Things to do

Things to do in Indore

Madhya Pradesh's commercial heart: the Rajwada palace, the legendary Sarafa night food market, and a claim to India's best street food.

Photos for Indore are still on their way. Every listing below is real.

Top things to do in Indore

India's cleanest city and its street-food capital.

Sarafa Bazaar (night food market) — The jewellery market by day, India's most famous street-food street by night: joshi dahi vada, bhutte ka kees, garadu.
Rajwada Palace — The 200-year-old Holkar palace: the seven-storey facade, the museum.
Lal Bagh Palace — The Holkar summer palace: the European interiors, the gardens.
Kanch Mandir — The Jain temple of glass: walls and ceilings of mirrored mosaics.
Patalpani Waterfall — The 300-ft monsoon waterfall: the trek, the viewpoint.
Chhatris (Krishna Pura) — The Holkar cenotaphs: the memorial domes by the river.
Chhappan Dukan — The 56-shop food street: the day counterpart to Sarafa's night.

Free things to do in Indore

Indore is generous if your budget isn't. All of these cost nothing or close to it:

Sarafa (browsing) — The night market: free to wander.
Rajwada (exteriors) — The palace facade and square: free.
Chhatris — The cenotaphs: free.
Lal Bagh gardens — The palace grounds.
Pipliyapala (lake) — The lake promenade: free.

Festivals & the religious calendar

The town's own festivals:

Diwali (October/November) — The festival of lights: the bazaars blaze, the sweets peak.
Holi (March) — The colours: the old city's celebrations.
Anant Chaturdashi (Ganpati visarjan) (September) — The Ganesh immersion processions.
Christmas / New Year (December) — The city's festive season.

And the national calendar:

Diwali / Deepavali (October/November (lunar)) — Festival of lights: diyas, fireworks, sweets. The biggest Hindu festival of the year.
Holi (March (lunar)) — Festival of colours: gulal, water, street parties.
Independence Day (15 August) — 1947 independence: flag-hoisting, parades, patriotic programming nationwide.
Dussehra / Navratri (September/October (lunar)) — Nine nights of dandiya/garba dancing; Dussehra effigy-burning.
Eid al-Fitr / Eid al-Adha (lunar) — The two Eids: feasts, new clothes, community prayers.
Christmas (25 December) — Widely celebrated; midnight masses and festive markets in cities with Christian communities.

Exact dates are confirmed yearly — check local listings before booking around a festival.

Sports: Cricket

Indore is a cricket city: the Holkar Stadium hosts international matches (Tests, ODIs) — the crowds are passionate and the ground has a reputation for runs. The Madhya Pradesh Ranji team plays here; the IPL's heartland isn't far.

Football (soccer) has its followers; the Sarafa food crawl is the other sport — unofficial.

Tickets: official site

What's new in Indore

The metro construction reshapes the city — check current transit. Sarafa's fame keeps growing; go on weekdays for breathing room. The airport's international routes expand.

Submit your event

Running something in town? Dayfari lists community events free — gigs, markets, fundraisers, club nights, temple and church programmes. Submit your event and it can appear in the town feed within a day. No account needed to suggest; the Dayfari team reviews every submission.

Common questions

How many days do I need in Indore?

Two full days covers the highlights above. Add a third for the day trips — see our day-trips guide.

What can I do in Indore for free?

Plenty — see the free list above. The town's festivals and markets are the other great free shows.

When is the best time to visit Indore?

Time it for a festival if you can — the calendar above is the cheat sheet. Otherwise, the shoulder seasons dodge the crowds.

More to explore in Indore

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