The town of Chanderi: Blending heritage and nature

The blush on her cheeks matched the colour of the pink walls of the hut, as the clacking of the loom — the rhythm of the tana-bana — filled the clean, crisp, cold air. Kriya Devi’s fingers moved deftly across the sunshine-tipped, gleaming threads, knitting the warp and weft into a slowly emerging magical motif on the fine silk.

It was a surreal moment, watching her work in unison with her solitude, like hundreds of men and women weavers in their dwellings, inside Pranpur village in Chanderi, five hours away from Bhopal. India’s first and oldest handloom village.

Cupped by the thick forests and beautiful slopes of the Vindhya mountains, filled with darting langurs, fragrant with delicious Bundeli cuisine, and dotted with lakes and palaces, and warm-hearted locals.

This was my first visit to Madhya Pradesh, and having grown up watching my mother wear the treasured Chanderi weave — the state government’s initiative in organising the Chanderi Eco Retreat in Katti Ghati here easily piqued my curiosity. Feasting on a slice of heritage and culture in the heart of the country was a temptation tough to resist.

The town of Chanderi unravels quietly among hills, lakes, and forests, southwest of the Betwa River. The famous Chanderi weave has been synonymous for years with royalty, for its fine gossamer spun from fine silk, cotton yarns and gold and silver zari.

It is believed that the erstwhile Maharani of Baroda tested the finesse of its world-famous, lightweight weave by nudging her cheeks against the threads: Hand craftsmanship that has gained the popular moniker in the “Kareena’s border”, evocative of the black and gold Chanderi saree filmstar Kareena Kapoor wore at the promotion of her movie 3 Idiots.

The emerald green Chanderi saree that actor Anushka Sharma wore for the promotion of her film Sui Dhaaga is mirrored proudly in every shop — filled with the magic of stunning motifs in ashrafi (gold coin) booti, elegant lotuses, delicate flowers and creepers, and dancing peacocks in shades shimmering across gold-flecked lengths in pista green, hushed rose, deep blue, burnt orange, cloud-dancer white, raven black and more.  

I step out of Pranpur Village onto the main road and walk into the Handloom Café. Set up with the help of the Madhya Pradesh government, this space brings in the scent of sisterhood, with ten women powering the fresh, seasonal produce prepared deliciously on your plate, in dal bafla, zeera aloo, lassan chutney, vada and suji ladoo with rice kheer.

As the sun dips, I make my way to the haveli — Kila Kothi — belonging to the royal family of Scindias, perched on the ramparts of the Chanderi Fort. The shimmying 360-degree view of the city below the star-studded sky, chants of Hanuman Chalisa (over 150 Bajrang Bali temples dot the town) filling the air, and the fluttering of the national flag against the contours of the fort fill my heart with a sense of peace. The Light and Sound show at the Chanderi Fort emerges as an arresting dive into the legends, folklore and history of the town, spanning forts, palaces, baoris, temples, and sarees.

The crumbling yet stupefying ruins of the Ramnagar Palace, a 16th-century palace built by the Bundela dynasty, by the lake bring in a slice of calm amidst the rustle of the leaves. Whispers from the sepia lane. As does the mausoleum, Shehzadi ka Roza by the Parmeshwar Lake — the legendary ‘princess tomb’ on a podium. Bewitching Afghan-style architecture marks the 15th-century unfinished edifice in the Koshak Mahal, built by Sultan Mahmud Shah Khilji I. They stand like silent sentinels of the past, in complete harmony and togetherness. Just like the mammoth doorway of Katti Ghati (the climax for the Bollywood blockbuster Stree 2 was shot here!) that leads quietly to the serene precincts of the Shri Digambar Jain Chaubisi temple — marked by a tranquil façade of the 24 tirthankaras. A climb up to the caves brings in 13th-century idols cupped in reverence. 

From battles to bunai — Chanderi is a cultural crucible where you can nestle at the foothills in the Chanderi Eco Retreat — a glamping location shaped by Madhya Pradesh Tourism, for three months during winter. Soak up the birdsong and sunshine, experience the handlooms, taste history, paramotoring and the Bundeli khana, and recalibrate at leisure in the natural poetry of Chanderi.