Central India · Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh
Sources: wikimedia
About Madhya Pradesh
- Forest
- Hills
Where it is
Madhya Pradesh lies at the heart of India, a landlocked state of plateaus, forests and river valleys crossed by the Vindhya and Satpura ranges and the Narmada River; its capital is Bhopal.
History
The rock shelters of Bhimbetka hold some of the oldest traces of human life in India. The Mauryas built the great stupa at Sanchi, and later the Guptas, the Paramaras of Malwa, the Chandelas of Khajuraho, the Malwa Sultanate, the Mughals and the Maratha houses of Scindia and Holkar ruled here, alongside the Nawabs of Bhopal. The state was formed in 1956, and Chhattisgarh was separated from it in 2000.
People
Hindi is the main language, with regional languages such as Malvi, Bundeli, Bagheli and Nimadi, and the state is home to large Adivasi communities, among them the Bhil, Gond, Baiga and Korku, known for their painting, dance and forest crafts.
Known for
- The temples of Khajuraho
- The Buddhist stupas of Sanchi
- Kanha, Bandhavgarh and Pench tiger reserves
- The forts and palaces of Gwalior, Orchha and Mandu
- The Bhimbetka rock shelters
Did you know?
The Narmada rises at Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh and, unlike most great rivers of peninsular India, flows west to the Arabian Sea, through a rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges.
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