Shivpuri: Royally wild

Being at Shivpuri

Shivpuri, the erstwhile summer capital of Scindias of Gwalior is now a progressive quaint town perched on NH-3 or Agra-Bombay road as it is more commonly known locally.  The highly travelled highway never portrays the town as a destination on your Gwalior-Indore route but just as a milestone, a town which just warrants the search for a road bypass and nothing more. Let's add something more to it..

What to visit/do in Shivpuri

             Madhav National Park: The fauna on offer at this national park is extremely varied. One can witness critically endangered aviators such as Sonchiraiya, which incidentally also has its own dedicated sanctuary at Ghatigaon on the same highway but is spotted in the national park with much higher frequency, jackals which do cross the road with surprising agility and indifference and your regular national park fare. One should always try the safari conducted during late evenings and early mornings where the park is most alive specially near its watering hole.

            Sakhya Sagar Lake: The lake is probably one of the only few places in India where one can enjoy a leisurely boat ride on a heavily crocodile infested waterbody. Crocodiles abound here and one can freely spot them lazing around basking in the sunlight or if you are lucky (or rather Unlucky!!) you can spot one directly swimming beside you. For the fainthearted there is a watchtower with shades aplenty where one can pleasantly gaze at the waters. 

            Shivpuri Chhatris: The chattris are a unique blend of Maratha and Bundelkhandi architecture and offers a unique window into the rituals and customs of the royal family of Gwalior. Somewhere in the late afternoons the Kota stone gets too hot to walk on , so wearing a pair of socks is highly advisable.

Where to eat in Shivpuri

There are awesome Samosa and Kachori joints adjoining the Chhatri market. One should also try out Tourist Village run by Madhya Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation which offers M.P. specific dishes such as Indrahar and Bafle which are generally not available on street.

So..

As the name of the city itself implies, the town is called Shiva's own city. Multiple Shiv temples dot the city's landscape and its waters. The city also marks one's entry onto the Malwa plateau which is illustrated by the drop in thermometer readings. This is town beckoning you to explore itself, calling you. It depends on whether you want to answer the call or not.

!Shivpuri Tip!

Sakhya Sagar lake has an adjoining waterwell called Bhadaiya Kund which also houses a Shiv Temple. The cool waters are a teeming invitation for a swim but do avoid as sometimes when the waters of the lake and the kund join together crocodiles are found to have made themselves comfortable in the waters of the kund as well. After all they know no boundaries.

Reaching Shivpuri

Reaching shivpuri is easy both by rail and road. A detailed list on trains connecting to Shivpuri can be found at Shivpuri Train Time Table. Shivpuri stands at 117 kms from Gwalior, 233 kms from Agra, 312 from Bhopal and 380 kms from Indore. The highway patch between Shivpuri and Gwalior is under construction and hence it mightn't be advisable to travel during nights. Taxis are available for local commutation. Be sure to haggle with them