Madhya Pradesh India

Madhya Pradesh - Overview
Madhya Pradesh, the geographical heartland of India, was once the biggest state of the country by area. The state got its current shape on 1st November 2000, following its bifurcation to create the new state of Chhattisgarh. Due to its location in the centre of India, Madhya Pradesh has faced the historic currents from all arounf - north, south, east and west. Experts believe that Madhya Pradesh occupies the oldest part of the Indian subcontinent and is also one of the earliest dwellings of human beings.

Madhya Pradesh is surrounded by five Indian states, to the north by Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, to the south by Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, to the west by Rajasthan and Gujarat. The state with a population of 60,385,118 covers an area of 308,144 sq. kms. Majority of the population is contributed by Hindus (90%), Muslims are around 6% and rest are Christians, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. Hindi is the main language of the state, apart from it, several other regional languages are spoken.

Madhya Pradesh is bestowed with natural jewels like rich and diverse forest areas, a number of nature preserves including Bagh Caves, Chambal and Panchmarhi, wildlife sanctuaries and parks like the world famous Kanha National Park and Bandhavgarh National Park and rivers including Narmada, Sone, Tapti, Chambal, Mahanadi, Betwa, Indrawati and Shipra.

Apart from these, Madhya Pradesh is home to several magnificent forts, palaces and monuments which are known for their architecture or scenic beauty. Moreover, three ancient sites in the state have been designated as UNSECO World Heritage sites such as the Khajuraho Group of Temples, Buddhist Stupas at Sanchi and the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka.
Madhya Pradesh - History
Madhya Pradesh has an old history which dates back to pre-Christ era, to the time of Ashoka, the great Buddhist emperor whose Mauryan empire was powerful in Malwa. The Mauryas were followed by the Sungas who were replaced by the Guptas. In the 4th century A.D, the Guptas came to Madhya Pradesh and the emergence of golden era of Indian history took place. With the decline of power, the Guptas lost the kingdom to Huns. In the first half of the 7th century, Harshvardhan ruled over Madhya Pradesh.

In the 9th century, the Chandelas came into power who left behind hundreds of unparalleled temples and monuments at Khajuraho. In the 10th century during the Chandela regime, several small kingdoms also came into existence namely - the Kachhwaha in Gwalior, Kalchuri in Narmada Valley and Parmar kings throughout the west. After the fall of Chandelas the Pratihara and Gaharwar Rajput dynasties occupied the kingdom. Parmars are remembered for Raja Bhoj, who gave his name to the city of Bhopal.

Further, the historical scenario underwent continuous changes as the invaders attacked Madhya Pradesh again and again. A series of war were fought between the Hindu kings and Muslim rulers. In the 11th century, Gwalior and its surrounding areas went under Muslim control and in the 13th century Malwa was captured by the Khiljis. In the middle of the 16th century, Mughal Emperor Akbar took over the control of this region.

With the decline of the Mughals, the Marathas came into power. During their rule, the Marathas extended their empire from Chambal to Narmada, by guerrilla warfare under the supervision of great warrior Shivaji. But after the death of Scindia Madhoji of Gwalior, Maratha empire broke into places and various independent states came into being.

Next, the Marathas were replaced by the British in 1817-18, who took control of the Sangor Nerbudda. The British expanded their area in 1860 and created the Central Province, with their central office at Nagpur and summer office at Panchmarhi. In post-independent India, Barer was added with British Central Province. The independent states of the British era were also merged with the Central Province and renamed as Madhya Pradesh on 1st November, 1956.

Madhya Pradesh - Tourist Destinations
Blessed with pristine natural beauty, Madhya Pradesh offers several awesome surprises like the picturesque mountain ranges, meandering rivers and lakes, wildlife sanctuaries and endless miles of dense forests. In addition, the exquisite forts, palaces and monuments still narrates the tales of their glorious past. Madhya Pradesh, the cultural and religious hub of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Jainism, boasts of a rich folk culture, holy pilgrimage centers and interesting tribal traditions. The colourful people of the state celebrate several fairs and festival with a riot of colour and song. Some of the famous tourist destinations of Madhya Pradesh include Bhopal, Gwalior, Khajuraho,Indore,Orchha, and Jabalpur.

Madhya Pradesh - Temples
Madhya Pradesh is renowned for its temple art and architecture and the temples in the state deserve a visit. Even today, after several years of their construction, the temples of Madhya Pradesh will not fail to amaze you with their picturesque beauty and charm. Khajuraho Temples are excellent example of outstanding human creativity in the form of sculptures. Apart from Khajuraho temples, Madhya Pradesh has several other temples namely - Omkareshwar Temple, Neelkanteswara Temple, Mahakaleshwar Temple, Orcha Temple, Sanchi Stupas, Teli Ka Mandir, Satianusuya Temple, Badeganeshji Ka Mandir, Deogarh Temple and Bhojeshwar Temple.

Madhya Pradesh - Forts & Monuments
In olden days, Madhya Pradesh was ruled by several rulers, who built a number of forts as a part of defence mechanism to keep their enemy at bay. Now, those rulers are no more, but we can still see several forts in different cities and towns of Madhya Pradesh. Each fort is unique in its architecture and offers its own distinctive charm. Most of the forts in Madhya Pradesh have magnificent temples and monuments. Some of the popular forts and monuments are Gwalior Fort, Bandhavgarh Fort, Chanderi Fort, Madan Mohan Fort, Sanchi Stupas, Khajuraho Temples, Jehangir Mahal, Jahaz Mahal, Hathi Mahal, Dil Ka Mahal, Raj Mahal, Hindola Mahal, Man Mandir Palace, Jai Vilas Palace, Lal Baag Palace and George Castle.