The capital of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal is a fascinating amalgam of scenic beauty, a proud heritage and modern urban planning. An Afghan soldier of fortune, Dost Mohammed (1708-1740) was the founder of the existing city, which is situated on the site of the 11th century city, Bhojapal, founded by the legendary Raja Bhoja. Bhopal represents a harmonic symphony of the old and the new. The old city with its teeming market places, beautiful mosques and quaint palaces still bears the aristocratic imprint of its former rulers.
The new city of Bhopal is equally impressive with verdant, exquisitely laid- out parks and gardens, broad avenues and streamlined modern edifices. The two lakes, Upper and Lower, dominate the city and form its nucleus.
