Spellbinding architecture at the Chhatris of Krishnapura!
I had no idea how awestruck I would be by the beautiful architecture of the Krishnapura Chhatris on my way. But as soon as I got there, I couldn’t help but admire the great taste exhibited by the Maratha kings.
The Chhatris were built back in the late 1800s as cenotaphs, in the memory of the Holkar family. The site is made up of three Chhatris - one on the west dedicated to Maharani Krishnabai Holkar (the structure was built over her ashes), the second and third one are dedicated to Maharaja Tukoji Rao Holkar II and his son Shivaji Rao Holkar. These chhatris also have a temple which was built for the queen. The exquisite structure stands elegantly on the banks of the Khan river. The Chhatris have a dome type structure with pyramidal spires on top. The entire structure is lit at night - enhancing its beauty.
In the prayer hall, I spotted a few locals taking an afternoon nap while others chit-chatting in a group. It was calm and breezy so I spent over an hour admiring the details of the pillars and ceilings. What caught my eye was the life size statues of the Holkar rulers. While the exterior of the Chhatris have carvings of various Gods and Goddesses, the interiors have huge life size statues of the rulers, musicians and common folk sitting in the palace courts.
I had never seen such impeccable and intricate human statues before! This is definitely one of the most beautiful historic sites in Indore - rich in its architecture, design and storytelling.
Throughout this trip to Indore, I kept wondering why people my age always fantasise about visiting foreign countries when such exquisite places are available in our own backyard. As soon as I am back and if someone ever asks me where they should go for a weekend off, I won’t blink twice before saying Indore!
About the artist
Pranita Kocharekar is an independent artist based in Mumbai, India. She specialises in illustration, graphic design & type design. She has worked closely with multiple advertising agencies like Ogilvy & Mather, GREY, FCB Ulka on, and brands like Vodafone, Oreo, and Cadbury 5star. Other than commercial projects, she thrives on self-initiated projects that are humanitarian in nature.
By Pranita Kocharekar










