Madhya Pradesh is India’s largest state with an area of 443,446sq km. It literally means the ‘Central Province', an apt name as it is situated in the centre of India. It’s size can be gauged from the fact that if India followed the system of time zones, as in other large countries of the world, the time in RAMANUJ GANJ (a town on the eastern border of the state) would be 40 minutes ahead of the time in JHABUA (a town on the western border of the state).

Geographically, aside from the valleys of the Narmada and Tapti, the entire state is located on a plateau, 500meters above sea level. It’s northern part, lies in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. One fifth of India’s forests are in Madhya Pradesh. The forests are dense and support a varied and rich wildlife. Nearly 22% of world’s Tiger population live in these forests of M.P. Besides magnificent fruit and flowering trees, the forests are rich with some of the finest varieties of wood in the world namely Teak, Sal, Rosewood etc.

The state has a population of nearly 66 million. Nearly 23% of the people belong to the Scheduled Tribes and 14% to Scheduled Caste.

The economy of the state is primarily agriculture based. 80% of the population lives in the rural area. The state is the third largest producer of food grains in the country.

Nearly 19 lakh hectares is under Soybean cultivation, and it has earned it the epithet of the ‘SOYABEAN STATE’. At present (1991) there are 11 National Parks and 32 Wildlife Sanctuaries spread over 17.542 sq. km. in the state. The total length of roads in Madhya Pradesh is 1,13,176km. This includes 2,755 of National Highways. Trunk rail route connecting Northern India passes through Madhya Pradesh. There are major airports at Bhopal, Raipur, Indore, Khajuraho and Gwalior, which are linked with Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi and Nagpur.

Madhya Pradesh is also home to many places, which are of great archaeological and architectural importance, e.g. Gwalior Fort, Khajuraho, Sanchi, Bhimbetka etc. In BHIMBETKA there are rock shelters which date back to pre-historic times.

Today Madhya Pradesh is a major destination and has well-developed infrastructure facilities for tourist. M.P Tourism has offices in all the major towns of the state and it provides tourists with a variety of facilities.

HISTORY

Sign of habitation dates back to nearly 12,000 years ago with the dating of the paintings in the rock shelters at Bhimbetka, near Bhopal. However the written history of the state can be traced to the 3^rd century BC when the great Buddhist Emperor, Ashoka controlled the Maurya Empire in Malwa.

The structures built by him in Sanchi are evidence of the reign of this great portion of Buddhism. The Surges, then the Guptas followed the Mauryas, before the Huns swept across the state.

Nearly a thousand years later, the Parmaras who ruled over Southwest Madhya Pradesh. The most famous Parmara king was Raja Bhoj who gave his name to the city of Bhopal.

Between 950A.D. and 1050A.D., the Chandellas ruled over the northeastern parts of Madhya Pradesh, and gave India the fantastic temples of Khajuraho.

The period between the 12^th and 16^th century was a period of great strife. The Hindu rulers were constantly engaged in struggle with the Muslims invaders. The fortified city of MANDU in the southwest was witness to many a battle for seizing control over Malwa. The Mughals finally overcame the resistance put up by the Hindu rulers, but the Mughals too did not enjoy a long period of dominance which was put to an end by the Marathas, who in turn, were eclipsed by the Britishers.

At the time of independence, the state was divided into a number of princely states that recognized British suzerainty. However they were all dissolved and amalgamated into the Indian union at the time of independence and unified state of Madhya Pradesh emerged.

Wildlife

Twenty one percent (21%) of the forest cover of the country is in Madhya Pradesh. The Vindhya Kaimur range, the Satpura range, Maikala range and the Baghelkhand plateau are covered with dense forests. These forests have a variety of trees of great commercial value, e.g. Teak, Sal, Rosewood etc.

Madhya Pradesh is home to a rich wildlife population there are 11 National parks and 32 wildlife sanctuaries. Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Park are famous for the white Tiger (ALBINOTIC), Kanha is also the only habitat of the Hardground Barasingha (swamp deer). Beside the tiger (22% of the tiger population of the world find the forests of Madhya Pradesh appealing) the wildlife in the state is represented by the leopards, lion, Sambhar, black buck and wild buffalo.

LOCATION

Madhya Pradesh is located in Central India. It is bounded by 7 states, On the Northwest by Rajasthan, North by Uttar-Pradesh, Northeast by Orissa, on the South by Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra and on the west by Gujrat.

ALTITUDE

Nearly the entire state is located on the Deacon plateau, which rises to an altitude of 500m above Sea level.

CLIMATE AND SEASON

There are three main seasons in Madhya Pradesh. Monsoon season extends from middle of the June to September. While the eastern parts of the state receives nearly 2,000mm of rains, the western part receives only 1,000mm of rains. The average daily temperature during this season is 30^oc and the Minimum is 19^oC. March to mid June, is the summer season in the state, when the maximum reaches a high of nearly 41^oC. Winters are dry and pleasant. The average daily maximum temperature during the winter months of Nov., Feb., is 27^OC and the Minimum 10 ^OC.

RECOMMENDED PERIOD FOR VISIT

Recommended period for visit is the winter months from Nov.- Feb. However people prefer to visit the state during the monsoon season, as the landscape turns lush green and places like Panchmarhi and Mandu are especially attractive.

CLOTHING

SUMMER Light clothes preferably natural fibres.

WINTER Light woolens for the day and heavy woolens for the night.

ACCESSIBILITY

BY AIR

There are major airports at Bhopal, Raipur, Indore, Khajuraho and Gwalior, which are linked with Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi and Nagpur.

BY ROAD

The state is well linked with the rest of the country by the National Highways of which nearly 2,755km pass through the state.

BY TRAIN