Ahilya Fort Maheshwar Package with Mandu

Ahilya Fort Maheshwar Package with Mandu: Overview

Maheshwar is a Hindu Pilgrimage City in Madhya Pradesh Central India, located 91 km from Indore. Maheshwar lies on the north bank of the Narmada River. It was the capital of the Malwa during the Maratha Holkar reign till 6 January 1818.

Top 10 Reasons to Visit Maheshwar

Package Inclusions

• 3 Nights stay at Ahilya Fort Hotel Maheshwar + 1 Night stay at Indore ( or Bhopal)

• Accomodation with Breakfast & Dinner.

• Full Local sightseeing in Maheshwar (guided tours), Mandu &  Indore.

• Sunset boating in Maheshwar Tea & cookies/Sparkling Wine (on prior request & depending on local conditions)

• Meals APAI Plan (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)

• All road, state taxes, driver allowance, permit & night halt charges.

Ahilya Fort Hotel Facilities:

• Large swimming pool (60ft x 30ft) (unheated as not necessary)

• Bicycles

• Small conference hall

• Sitting room with games for relaxing

• Library

• Walled organic vegetable garden and farm animals for the children

• Free Wi-Fi and use of computer

Accommodation

There are two royal suites - the Narmada and the Nagarkhana, and one Arjun Royal tent, plus 7 double superior rooms, and 4 twin superior rooms. Each superior room has its own individual character and personality. Some have alcove lookouts over the river and some give onto the organic vegetable garden. The Nagarkhana suite has a spacious balcony overlooking temples and the river. The Arjun Royal tent is large and comfortable and very private, being tucked away in a secret garden with its own plunge pool and spectacular views of the river and temples. The spacious and supremely comfortable Narmada Suite has teak parquet floors and a balcony perched over the river. The Nagarkhana suite and the Arjun Royal tent are located outside the main Ahilya Fort complex, less than a minute from the main entrance. The rooms are beautifully furnished in neutral, natural fabrics. All rooms and tents are air-conditioned and have en suite bathrooms with showers and safe deposit lockers. Adjacent rooms are available upon request.

Dining

Our renowned gourmet meals, which are table d’hôte, are served in different areas of the fort. There is no fixed dining room. Menus are based on recipes created by the owner, Prince Richard Holkar, reputed gourmet culinary author and chef. Lunch is generally light western cuisine, with cold soups, organic salads, and grilled vegetables etc. Indian recipes from around the country are featured at dinner. Seating at meals is generally communal, but special requests for separate tables are gladly entertained. Vegetarians and those with dietary restrictions are easily accommodated.

Meal Timings –

• Breakfast: 8am -10 am

• Lunch: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

• Tea : 5 pm – 6pm

• Pre-dinner drinks: 7:30 pm followed by

• Dinner around 8:30 pm

Activities and Excursions

There is much to explore around Ahilya Fort, and walking is a good way to do so. The town is warm and tourist friendly. Wander through Maheshwar and along the Ghats. Take a sunset boat trip to Baneshwar temple in the middle of the river (sunset boat trips to this temple can be arranged on prior request and are inclusive in the rates). Laze around our pool and gardens. Discover numerous Shiva temples. Learn about Maheshwar’s famous hand woven textiles at Rehwa Society. Visit the Ahilya School for weavers’ children (sponsorship is possible). Walk or bike around the charming village of Naoda Todi, just across the river. (Next to Naoda Todi, you will discover Shaliwan temple, which denotes the geographical beginning of South India.). Visit our organic farm on the edge of town. For excursions farther afield, ask our front desk to arrange a packed lunch and day trip to the historic and deserted 14th Century city of Mandu and the Fort at Dhar. Explore the island temple of Omkareshwar. Visit the village of Bakawa famous for its handcrafted Shivalingams.

About Narmada Retreat Resort

Narmada Retreat is a quality property that offers visitors to the beautiful historical town of Maheshwar an ideal and convenient location to enjoy comfortable accommodation along with warm hospitality.
About 2km from the centre,

Narmada Retreat has bungalows set around a huge, well-tended garden overlooking a river. The spacious quads, or ‘family rooms’ – which come with three toilets! – are great value if you’re in a group, while the AC tents have lovely river views. There’s also a restaurant open from 8am to 10.30pm. Turn right just before the floodlit roundabout and continue over two crossroads before turning left at the end of the road.

How to Reach Maheshwar

Best time to visit Maheshwar

November to February, when the weather is the coolest and driest. It starts becoming really hot towards the end of March, before the summer heat sets in in April and May, followed by the monsoon.

