Shivpuri is steeped in the royal legacy of its past, when it was the summer capital of the Scindia rulers of Gwalior. And earlier, its dense forests were the hunting grounds of the Mughal emperors when great herds of elephants were captured by emperor Akbar.

With it's luxuriant forests and undulating hills, Shivpuri was a natural choice as the summer resort capital of the Scindias. Shivpuri's royal ambience lives on in the exquisite palaces and hunting lodges and graceful, intricately embellished marble Chhatris (cenotaphs) erected by the Scindia rulers.

Much later, it was the Tiger that roamed the wooded hills and many a magnificent beast was 'bagged' by royal Shikaris. Today Shivpuri is a sanctuary for rare wildlife and avifauna. Its royal past has thus been transformed into a vibrant, hopeful present.

Shivpuri Attractions

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. Facing each other across a water tank are the Chhatris of Madho Rao Scindia and the dowager queen Maharani Sakhya Raje Scindia, synthesising the architectural idioms of Hindu and Islamic styles with their shikhara-type spires and Rajput and Mughal pavilions.

Bhadaiya Kund : A scenic spot by a natural spring. The water here is rich in minerals, supposedly of a curative nature.

George Castle : Deep within the forests of the park, on its 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.