General Information / History
Shivpuri, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, was once the summer capital of the Scindia clan of Gwalior. As the sun dawns one can come across upon a heard of cheetal deer or a peacock flaunting its beautiful colors. With the sun set, predators prowl the wilderness. Once the playground and retreat of the royalty, today Shivpuri houses a wildlife sanctuary and thus, holds hope for the conservation of the fast depleting animal kingdom.

Sightseeing

Madhav National Park
156 sq km in area, the park is open throughout the year. With a varied terrain of wooded hills, the forests being dry, mixed and deciduous, and flat grasslands around the lake, it offers abundant opportunities for sighting a variety of wildlife. The predominant species that inhabits the park is the deer, of which the most easily sighted are the graceful little chinkara, the Indian gazelle and the chital.

Chhatris
Set in a formal Mughal garden, with quiet nooks under flowering trees, intersected by pathways with ornamental balustrades and illuminated by Victorian lamps, is the complex in which the cenotaphs of the Scindias are set. The glittering white marble surface of Madho Rao Scindia's cenotaph is inlaid in the pietra dura style, with lapis lazuli and onyx to create a spectacularly rich effect, heightened by the delicacy of the trellis work on the sides.

Madhav Vilas Palace
Standing upon a natural eminence, the elongated rose-pink summer palace of the Scindias is built in truly yoyal proportions. A fine example of colonial architecture, the 'Mahal' as it is called, is remarkable for its marble floors, iron clumns, graceful terraces and the Ganapati Mandap. From the turrets, the view is a spectacular one of Shivpuri town and the park beyond.

George Castle
Deep within the forests of the park, on it highest point, is the turreted George Castle built by Jiyaji Rao Scindia. From here the view of the lake is unparalleled and the best time to visit the castle is at sunset when the lakes below mirror the changing hues of the evening sky.

Sakhya Sagar Boat Club
Edging the forests of the Madhav National Park is the Sakhya Sagar lake, habitat of a variety of reptiles. Species that can be seen here are the marsh crocodile or mugger, Indian python and the monitor lizard. On the shores of the lake and connected to it by a broad pier is a Boat Club, an airy, delicate structure with glass paels.

Excursions: Karera Bird Sanctuary, Surwaya, Narwar, Chanderi