Narmada Retreat Maheshwar Tour Package: Tourist Attractions

Narmada Ghat: Narmada Ghat is famous off-beat destination in close proximity to the town of Maheshwar surrounded with lush green environs. It is a nice spot for picnicking and to enjoy a day off from all the worries and stress one has. It is located on the banks of river Narmada and is one of the many places constructed by Rani Ahilyabai.

Ghats: Peshwar Ghat, Fanase Ghat and Ahilya Ghat line the river Narmada, flights of steps lead down from the sandy banks of the river, and through the day a kaleidoscope of rural Indian can be seen here, in the pilgrims and holy men who sit here in the ferry loads of villagers who cross and recross these surging waters.

Temples: With their soaring spires, the many - tiered temples of Maheshwar are distinguished by their carved overhanging balconies and their intricately worked doorways. Temples to see are Kaleshwar; Rajarajeshwara, Vithaleshwara and Ahileshwar.

Holkar Fort: Located on the banks of the holy river Narmada, the fort was built in the 18th century and was the residence of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar. Also known as Queen’s fort; the fort was the administrative headquarters of the Holkars.

One can see the life-size statue of Rani Ahilyabai Holkar sitting on the throne. Chhatris, temples, a wada make the fort an interesting place to visit. Today, the fort is a heritage hotel, it is managed by Shivaji Rao Holkar, son of the founder of the hotel and last Maharaja of Indore, Prince Richard Holkar.

Maheshwari Sarees: Introduced into Maheshwar 250 years ago by Rani Ahilyabai, the sarees are renowned throughout India for their unique weave. Woven mostly in cotton, the typical Maheshwari saree has a plain body and sometimes stripes or checks in several variations. The mat border designs have a wide range in leaf and floral patterns. The pallu is particularly distinctive with five stripes, three coloured and two white alternating, running along its width. Maheshwari has a reversible border, known as bugdi.

Bollywood and Tollywood Movies Shoots in Maheshwar

The exquisite beauty of Maheshwar and river Narmada is captured in some Bollywood and Tamil/ Kollywood movies. Some of the movies shot in Maheshwar including the movie "Ashoka", Tulsi (by actor and director Sachin), Mahashivratri, A R Rehman's music video, Tamil movie Alaipayuthey's song "Snekithanea..." and " yaro yaro di..." directed by Maniratnam, Tamil movie Leelai's song "Oru killi oru killi..." directed by Andrew Vasanth Louis, Yuvan Shankar Raja's musical Tamil movie Arrambam's song "Adadada Arrambame..." directed by Vishnuvardhan. Also starting episodes of Zee TV serial Jhansi Ki Rani were shot here. In the 60's, Mythological film Mahashivratri's shooting was done here and many local artists were given a chance to act in that. Then Aadi Shankaryachary's shooting was completed in 1985. Many Film stars from Bharat Bhushan to Shahrukh Khan have visited Maheshwar and admired its rich culture and beauty. Also Yamala Pagla Deewana (Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Kulraj Randhawa come here for shooting) film's 50 minute shot done here at Bazar Chowk, Rajwada, Ahilyabai Chhatri, Ahilya Ghaat and many more location.

Events and Festivals in Maheshwar

Ahilyabai's birthday is celebrated in May each year, with a palanquin procession through the town.

The two biggest religious festivals there are Maha Shivratri (the great night of Shiva), and the Muslim festival of Muharram (the holy first month in the Islamic calendar) featuring a procession of floats that are submerged into the water.

On Maha Shivratri, thousands of women from surrounding village spend the night on the ghats, drumming and singing, before bathing in the river and worshiping the multitude of shivalingams there.

Nimar Utsav is held around Kartik Purnima each year, and consists of three days of music, dance, drama, and boating. An annual Sacred River Festival, featuring classical music performances, is held at Ahilya Fort each February.

And, on every Sunday before Makar Sankranti, Swaadhyaaya Bhavan Ashram holds a chariot festival (the Mahaamrityunjaya Rath Yatra) in Maheshwar.

Best Restaurant in Maheshwar

Guru Kripa Food & Hotel

The appearance and setting of the restaurant might not appeal you very much, but well don't judge a book by its cover because the food that they have to offer will certainly make up for it.

Indian Heritage Food

This is one of the rare restaurants in Maheshwar that will provide you non vegetarian food and that too at a very cheap price. The interiors of the restaurant are well designed and the service is pretty quick too. It also boasts of a garden.

Laboos Café

The Café is located in a very picturesque area, close to some of Maheshwar's major attractions. The coffee served is worth INR 25 and given that fact that is quite cheap as per the standards of a Café, the quality of the taste is certainly not compromised upon. The Cardamom Tea is highly recommended.