INTRODUCTION
Dhubela museum or Maharaja Chatrasal Museum, both means same. This museum is located on great Bundela ruler Maharaja Chhatrasal's (1649-1731) palace, thus named as Maharaja Chhatrasal museum. As the place is known by the name of Dhubela, thus it is also popular as Dhubela Museum. It was inaugurated by Pd. Jawahar Lal Nehru in 12/Sept/1955. It is located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh. It is just 65kms north-west of Khajuraho and connected by road. Tourists undertakes Dhubela museum tour in two ways, either they do en-route visit while going from Khajuraho to Orchha or Khajuraho to Jhansi. Another way is visit is as excursion tour, while staying at Khajuraho hotel. It is a perfect destination for a great time with your dear ones. Enjoy the attractions of this popular tourist spot. With so much to lure your senses and offer you recreation at its best, get drenched in the spirit of adventure that you get to explore at Dhubela museum, Khajuraho. Enjoy together all the points of popular interests and bring back several memorable moments. Dhubela museum, Khajuraho is not just the place for sightseeing, but it also enables you to steal a self-indulgent moment for yourself as well. Chhatrasal Museum is the largest museum in the State of MP.
ABOUT MUSEUM
Maharaja Chhatrasal Museum, popularly known as the Dhubela Museum, is a storehouse of antiques and artifacts. An Islamic palace-fort now used as a museum. The courtyard palace is on the edge of a beautiful lake surrounded by hills, two large mausoleums and other ruins. It is a good place to stop on the drive from Orchha to Khajuraho. This museum, situated 16 kilometers away from Chhatarpur on the Chhatarpur-Nowgaon Highway, and was set up in 1955 by Maharaja Chhatrasal (an Indian warrior, who established his kingdom in Bundelkhand). A major part of the collection here belongs to the Bundela Dynasty. It comprises 8 galleries in which 2 galleries are dedicated to display inscribed images of Gupta & Kalchuri period, copper plates, Sati Pillars etc. The collection displayed in the museum helps tourists to know more about the history, development and decline of the famous Bundela Dynasty of Khajuraho. The wide collection includes weapons, garments and paintings of the Bundela kings. This museum has eight galleries, each of which is unique and fascinating in its own way. The first two galleries exhibit belongings from the Gupta and Kalchuri dynasties. Here, you can see inscriptions, Sati pillars, copper plates and Shiva Linga. Next is the Jain Gallery that features beautiful artwork like images of Tirthankars as Rishabhnath, Gomedh Ambika, Sarvatobhadrika and Chakreshwari. 61 years old museum which is beautifully maintained by M.P Tourism.
The Shaiva and Shakti galleries are known for sculptures that reflect Chandela and Kalchuri arts. The highlights of these galleries are the images of Suryaputra Revanta (Kalchuri Period), Ekmukhlinga and Gajasurvadh. Besides, the theme-based Painting Gallery showcases prominent works related to the emperors of Rewa, Panna and Charkhari.
The museum has an Amusement Gallery too, which has eight huge concave-convex mirrors that form funny and distorted images of visitors. Lastly; there is an Arms Gallery, which houses weapons like swords, shields, maces, bows and arrows, cannons and grenades. It is a perfect place for children, where they can gain knowledge while having fun. Kids will especially enjoy themselves at the Amusement Gallery of the museum, when they see their funny images in the strategically placed convex-concave mirrors.
This place helps to reveal the glorious pasts of the Khajuraho as well as the Madhya Pradesh. Peoples surely visit this museum when he comes to visit for the Chhatarpur.
MUSEUM TIMING
The museum remains open throughout the year and it follows the working window of 7 hours starting from
10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Here it is important to note that State Museum of Dhubela is
closed on Every Monday and gazetted holidays. Within specified period, tourists can visit this magnificent place and enhance their knowledge about the great history of this place.
HOW TO REACH
Dhubela museum Nearest airport and railway station is Khajuraho Airport and Khajuraho Railway station, 65kms south-west of State Museum of Dhubela. Road connectivity is good in between them and we offer tourist taxi service from Khajuraho to Dhubela Museum or vice versa. The museum is situated 2 km from Village Mau Sahania on the Chhatarpur-Nowgaon highway and 16 km from Chhatarpur.
SURROUNDING
While visiting State museum of Dhubela, we have option to visit surrounding monuments, ruins and villages. Here we can visit to Maharaja Chhatrasal Tomb (2km), Bhimkund (1.5km) and its temples, Tindani gate (5km), Maheba gate (2km), Chousat Yogini Temple (2km), Kabir Ashram (1km) etc.
