Bharat Bhawan is an autonomous multi-arts complex and museum on the slopes of Shamla Hills, overlooking Bhopal’s Upper Lake (Bhojtal). Established and funded by the Government of Madhya Pradesh, it was inaugurated on 13 February 1982 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and is run by the autonomous Bharat Bhawan Trust. Designed by the internationally renowned architect Charles Correa, the roughly 120,000-square-foot complex is a series of terraced courtyards, split-level exhibition spaces, galleries and performance halls cascading down toward the lake, letting sunlight and shadow shift dramatically through the day. It houses several distinct wings: Roopankar (Museum of Fine and Tribal Art), Rangmandal (Repertory Theatre), Vagarth (Centre of Indian Poetry), Anhad (for classical and folk music), plus Antrang (an indoor theatre) and Bahirang (an outdoor performance space), alongside its own art gallery. Dedicated to preserving and promoting Indian visual, performing and literary arts, it regularly hosts cultural programs and evening performances, drawing some of India’s most celebrated artists over the decades.
