bhopal is truly is an interesting mix of history and modernity, with natural and man-made architecture.

History
Bhopal was built on the site of the 11th Century City of Bhojpal, founded by the Parmara King Bhoj. Originally it was known as Bhojpal, named after Bhoj and the dam (‘pal’) that he is said to have constructed to form the lakes surrounding Bhopal. The present city of Bhopal was founded by one of Emperor Aurangzeb’s Afghan soldiers Dost Mohammed Khan, who took advantage of the chaos that followed Aurangzeb’s death in 1707 and managed to establish his small kingdom in Bhopal. Although the kingdom was not big, it survived several wars and became a princely state in British India in 1818.

Rich cultural history
Bhopal reached its height of culture, arts and public works under the enlightened rule of the Begums, a 19th century dynasty of Muslim women. Mamola Bai ruled for 50 years from behind the veil after her late husband’s death. The generally accepted rule of the Begums dates from the accession by the 18-year-old Qudsia Begum who seized control after the assassination of her husband. Although she was illiterate, she was brave and refused to follow the purdah tradition. It was she who started to invest in public works, building the Jama Masjid of Bhopal and a beautiful palace, the Gohar Mahal. Simultaneously she was preparing her daughter Sikander Begum to rule laying the foundations for what would become Bhopal’s golden age.
In 1844, Sikander Begum rose to power. Sikander was trained in the martial arts, fought in many battles, and never observed the purdah. During the 1857 revolt she sided with the British and crushed those who revolted against them. Apart from her valour she was also an enlightened modernist and a reformer. During her time she ensured social and educational reform that made Bhopal a heaven for scholarship and culture and a centre for building, arts and crafts. Her successor, Shah Jahan Begum left an indelible mark in architecture, music, poetry and the arts. In fact she carried a particular passion for architecture, and invested heavily in a series of elaborate public works that beautified the city. Sultan Jahan Begum, daughter of Shah Jahan Begum, succeeded her in 1901 and ruled until 1926 when her son succeeded her marking the end of the Begums’ rule.
The peaceful rule of the Begums led to the rise of a unique mixed culture in Bhopal. The Hindus were given important administrative positions in the state. This led to communal peace and a cosmopolitan culture took roots. Even the Pathans, famous for their robust soldier-like nature, acquired a taste of culture and indulged in poetry, arts and literature.

Old and new Bhopal
Today, Bhopal remains a city of considerable beauty. Split by a pair of lakes, Bhopal has two starkly contrasting cityscapes. North of the lakes is Bhopal’s Muslim-dominated old city, a labyrinthine area of mosques and crowded bazaars and streets like any other old city in India. North of the old city is a reminder of a more recent, tragic history – the Union Carbide chemical plant, site of the world’s worst industrial disaster. South of the lakes, Bhopal is a classic picture of a more modern city, with wide roads, some excellent museums, and upmarket hotels and restaurants nestled comfortably in the Arera and Shyamla Hills. The central district here is known as New Market. The larger of the two lakes is huge and lends the city an attractive focus.

Explore the city by walk
If you are interested in history and culture and explore it on foot then there are heritage walks for you. The purpose and vision to organize this walk is to showcase Bhopal from heritage perspective and provide you an experience to cover all the nuances of the city. This heritage walk showcases the famously known Old Bhopal which is a perfect mix of architecture, culture and spirituality. Traverse through the eras with the storytelling of the transitional period in the walled city of Old Bhopal to curate and deliver heritage experiences on-ground. The locations covered during the heritage walk are Iqbal Maidan, Moti Masjid, Sadar Manzil, Sheesh Mahal, Shaukat Mahal and Taj-ul-Masjid. The Bhopal Heritage Walk and sightseeing experience was organized to showcase the fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, old historic city and modern urban planning of this historic city.

Smart City Bhopal
While the old city still retains its charm, the new city is being turned into a smart one. Bhopal is ranked 20th among the first list in the Smart Cities Mission. The progress made on the ground is apparent as you travel across New Bhopal. Wide roads with designated cycle tracks and pedestrian walkways cane be seen prominently. A visit to smart city centre complex reveals how the entire program is being executed. It has a fully functional Integrated Command and Control Centre from where things are monitored. Despite all this, there are many challenges that the city has to overcome. Sanjay Kumar, CEO, Smart City Bhopal says “The gap between the expectation and experience is high; experience about smart city is not that perfect that we are expecting to so that’s the challenge we are facing”.
The City may be facing challenges but if you have good taste buds then certainly challenge it with the street food when you are in Bhopal. I am sure with that kind of pocket friendly food, you will come back with a couple of extra kilos on you. Poha with Jalebi is famous for breakfast. You can also ask for Chatori gali to get some delicious and mouth-watering dishes. Overall Bhopal is beautiful in its own way. It is one of the greenest cities of India. Someone like me, who has lived in Delhi for almost 25 years now and has seen the pollution of the city, will be delighted to make Bhopal his home. Add to it the City’s two artificial lakes that make your evenings so much cooler and better.