33 Old Ruins to Explore in Madhya Pradesh

Matangeshvara Temple is one of the oldest temples in Khajuraho, which is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Constructed using polished sandstone, the temple houses an 8 ft Shivalinga, which is believed to be among the largest in India. Being one of the plainest temples in Khajuraho, the temple does not feature any intricate carvings and patterns on exteriors or interiors of the temple.

This is a cluster of temples dating to the 8th-9th century AD which were built by the Pratihara dynasty who were at the peak of their glory between the 7th to the 11th centuries. These group of temples was excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India and the process is still continued. There are around 21 temples still standing on three sides of the mountain.

The fort and palace at Narsinghgarh was the official residence of the rulers of Narsinghgarh State. The fort was built nearly 300 years ago in the Rajpur, Mughal and Malwa style. The entire complex covers an area of 45.323 acres. It has 304 rooms, 4 halls, 12 chowks and 64 varandas. It is situated nearly 350 feet above the town. There is also a beautiful pool which was made in the 19th century.

Narwar Fort is situated atop a hill, at Narwar in Shivpuri, which stands on a steep scarp of the Vindhya Range. Kachwaha Rajputs are said to have built. The architecture of the fort and palaces is basically Rajput in style. The fort when they occupied Narwar in the 10th century. Outside the walled town are memorial pillars of the Tomar chiefs. Now the descendant of narwar fort is Narauni Rajputs.

Parvati Temple is a temple dedicated to the goddess Parvati, consort of Shiva. This structure is one of the monuments among Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a World Heritage Site in India. It has heavily restored small sanctum. The porch is completely lost and of the sanctum only the plinth has survived.

This is an old fort which was located in the heart of the Sagar district and It is situated on the top of the northwest peak along with the range of hills. It was originally built by Sultan Muhamad Khan. This ancient fort is once the glory of Sagar but now it was now in a ruined state. There is also a pond in the foot of the fort.

This main tourist attraction of Rewa was built by Salim Shah. The canon, royal silver throne, museum hall's chandelier, arms gallery and the white tiger gallery are some of the interesting sites. There are two rivers behind the fort which gives the necessary scenic beauty to the fort. The arch gate known as Gorgi Gate is a good example of Indian architecture. This Fort also provides accommodations for tourists and it also houses a restaurant and a museum.

Sabalgarh Fort is a 16-17th-century hill fort near Sabalgarh, Madhya Pradesh, situated on a large rock in the northeastern part of Sabalgarh. The fort consists of a defensive structure and one main palaces and many other buildings. The fort has been controlled by a number of different rulers in its history.

One of the oldest surviving stone structures in India and a specimen of Buddhist architecture which shows light to the relation between King Ashoka and Buddhism. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a landmark structure in tracing the evolution of Indian architecture starting with the Maurya period.

Saru Maru is the archaeological site of an ancient monastic complex and Buddhist caves. The site contains a number of stupas as well as natural caves for monks. In the caves many Buddhist graffiti have been found

This fort built on the confluence of the sep and Kalval river is a unique model of stone craft, here too 425 statues of statues have been collected for the Archeology Museum. The umbrella of the Gujari Mahal, Narasimha Mahal, Darbar Hall, Raja Indra Singh and King Kishredas are visible here. Some buildings of the fort are declared protected by the state

Udayagirri caves are intricately carved caves situated in an isolated stone hill, reworked under the rule of Chandraguptha 2. it has numerous Buddhists remains creating the ambiance. It is one of the most important archaeological sites from the Gupta period and now it is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Varaha is the third Avatar of the Lord Vishnu. Varaha temple in Khajuraho houses a colossal monolithic image of Lord Varaha, which is the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu. This temple depicts Lord Varaha as a purely animal form. The temple is a World Heritage Site since 1986. The temple architecture is simple, modest yet elegant.