Chanderi

Chanderi is a town in Ashoknagar district in Madhya Pradesh state, India, sitting at about 450 meters elevation in a hilly forested landscape near the Betwa River. Several lakes dot the area around the settlement, and old structures built from red sandstone shape the townscape.

The Persian scholar Alberuni mentioned the place in 1030 as a military outpost on trade routes through Central India. In later centuries, control over the fortress and surrounding areas shifted among different rulers.

The hand-woven Chanderi saris made from fine silk and cotton emerge from workshops in the old quarter, where weavers often use traditional wooden looms. These fabrics carry patterns that recall coins, flowers or geometric shapes and are worn at weddings and celebrations across the country.

Travelers reach the town via State Highway 20 and National Highway 376, with the nearest airport in Bhopal and the closest railway station in Ashoknagar. The main part of the sights spreads across a small area in the center and can be explored on foot.

The fortress rises about 70 meters above town level and has an entrance called Khooni Darwaza, which translates as Gate of Blood. This gate was carved directly through the hillside rock and leads to the upper sections of the compound.