An old saying puts three regions above others praising their pleasant climatic features in morning, evening and night- Subah-e- Benaras, Shaam-e- Awadh and Shab- e-Malwa. People translate this as the trinity of cities- Banaras, Lucknow and Indore.
The presence of Devi Ahilyabai, the dowager regent, is palpable in Indore more than two hundred and fifty years after she shifted the Capital of Holkars from Maheshwar on the banks of the River Narmada to the new city founded by her.
The iconic Rajwada has survived four major outbreaks of devastating fire and alongwith the ornate chhatris (cenotaphs of royals) bears eloquent testimony to a colourful multilayered past.
Rajwada also embraces Sarrafa Bazar, housing jewelers and dealers in gems during the day. As night descends it changes like a revolving stage into the Khau Gali (Food Street) with dozens of kiosks set up in front of shuttered shops each specializing in one dish- makki ki khees( grated sweet corn topped with tender coconut shavings) , deep fried girode (local yam), boot (green grams) roasted in open fire, vasundi (thickened milk just short of reducing it to flaky milk solids), lighter than air dahi vada (lentil dumplings soaked in water to drain out extra oil) thrown up high in air and caught like a juggler without looking up, samosa with kadhi assorted halwa and gulab jamun. The morning breakfast is fluffy poha (pounded rice flakes) and jalebi (deep-fried spirals made with lightly fermented batter) oozing syrup. Not to forget the ‘amrit tulya chaha!’ (Nectar-like tea redolent of green cardamoms, fennel seeds, cinnamon and ginger).
Indore is a city famed for its syncretic heritage. An Idgah constructed and maintained by Hindu rulers stands next to a Temple. The Khala Apa Mosque, commemorating a devout woman, can be captured in the same frame of the viewfinder that commemorates Veer Savarkar, the inspiration behind the RSS, propagating Hindutva.
This is where great musicians, vocalists and instrumentalists like Ustad Amir Khan and Vilayat Khan, received patronage and acclaim. Pt. Kumar Gandharva, who has rendered Kabir bhajans cast in the mould of Malwi folk songs, lived close by in Dewas.
Cricketing legends like Captain Mushtaq Ali who danced almost halfway down the pitch as the bowler started his runup to hit him effortlessly to the boundary, legendary hitter of Sixers Col. CK Naidu, and later Chandu Sarvate grew up playing the game that is almost a secular religion in India on the streets and play grounds here.
Indore School of Arts, commemorating visionary art teacher Dewalikar, claims internationally renowned painters like MF Hussein, Bendre, and Raza as its alumni.
The rich black soil of Malwa made yielding rich crops of cotton and opium the land prosper, attracting people from all parts of the continent in search of a better future. The city, described as the Manchester of India and a dry port trading with China, competing with Bombay, has in its population a large sprinkling of Sindhis, Daoodi Bohras, Parsis, Punjabis, immigrants from Maharashtra and adjacent Rajasthan. Their foods have mingled with the robust rustic fare of tribals inhabiting the heart of India.
The Holkars were flamboyant Anglophiles and married beautiful Americans. Some produced and acted in movies in Hollywood. Their banquets proudly showcased French and other European delicacies.
Seth Hukumchand, the rich Jain merchant who acted as the banker to the Holkars, was a visionary who set up one of the first textile mills in the land in this city and built the stunningly beautiful Kaanch Mandir. He continues to be respected for many acts of philanthropy. Not surprisingly, the ‘strictly vegetarian’ repertoire is strong in Indore.
Ujjain is considered to be an axis mundi by Indian astronomers. The ancient city on the banks of the river Kshipra is a major pilgrim destination. This is where the Mahakaal temple dedicated to Shiva, the Great God, Time Incarnate and Vanquisher of Death, stands. This is where, in the Gupta Period (considered the Golden Age in ancient India by some historians), Kalidas, arguably the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist, lived circa 4th CE.
His works make the refined citizen of epicurean tastes come alive for the readers!
Not much seems to have changed as far as passion for good food and warm hospitality is concerned. Those who have made Indore their home have a weakness for fabrics woven from natural yarns- cotton, linen, hemp and silk. Gossamer-like Maheshwari Saris and bespoke tailoring are still prized. An NGO established by a Holkar has given a new lease of life to this craft.
The young and old alike love wearing perfumes that have traditionally followed the cycle of seasons- khus(vetiver) and mitti (petrichor), jasmine in summer, gulab, musk, and oud in winters. Chandan (sandal) and camphor keep company all year round. Kewra (screw pine) and kesar (saffron) enliven the recipes.
