Burhanpur, 200 km from Indore: History and the fort’s mysterious Kundi Bhandara is hidden here

Indore/Burhanpur: Burhanpur, located near the border of Maharashtra, is a district of Madhya Pradesh which is known for its cultural splendor as well as historical heritage. Those who are fond of knowing history closely and seeing its glimpse, should definitely visit Burhanpur. The Shahi Qila (Royal Fort) situated on the banks of the Tapti River here, in which the magnificent architecture of the Iranian and Mughal era can be seen, attracts every tourist a lot. Every visitor is surprised to see the special type of Hamam built inside this fort. This fort was built in 1422 by the kings of the Farukhi dynasty, but after this it remained in the possession of Mughal emperors like Akbar and Shahjahan for many years. Mumtaz Mahal’s last breath stopped here The Shahi Qila of Burhanpur also bears testimony to the love of Shahjahan and Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz Mahal died on 7 June 1631 in this fort while giving birth to her 14th child. When the Taj Mahal was completely built in Agra, in 1632, Mumtaz’s body was taken from here and buried in the Taj Mahal.

Kundi Bhandara: From where water came from five kilometers away The water used for drinking and daily use in the royal fort came from a place called ‘Kundi Bhandara’ located in Lalbagh area, which is about 5 km away. This is an 80 feet deep underground tunnel, in which water used to reach the fort and surrounding areas with the help of a slope, without any motor. It is said that its water is the purest after the Ganges. According to experts, hot water used to come from one wall in the hammam and cold water from the other. Khas, saffron and fragrant flowers were put in a pond built in the middle, in which Mumtaz used to take bath. Even today, beautiful paintings are present on its walls and ceilings.  Royal court, fountains and palace on the banks of Tapti History tells that Shah Jahan took over the throne after the death of Jahangir in 1627 and in March 1630, he came to Burhanpur to calm the turmoil going on in the south. He stayed in the royal fort for almost two years and ruled the entire country from here. Even today, Diwan-e-Aam and Diwan-e-Khas are present in the fort, where Shah Jahan used to sit and hold court. In front of both of these, there were lush green gardens and water fountains, which still remind us of the gardens of the Taj Mahal. There was also a four-storey grand palace on the banks of the Tapti river, but now due to its bad condition, entry into it has been stopped.  History is being connected with light and sound show

Now, tourists who come to Burhanpur are being informed about the story of Shahi Qila and Mumtaz-Shahjahan as well as other historical places of the district. For this, a light and sound show has been started near the Diwan-e-Aam of Shahi Qila. When the fort is lit up with colorful lights at night, the mind of the viewers becomes happy. Information about every place and event is available through the sound system, along with information about the famous food items of the city.  How to reach Burhanpur? If you want to come by air, then the nearest airport is in Indore. From there, to reach Burhanpur, one has to travel about 200 kilometers by bus or private car. People coming by train can come here by trains on Mumbai-Delhi or Mumbai-Allahabad route. Burhanpur has direct rail connectivity with big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Agra, Varanasi, Gwalior, Katni, Jabalpur and Bhopal. Talking about the road, there are very good roads connected to the cities of Maharashtra like Bhusaval, Jalgaon, and Aurangabad. The distance from Bhopal to Burhanpur via Indore is about 367 km.