Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, is known as the City of Lakes for its various natural as well as artificial lakes. It also claims to be one of the greenest cities in India. Havelis, famous cave paintings, grand mosques and museums co-exist alongside modern flyovers, bridges and tall buildings. While the 1984 Union Carbide gas disaster made headlines of the wrong kind, the city has come a long way over the years to take its rightful place among India's leading state capitals. Top Attractions - In and Around Bhopal: Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi: This UNESCO heritage site comprises a group of Buddhist monuments (monolithic pillars, palaces, temples and monasteries), all in different states of conservation dating back to the 2nd and 1st centuries BC. It is the oldest Buddhist sanctuary in existence and was a major Buddhist centre in India until the 12th century AD. Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka: The Bhimbetka rock shelters are an archaeological site of the Paleolithic era, exhibiting the earliest traces of human life on the Indian subcontinent and thus the beginning of the South Asian Stone Age. Some of the Stone Age rock paintings found among the Bhimbetka rock shelters are approximately 30,000 years old. They were declared a World Heritage Site in 2003. Upper Lake - A beautiful water body of the 11th century, Upper Lake is the oldest man-made lake in India. Locally called as Bada Talab, it is a massive earthen bund constructed across the Kolans River. Museum of Mankind (Tribal Habitat) - Spread over a vast area of 200 acres of land, the Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (National Museum of Mankind) is located on the Shamla Hills. It is the only museum in the world to have a vivid collection of pre-historic painted rock shelters. Taj-ul-Masjid - The name ′Taj-ul-Masjid′ means ′The Crown of Mosques′ and is one of the biggest mosques in Asia and the largest in India. Built by Nawab Shahjehan Begum, Taj-ul-Masjid has an attractive and imposing structure. Popular Local Dishes: