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Voykit pocket guide · India
Mardana
Skip Mardana unless you have a specific interest in Guru Nanak history or Narmada river boat trips: half a day is enough, and you need your own transport from Sanawad or Indore.
Mardana is a small Narmada-side village in Madhya Pradesh's Malwa region, named after Bhai Mardana, a companion of Guru Nanak. It has a ruined fort, a cave shrine and a ghat built by Queen Ahilyabai. The village is quiet and undeveloped for tourism — you can see everything in a few hours. Most travellers use it as a short stop between Indore and the Narmada river sites, not a destination.
- Country
- India
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Apr–Jun (extreme heat), Jul–Sep (heavy monsoon, river may be high)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- INR
- Money
- Indian rupees (INR, ₹) in small notes for autos, street food, tips and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₹1,500–2,500 (day trip from Sanawad) · Mid ₹3,000–5,000 (including taxi from Indore) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Jio, Airtel and Vi sell tourist SIMs at airport counters and their shops; passport, visa and a photo needed; activation can take a few hours.
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Fire and ambulance 112
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin C plugs fit most sockets; D (three round pins) is the common wall socket; hotels often have universal sockets. UK and US plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Street food and dhabas: Nothing.; Restaurant: 5–10% if no service charge is on the bill.; Car and driver: ₹300–500 a day at the end of the trip.; Guide: ₹300–500 for a half day.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: ₹50–100.; Auto or Uber: Round up.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Buy sealed bottles (check the cap), or use RO-filtered refill stations in hotels and cafés; avoid ice from street stalls.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and airports; squat toilets with a water jug or hose in stations and villages. Carry tissue and sanitiser; paid public toilets (Sulabh) cost ₹5–10.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Chai at village stall | ₹10–20 |
| Simple meal (dal chawal) in Sanawad | ₹100–200 |
| Boat trip on Narmada (per person, 30 min) | ₹300–500 |
| Taxi Sanawad–Mardana one way | ₹600–900 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IDR · Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar Airport, Indore
- 120 km (75 mi); taxi or bus to Sanawad then local transport75 mi (120 km); taxi or bus to Sanawad then local transport
Typical fares
- Indore → Sanawad (bus)
- about ₹150–250, 2 h (check)
- Sanawad → Mardana (auto-rickshaw)
- ₹400–600, 40 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is small enough to walk. For the fort ruins and ghat, follow the riverside path. A boat can be hired locally for Narmada trips — ask at the village or arrange in Sanawad.
See and do
Known for
- Ruins of Raja Mordhvaj's fort
- Mayuresvara Shiva temple and ghat (Ahilyabai Holkar)
- Narmada river boat trips
- Thursday farmer's market
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mandu | Taxi from Mardana via Sanawad, about 1.5 h | About 2 h |
| Omkareshwar | Taxi or bus to Sanawad, then bus to Omkareshwar, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Indore | Taxi, about 2 h | About 2.5 h |
| Ujjain | Taxi to Sanawad station, train to Ujjain, about 2.5 h total | About 3 h |
Sleep
- Sanawad
- Nearest town with hotels, 40 km (25 mi) away. Basic budget options.Nearest town with hotels, 25 mi (40 km) away. Basic budget options.
- Indore
- 120 km (75 mi); full range of accommodation, best for a base if you also visit Mandu, Ujjain or Omkareshwar.75 mi (120 km); full range of accommodation, best for a base if you also visit Mandu, Ujjain or Omkareshwar.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | नमस्तेnamaste |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyavaad |
| How much? | कितना है?kitna hai |
| Where is the boat? | नाव कहाँ है?naav kahan hai |
| I need water | मुझे पानी चाहिएmujhe paani chahiye |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste (palms together) or a handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging or kissing strangers
- Hands and feet: Give and eat with the right hand; apologise if your foot touches someone; avoid: Pointing feet at people or shrines; touching books or food with your feet
- Temples: Shoes off, walk clockwise around shrines, accept prasad (blessed food) with the right hand; avoid: Leather in Jain temples; entering sanctums that say Hindus only
- Home visit: Bring sweets or fruit; accept tea at least once; avoid: Refusing all food; wearing shoes inside
- Questions: Expect personal questions (married? job? salary?) as friendliness; avoid: Taking offence; answer vaguely if you prefer
- Saying no: A firm, polite 'nahi, dhanyavaad' (no, thank you) and keep walking; avoid: Long explanations to touts
- Dress: Loose clothes covering shoulders and knees; kurta tops are cheap and cool; avoid: Swimwear or shorts away from Goa beaches
Scams and watch-outs
- No ATMs or petrol pumps in Mardana; fill up in Sanawad or Indore.
- River levels rise during monsoon (Jul–Sep); boat trips may not operate.
- The fort ruins are not maintained; wear sturdy shoes and watch for loose stones.
- No restaurants or hotels in the village — carry water and snacks.
Mardana is very safe; the main risks are heat, snakes near the riverbank and the lack of services. Carry your own water and a phone with offline maps.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mardana yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ruins of Raja Mordhvaj's fort
- Mayuresvara Shiva temple and ghat (Ahilyabai Holkar)
- Narmada river boat trips
- Thursday farmer's market
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Madhya Pradesh Tourism: www.mptourism.com/
- Wikivoyage: Mardana, revision 5285172 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5285172
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/mardana). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.