From being a tiny, non-descript village of the Malwa region in the ancient times, a strife-torn principality under the tutelage of a Pathan dynasty in the middle ages, to a metropolis with all the paraphernalia of modern living in post-Independence India—Bhopal has seen it all. This book, Bhopal is a dedication to its namesake—the ancient city of Bhopal with its colourful history and equally interesting socio-cultural milieu, representing, at once, a fine blend of antiquity and modernity. Divided into two broad sections, this book opens with a comprehensive delineation of Bhopal’s transformation from an inconspicuous village to its modern avatar of a state capital through time. It then moves on to provide the readers a glimpse of the city through the eyes of a traveller who stops to notice all that he experiences around him about a new city—heritage sites, architectural marvels, religious centres, bazars, townships, industry, institutions and, of course, Nature. Discover the heart of Madhya Pradesh, discover Bhopal.