Madhya Pradesh, the Heart of India, is a state in central India. 48 districts made up the state, which are grouped into eight divisions: Bhopal, Chambal, Gwalior, Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, Sagar and Ujjain.
Sagar is the 6th largest city in the province with a division of five districts: Damoh, Panna, Tikamgarh, Sagar and Chhattarpur the district of Khajuraho Temples. It has an area of 308,252 km2.
Bhopal, the state capital, is home to industries as electrical goods, cotton, chemicals and jewelry. Until November 1, 2000 Madhya Pradesh was considered the largest state in India but at this time the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out.
Madhya Pradesh is surrounded on the west by Gujarat, on the northwest by Rajasthan, on the northeast by Uttar Pradesh, on the east by Chhattisgarh and on the south by Maharashtra.
The Vindhya and Satpura ranges along the Narmada River which runs east and west between these ranges, conforms the traditional boundary between the north and south of India. Narmada or also known as Reva River is regarded as one of Indian’s holiest by Hindus. It flows westward for about 1287 km, emptying into the Gulf of Khambhat in the Arabian Sea.
Vindhya Range with elevations from 1500 to 3651ft extends for a distance of 675m, and it separates the drainage basin of the Ganges River on the north from the Deccan Plateau on the south.
Occupying the oldest part of the subcontinent, Madhya Pradesh is the richest state in respect of painted rock-shelters, which have been found in Sehore, Bhopal, Raisen, Hoshangabad and Sagar districts. Close to Bhopal at Bhimbetka visitor can find the pre-historic caves that preserve some fascinating paintings dating back from Paleolithic times.
Madhya Pradesh consisted of the region called Malwa, which was occupied by the predecessors of the Bhils, Gonds and other tribes. There was an evidence of a civilization contemporary to the Indus Valley Civilization.
During the period of Buddhism the region excelled in art and architecture when the area was under the rule of Mauryan empire. The region was ruled by Mauryas, Guptas, Vakatakas, Kalchuris, Chandels, Pratihara, Gaharwar Raiput, Parmars, Gonds, Mughals and Marathas. Chandels are the ones who have left behind the cluster of matchless temples at Khajuraho.
Muslims established their rule which lasted till 1401 AD due to the internal rivalry between the tribes and the Raiputs so the stronger Muslim rule was under 1526 to 1530 due to the invasion Barbary. In 1562 Akbar made it a part of the Mughal Empire and it remained a part of Mughal Empire till the 18th century.
Though this area too fell under the British jurisdiction it was administered by the Marathas who ceded it to the British completely by 1817. In 1948 after independence this region of Malwa was joined with regions of Indore and Bhopal. In 1956 the states of Madhay Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh and Bhopal was organised into the present Madhya Pradesh.
The region was occupied by the British and known as the Central Provinces and Berar. But with the State Reorganization Act of 1956 it was combined with several former states to form the present Madhya Pradesh State.
The main and the official language is Hindi but other dialects such as Bundelkhandi, Malwi and Chattisgarhi are spoken all over the state. Due to the mix of people and the Western influence, Urdu and Kurwai are spoken too such as several regional variants: Malvi, Nimadi, Bundeli and Avadhi. Bhilodi, Gondi, Korku and Kalto are spoken by tribal groups. Marathi is spoken by numerous people due to rule of Marathas. Pashto is spoken by immigrants from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The climate is subtropical, with a hot dry summer followed by monsoon rain and a cool and relatively dry winter. The south-eastern districts have the heaviest rainfall with 215mm.
Madhya Pradesh has both Land and Air transport facilities. Buses and trains cover most of the state. Air transport is at Indore, Bhopal, Jabalpur, Gwalior and Khajuraho.
About religion, most of the people in Madhya Pradesh are Hindus with sizeable minorities of Muslims, Jains, Christians and Buddhists. There is also a small Sikh population.
Visitors could enjoy of many festivities, apart from religious festivals and depending on your interests you can enjoy Indian classical dance and music, folk dance and music, literary programs, theatre and even traditional theatre forms like Ramleela, based on the Ramayana and the most famous around the world, the Khajuraho Dance Festival.
Visitors can enjoy of the several attractions in the state; the Khajuraho Temples with its amazing erotic sculptures known all over the world, and the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, as well as lakes, national parks and natural preserves. It's clearly an area with much to discover.