The Krishnapura Chhatris, also known as the Krishna Pura Chhatris are three

chhatris ''Chhatri'' are elevated, dome-shaped pavilions used as an element in Indo-Islamic architecture and Indian architecture. Originating as a canopy above tombs, they serve as decorative elements. The earliest example of chhatri being used in the ...

located in

Indore Indore () is the largest and most populous Cities in India, city in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It serves as the headquarters of both Indore District and Indore Division. It is also considered as an education hub of the state and is t ...

Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh (, ; meaning 'central province') is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and the largest city is Indore, with Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, and Rewa being the other major cities. Madhya Pradesh is the seco ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

. The structures were built by the

Holkars The Holkar (Pronunciation: �o(ː)ɭkəɾ dynasty was a Maratha clan of Dhangar origin in India. The Holkars were generals under Peshwa Baji Rao I, and later became Maharajas of Indore in Central India as an independent member of the Marath ...

cenotaph A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although the vast majority of cenot ...

s over the spots where people of importance were cremated, leading to them also being known as the Holkar Chhatris. All three of the Chhatris are located half a kilometer from the city palace,

Rajwada Rajwada is a historical palace in the city of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. It was built by the Holkars of the Maratha Empire about two centuries ago. This seven storied structure is located near the Chhatris and serves today as a fine example of roy ...

, which was also built by the Holkar dynasty.

Description

History

The powerful family that built the chhatris, the Holkars, were originally a minor clan within the

Maratha empire The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern Indian confederation that came to dominate much of the Indian subcontinent in the 18th century. Maratha rule formally began in 1674 with the coronation of Shi ...

. They belonged to the Dhangar caste, which originated in

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

. While part of the

, the Holkars fought against the

Mughals The Mughal Empire was an early-modern empire that controlled much of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries. Quote: "Although the first two Timurid emperors and many of their noblemen were recent migrants to the subcontinent, the d ...

and the

British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

. However, following the

Third Anglo-Maratha War The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1819) was the final and decisive conflict between the English East India Company and the Maratha Empire in India. The war left the Company in control of most of India. It began with an invasion of Maratha te ...

and the subsequent collapse of the

in 1818, the Holkars agreed to establish a

protectorate A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a State (polity), state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over m ...

on behalf of the East India Company in Indore. This diplomatic move established the Holkar dynasty, which ruled the

Indore state Indore State, also known as Holkar State, was a kingdom in India. Its rulers belonged to the Holkar dynasty. After 1857, Indore became a 19-gun salute Maratha princely state (a rare high rank) under the British Raj. Indore state wa ...

until Indian Independence in 1948. The Krishnapura Chhatri themselves were built in the mid 19th century to honor the deceased members of the Holkar dynasty. They are named for

Krishna Bai Holkar Maharani Krishna Bai Holkar or Maji Keshri Bai (died September 1849) was the regent of the Indian Princely Indore State between 1843 and 1849. She served as regent during the minority of her adoptive son Maharajadhiraja Raj Rajeshwar Sawai Sh ...

, the wife of famed military leader

Yashwantrao Holkar Yashwant Rao Holkar (c. 1776-1811) also known as Jaswantrao Holkar belonging to the Holkar dynasty of the Maratha Empire was the Maharaja of the Maratha Empire. He was a gifted military leader and educated in accountancy as well as literate in P ...

and the mother of Malhar Rao Holkar II. The structures are built over the spots where the rulers of the

were

cremated Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning. Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre i ...

Complex

The complex contains three chhatris and five cenotaphs. Steps from the back of the site lead to the bank of the nearby

Kahn river The Kanh river is a river flowing through Indore, the commercial capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The river does not carry freshwater, and turned into sewage during the early 90s. Efforts are being made to restore the river. The riv ...

. The chhatris are made of several different types of stone, and feature elaborately carved exteriors and columns. The site around half a kilometer from Rajwada Palace. Due to the site's location within the city of Indore, parts of the complex have previously fallen into disrepair. As of 2018 efforts were being conducted to clean up the area. In 2018 the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board announced that it would include the chhatris on a walking tour of the historic sites of Indore.

References

{{coord missing, Madhya Pradesh Cenotaphs in India Monuments and memorials in Madhya Pradesh Tourist attractions in Indore Maratha architecture