Rajwada Palace

The seven-storey seat of the Holkar dynasty, holding down the centre of the old city since 1747. The wooden upper floors have burned and been rebuilt more than once — what stands today is part original stone, part careful reconstruction, and fully the symbol of Indore.

The facade is the show: a seven-storey gateway that mixes Maratha, Mughal and French influences, facing a chowk that has been the city's centre of gravity for 275 years. Inside, the restored durbar hall and the Devi Ahilya exhibits are worth the walk-through, though signage is thin — you'll get more from it if you read up for ten minutes beforehand.

At ₹30 for Indian nationals, this is the cheapest ticket in the city's heritage circuit. Budget 45–60 minutes inside. The courtyard garden at the back is quieter than the front suggests, and the first-floor balconies give you the chowk from the Holkars' point of view.

The real move is timing: enter at 4 PM, exit at closing, watch the facade light up from the chowk, then walk two lanes north into Sarafa as the food stalls open. That's the best single evening in Indore, and it costs less than a multiplex ticket.